The St. Charles herald., 1922-09-09
CHAPTER III


p
Three weeks later, Robert Fafrchild
sat in the smoking compartment or
the Overland Limited, looking at the
Rocky mountains In the distance. In
his pocket were q few hundred dol
lars; in the bank in indianapolis
few thousand, representing the final
proceeds Of the sale Of everything that
had connected him with rather
dreary past. Out before him
Three weeks had created a mete-
morphosis in what had been a plod-
ding. matter-of-fact man with dreams
which did not extend beyond his led
gers and his gloomy home-but now
man leaning his head against the win
dow of rushing train, staring ahead
toward the Rockies and the rainbow
they held for him. Back to the place
where his father had gone with
dreams agIow was the son travelling
now-back into the rumpled noun
tains where the blue haze hung low
and protecting as though over mystic
ries and treasures which awaited one
man and one alone. 1t thrilled Fair
child. It caused his heart to tug and
pull-nor could be tell exactly why.
The hills came closer. Still closer;
then, when 1t seemed that the train
must plunge straight into them, they
drew away again, as though through
some optical Illusion, and brOoded In
the background, as the long. trans
continental train began to bang over
the frogs and switches as it made Its
entrance into Denver. Fairchild went
through the long chute and to a ticket
window.
when can get train for Ohadi?"
The ticket seller smiled. "You can't
get one"
But the map shows that railroad
runs there"
Ran there, you mean," chaffed the
clerk. 1.-THE best you can do is to
get to Forks Creek and walk the rest
of the way. That's a narr0w-gauge
line. and Clear creeks been on a RAM
page. II took out about two hundred
feet of trestle, and there won't be a
train into Ohadi for a week. Stranger
out hereT
"Very much Of one"
"In hurry to get to Ohadif"
"Yes."
"Then you can 60 uptown and hire
q taxi-they've got big cars for noun
tain work and there are good roads
all the way. TIN cost fifteen OF
twenty dollars. Or"
Fairchild smiled, "Give me the other
system II you've got one. I'm not ter.
,ribly long on cash-for taxis."
Certainly. No use spending that
money II you've got little pep. and
1T isn't a matter Of life or death. Go
up to the Central loop-anybody car
direct you-and catch street car fol
Golden. That eats up fifteen miles
and leaves just twenty-three miles
more. Then ask somebody to point
out the road over Mount Lookout
Machines 60 along there every few
minutes-no trouble at all to catch
ride. You'll be in Ohadi In no time
Fairchild obeyed the instructions
and in the baggage room rechecked hi
trunk to follow him, tightening hi
travelling bag at the same time unit
II carried only necessities. A lunch
con, then the street car. Three quar-
tiers Of an hour later, he began tn
five-mile trudge up the broad, smooth
carefully grcomed automobile high
way which masters Mount Lookout. 4
rumbling sound behind him, then b
etepped to one side, a grimy trucl
driver leaned out to shout as h
passed:
.Want a lift? Hop on! Can
stop-too much grade"
A running leap, and Fairchild seal
ed himself on the tailboard Of tn
truck, swinging his legs and lookin
out over the fading plains as tn
truck roared and clattered upwar
along the twisting mountain road.
Upward, still upwaSdl The tow
below became merely checkerboar
thing, the lake dot Of cleaning 81
YeT, the SlIcdm q cSiutAhdthh6 AAoUo
stretching OF into the foothills.
turn, and they skirted tremendou
valley, Its slopes falling away in shee
descents from the roadway. A darl
ened. moist stretch Of road, fringed b
pines, then jogging journey over rol
Ing table-land. At last came voit
from the drivers seat.
"Turn of up here at Genesee moul
tain. Which wav do you go?'
.Trying to get to Ohadi." Fairchil
shouted it above the roar Of the e
eine. The driver waved hand TO
ward.
.Keep ia the main road. Drop Q
when make the turn"
"Thanks for the lift"
AAw. forget It."
The truck wheeled from the ma
road and chugged away. leaving Fai
child afoot, making as much progre'
Il possible toward his goal until got
fortune should hrinS swifter meal
az lmomcfion. Suddenly he wheeIe
rei.ind him sounded the swift dronir
u d motor. cut-out open. 10 L rushs