The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-31

TONS, anu the vein naQ not yet SHOWu
its other side!
Back to work they went now. Again
through the hours the drills bit into
the rock walls, while the ore car clat-
tered along the tram line and while
the creaking of the block and tackle
at the shaft seemed endless. In three
days, approximately forty tons Of ore
must come out Of that mine-and work
must not cease. /
Morning, and in spite of the Sleep
laden eyes, the heavy aching in his
head, the tired dropping Of the shout
ders, Fairchild trampedsto the board
ing house to notify Mother Howard
and ask for news OF Harry. There
had been none. Then he went on, to
wait by the door Of the Sampler until
Bittson, the owner, "should~appear, and
drag him away up the hill, even be-
fore he could open up for the morning.
"There IL 81" he exclaimed, as he
led him to the entrance Of the cham.
Der. There it is; take all you want
of it and assay it,"
Blttson went forward into the CROSS
cut, where the men were drilling even
at new holes, and examined the vein.
ALREADY it was three feet thick and
there was still ore ahead. One Of the
miners loked up.
"Just finishing up on the cross-cut,"
he announced, as he nodded toward his
drill. 1--WE just bitten into the foot
wall on the other side. Looks to me
like the veins about five feet thick
US near as can measure It,"
"And-" Bittson picked up a few
samples, examined them by the light
of the carbides and tossed them away
-"you can see the silver sticking out.
I caught sight Of a couple Of pencil
threads of it in one or two of those
samples. All right, Boy!" he turned
to Fairchild. "What was that bargain
we nade?"
1t was based on two hundred dol
lars-a-ton ore. This may run above
or below. But whatever it Is, I'll sell
all you can handle for the next three
days at fifty dollars ton under the
assay price"
you've said the word. The trucks
| will be here in an hour If we have to
shovel path all the way up Ken
lucky gulch."
He hurried away then, while Fair
child and the men followed him into
town and to their breakfast. Then,
recruiting new gang on the promise
of payment at the end of their three
day shift, Fairchild went back to the
mine. But the word had spread, and
others were there before him.
| Already fifteen or twenty miners
were assembled about the opening Of
the Blue Poppy tunnel, awaiting per-
mission to enter, the usual rush upon
a lucky mine to view its riches. Be-
hind lin, Fairchild could see others
coming from Oaadi to take look Mt
the new strike, and his heart bounded
with happiness tinged with sorrow.
Harry was not there to enjoy 1t all ;
Harry was gone, and in spite Of his
every effort, Fairchild had failed to
find him.
Some one brushed against him, ana
there came a slight tug at his coat.
Falrchild looked downward to see
passing the form of Anita Richmond.
A moment later she looked toward
him, bur In her eyes there was no light
Of recognition. nothing to indicate that
she had Just given MIN a signal Of
greeting and congratulation. And yet
Falrchild felt that she had. Then, abb
sently, he put his hand into his
pocket.
Something there caused his heart to
halt momentarily-a piece Of paper.
He crumpled it in his hand, he rubbed
his fingers over it wonderingly; it had
not been in his pocket before she had
passed him. Hurriedly he walked to
the far side Of the chamber and there,
pretending to examine a bit Of ore,
brought the missive from its place OF
secretion, to unfold 1t with trembling
fingers, then to stare at the words
which showed before him:
"SQuint Rodaine Is terribly worried
about something. Has been on an aw-
full rampage all morning. Something
critical Is brewing, but don't know
what. Suggest you keep watch on
him. Please destroy this" ~
That was all. There was no sigma.
ture. But Robert Falrchild had seen
the writing of Anita Richmond once
beforel !. -
: So she was his friend! So all these
days Of waiting had not been in win;
all the cutting hopelessness Of seeing
her, only to have her turn away her
head and fail to recognize him, had
been for their purpose after all. And
yet Fairchild remembered that she
was engaged to Maurice Rodaine, and
that the time Of the wedding must be
fast approaching Perhaps there had
been quarrel, perhaps. Then he
smiled. There was no perhaps about
it Anita Richmond was his friend;
she had been forced into the promise
of marriage to Maurice Rodaine, but
she had not been forced into relln.