The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-08
(Coutinuad from Last issus)
CHAPTER II.

:. CHAPTER II.
In spite Of all that Omens could
'fOretell. in spite of the dull, gloomy
life which had done its best to fash
inn- a Matter-Of-fact brain for Robert
Fatrebild. one sentence in that letter
had found an echo, had started a pull
lftinE something within him that he
never before had known:
1T IL the blood Of IN adventurer."
And it seemed that Robert Fair
child needed 10 more than the knowl-
edge to feel the Jingle Of it; the old
house suddenly became stufy and
prisonlike rs he wandered through it.
Again nnd again pounded through his
head the fact that only night Of
travel interviewed between Indianapn-
lis and st. Louis; within twelve hours
be could he in the Office Of Henry
BeaIpish. And then
4 hurried resolution. A hasty pack
Ing Of, 4 travelling bag and the cushing
Of check ut the cigar store down on
the corner. A wakeful night while
the train clattered along upon its
Journey. At last:
I'm Robert Fairchild" he said, as
he faced white-haired, Cupid-faced
man in the rather dingy offices in the
Princess building. A slow smile
spread over the pu(gy features Of the
genial-appearlng attorney. and he
waved fat hand toward the Offices
extra chair.
"Sit down, Son." came casually.
Needn't have announced yourself.
I'd have known yOu-just like your ia
ther, Boy. How Is he?" Then his
face suddenly sObered. I'm afraid
your presence is the answer. Am
Nght|'
Fairchild nodded gravely. The old
attorney stared out Of the window to
the grimy roof and signboards OF the
next building.
"Perhaps It's better So" he said ut
last. Did he get any cheerier be-
fore-he went?"
NO. Afraid Of every step on the
verantla, OF every knock Mt the door"
Again the attorney stared out Of
the window.
And you? Are you afraid?"
a.. ;"Ot what?"
The lawyer smiled.
IT don't know. Only" and he
leaned fOrward-"it's Just M though
were living my younger days over
again this morning. 1t doesn't seem
any time ut all since your father was
sitting just about where you are now,
and CAD. Boy, how much you look like
he looked that morning! The same
gray-blue eyes, the same dark hair,
the same strong shoulders. and good,
manly chin. the same build-and look
Of determination about him. The call
Of adventure was in his blood, and
he sat there all enthusiastic, telling
me what he intended doing and ask
Ing my advice-althOugl he wouldn't
have followed 1t ii had given It,
Back home was baby and the woman
he loved, and out West was sudden
wealth, waiting for the right man to
come along and find 1t. Cad" White
haired old Beamish chuckled with the
memory Of it. "Then four years later"
the tone changed suddenly, "he came
hack" :,
what then?" Falrchild was on
the edge Of his chair. But Beamish
only spread his hands.
,"Truthfully. BOY, l don't know. I
have, guessed-but I won't tell you
what. All know il that yMlr father
found. what, lie was looking for and
was on the point of achieving Ills ev-
cry dream, when something h.us,cned.
Then three men simply disappeared
from. the mining camp. announcing
that they had failed. and were going
to hunt new diggings. That was all.
One OF them WIS your father"
"But you said that he'd found"
"Silver, running twenty ounces to
the ton on an eight-inch vein which
gave, evidences Of being only the he
ginning Of u bonanza! Il know, be-
cause he had written me that, a month
before"
And he. abandoned it?' =.
He'd forgotten what he had writ
ten when I saw him again. /, didn't
question him. He went home then.
after giving me enough money to pay
the taxes on the mine for the next
twenty years. simply MS his attorney
and without dlvulging his where
abouts. Il did it. Eight years or so
later I saw him in indianapolis. He
gave me more money--enough for
eleven or twelve years."
And that was ten years ago?" Rob-
ert Fairchilds eyes were reminiscent.
II renernber--I was only a kid. He
Aeld of everything he had, except the