The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-21

two hundred feet below, only 70 follow
them in their counterbalanced bucket
and laboriously pile them along the
sides Of the drift, there to await use
later on. Weeks In which they worked
in mud and slime, as they shoveled
out the muck and with their CAD hooks
tore down loose portions Of the hang
ing wall to form q roadbed for their
new tram.
It was a slow, CALLING progress. but
they kept at it. Gradually, the tram
line began Ito take shape, tpieced to-
gether from old portions Of the track
which still lay In the drift and supple
mented by others bought cheaply at
that graveyard Of miners hopes-the
junk yard in, Ohadi., At last it was
finished; the work Of moving the heavy
timbers became easier now as they
were shunted onto the small tram
truck from which the body had been
dismantled> and trundled along the
rails to the cave-in, there to be piled
in readiness for their use. And final
ly-
A pick swung in the air, to give
forth a chunky, smacking sound, as 1t
struck water-softened, spongy wood.
The attack against the cave-in had be-
gun. A foot at a time they tore away
the Oil, broken, spliutered timbers and
the rocky refuse which lay piled be-
hind each shtvered beam; only to stop,
carry away the muck, and then rebuild.
Cold and damp, in the moist air Of the
tunnel they labored, but there was a
Joy in It all. Down here they could
forget Squint Rodaine and his chalky-
faced son; down here they could feel
that they were working toward a goal
and lay aside the handicap which
humans might put in their path.
Day after day Of labor and the in
dentation upon the cave-in grew from
a matter Of feet to one Of yards. A
week. Two. Then, as Harry swung
his pick, he lurched forward and went
to his knees. "1've gone through" he
announced in happy surprise. I've
gone through. We're at the end Of It ="
Up went Fairchild's carbide. Where
the pick still hung In the rocky mass,
a tiny hole showed, darker than the
surrounding refuse. There was Joy
in Harry's voice as he made momen-
tary survey.
TITS fairly dry behind there" he an
nounced. "Otherwise we'd have been
scrambling around In water up to our
necks. We're lucky there, any'ow."
Again the attack and again the hole
widened. At last Harry Strengthened.
1--WE can go in now" came finally.
Are you willing to 60 with met"
"You mean-T
But Harry stopped him.
Lets don't talk about it till we
ave to. Come on"
Silently they crawled through the
opening, the silt and fine rock rafting
about them as they did so, to come
upon fairly dry earth on the other
side, and to start forward. Suddenly,
as they walked along, Harry took the
lead, holding his lantern far ahead Of
him, with. one big hand behind 1t, as
though for a reflector. Then, just as
suddenly, he turned.
Lets go out" came shortly.
"Why?"
TITS therel" In the light Of the
lantern, Harry's face was white, his
big lips livid. Lets 60"
But Fairchild stopped him.
Harry" he said, and there was de-
Termination in his voice, III it's there
we've got to face 1t. Don't you
think that certain people would make
an investigation If we should happen
to quit the mine now?"
"The Rodaines!"
Continued in next issue