The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-08-19
Copyright By Little, Brown SO

Tie big pump from the Argonaut +.
tunnel was aboard the truck. which |
was followed by TWO other auto We
hicles, each loaded with gasoline en- /
gines and smaller pumps. a hundred /.
men were in the crowd, all equipped /
with ropes and buckets. Sam Herben- /
feIders pleas had been heard The /.
search was about to begin for the
body Of Harry and the diamond that /
Circled one finger. And Fafrchild has /
tened to do his part
Until far into the night they worked
and strained to put the big pump int
position; while crews of men, four and
i've in a group, bailed water as fast
as possible. that the aggregate might
be lessened to the greatest possible
extent before the pumps, with their
hoses. were attached. Then the gaso-
line engines began to snort, great
lengths of tubing were let down into
the shaft. and squirting water started
down the mountain side as the task
Of unWatering the shaft began.
But it was a slow Job. Morning
found the distance to the water length
ened by twenty to thirty feet, and tie
bucket brigadeS nearly at the end Of
their ropes Men trudged down tie
hills to breakfast, sending others in
their places Fairchild stayed on to
meet Mother Howard and assuage her
nervousness as best he could. dividing
his time between her and the task be
fore him. Noon found more water
than ever tumbling down, the hills -
the smaller pumps were working now
in unison with the larger one. After
no0n-and most of Ohadi WAS therei
Fairchild could distinguish the form
Of Anita Richmond in the hundreds Of
women and men clustered about the
opening of the tunnel, and for once
she was not in the company of Maui
rice ROdaine. He hurried to her and
she smiled at his approach.
Have they found anything yet?"
"NOthing-so far. Except that there
is plenty of water in the shaft. I'm
trying not to believe it,
Il hope it isn't true" Her voice was
low and serious. Father was talking
to me-about you. And we hoped you
tive would succeed-this time"
Evidently her father had told her
more than she cared to relate. Fair
child caught the infection in her voice
but disregarded it.
Il owe you an apology" he said
bluntly.
For what?"
Last night. I couldn't resist 1T
forgot for a moment that you were
there: But II hope that youll be-
lieve me to be a gentleman, in spite
of it."
She smiled up at him quickly.
Il already have had proof of that.
II am only hoping that you will be-
lieve Newell, that you'll forget some
thing"
You mean"
YES" she countered quickly, as
though to cut off his explanation. 1T
seemed like a great deal Yet it was
nothing at all. would feel much hap
pier if I were sure you had disre-
garded it."
Fairchild looked at her for a long
time, studying her with his serious
blue eyes. wondering about many
things, wishing that he knew more of
women and their ways. At last he
said the thing that he felt, the straight
forward Outburst of a straightforward
man:
You're not going to be offended if
I tell you something's"
Certainly not"
1.-The sheriff game along just after
you had made the turn. He was look
ing for an auto bandit"
"a what?" She stared at him with
wide-Open, almost laughing eyes. "But
you don't believe"
''He was looking for a man." said
Fairchfld quietly. II told him that
I hadn't seen anything but-a boy.
was willing to do that then-because
[ couldn't believe that a girl like YOU
would" Then he stumbled and halt
ed. A moment he sought speech while
she smiled up at him. Then out it
came: Il don't care what it was.
II like you. Honest, I do. I liked
you so much when I was changing
that tire that I didn't even notice it
when you put the money in my hand.
well, you're not the kind of girl
who would do anything really wrong.
It might be a prank-or something
like that-but it wouldn't be wrong
$3.50 there's an end to it,
Again she laughed softly, in a way
tantalizing TO Robert Fairchild. as
though she were making game of him.
WHAT do you know about women?"
she asked finally, and Fairchild told
the truth.
Nothing
Then" the laugh grew heartier,
finally, however, to die away. The
girl put forth her hand. But l won't |
say what I was going to-. 1t wouldn't |
sound right. I hope that II live up |
TO your estimation of me. At least |
Tn thankful to you for being the man |
YOU are. And I won't forget"
And once more her hand had rested /
IN his-a small, warm. caressing thing /
in spite of the purely casual grasp /.
OF an impersonal action. Again Rob /
ert FairchiId felt thrill that was new
to him, and he stood watching her IN /!
til she had reached the motor car /
which had brought her TO the big /
curve, and had faded down the Hill |
Then he went back TO assist the sweat /
ing workmen and the anxious-faced /
Sam Herbenfelder. The water was /
down seventy feet