The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-11-17
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Three weeks later, Rccert Fairchild
sat IA the smoking compartment Of
the Overland Limited. looking at the
Rocky mountains in ne distance. In
his pocket were a Few hundred dol
lars; in the bank in Indianapolis a
few thousand, representing the final
proceeds of the sale of everything that
had connected him with a rather
dreary past. Out before him
Three weeks had created a meta
norphosis in what had been a plod-
ding, matter-of-fact mar with dreams
which did not extend beyond his led
gers and his gloomy home-but now a
man leaning his head against the Win
dow of a rushing train, staring ahead
toward the Rockies and the rainbow
they held for him. Back to che place
where his father had gone with
dreams aglOw was the son travelling
now-back into the rumpled noun
fains where the blue haze hung low
and protecting as though over mystic
cies and treasures which awaited~one
man and one alone. 1t thrilled Fair
child, 1t caused his heart to tug and
pull-nor could be tell exactly why.
| The hills came closer. Still closer;
then, when it seemed that the train
must plunge straight into them, they
lrew away again, as though through
some optical illusion, and brooded in
eshe background, as the long, trans
continental train began to bang over
he frogs and switches as it made its
entrance into Denver. FairChild went
Through the long chute and to a ticket
window.
when car / get a train for Ohbli?'
The ticket seller smiled. You can't
get one"
"But the map shows that a 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 narrOw-gauge
inc, and Clear creeks been on a ram
page. II took out about two hundred
feet of trestle, md there won't be a
train into Ohadi for a week. Stranger
.out here?"
"Very much OF one"
"In a hurry to get to Ohadi?"
ayes"
"Then you can 20 uptown and hire
a t~axi-they've got big cars for noun
tain work and there are good roads
all the way. It'll cost fifteen or
dwenty dollars. Or"
Fairchild smiled. "Give me the other
system Il you've got one. I'm not ter
ribly bong on cash-fOr taxis."
Certainly. No use spending that
money If you've got a little pep, and
1t isn't a matter Of life or death. Go
up to the Central loop-anybody can
direct you-and catch a street car for
Golden. That ents 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
ninutes-nOs trouble at all to catch q
eide. You'll be I'm Ohadi in no time
Fairchild obeyed the instructions
and In the baggage room rechecked his
trunk to follow him, tightening his
travelling bag at the same time until
1t carried only necessities. 4 lunch
con, ten the street cor. Three quar-
ters of an hour later. he began tho
rive-mile tySdge up tho broad, smooth
carefully e-oOmed automobile high
-way which masters Mount Lookout. A
rumbling sound behind him, then he
stepped TO one side, a grlmy truck
driver leaned out TO shout as ne
passed:
"want a lift7 Hop on! Cant
stOp-toO much grade"
A running leap, and Tairchild seat
ed himself on the tailboard Of the
truck, swinging his legs and looking
out over the fading plains as the
truck roared and clattered upward
along the twisting mountain road.
Upward, still upward! The tow
below became merely a checkerboard
ching, the lake q dot Of cleaning sill
yer, the stream a scintillating ribbon
stretching off into the foothills. a
turn, and they skirted a tremendous
valley, It's Slopes falling away in sheer
QcSCGusS HUH thC IohhWoy' oNaA
cned, moist stretch of road, fringed bJ
pines, then a jogging journey over roll
ing table-land. At last came a voice
from the drivers seat.
"Turn Off up here at Genesee noun
tain. Which wav do you got?
"Trying to get to Ohadi." Fairchilt
sahouted II above the roar Of the en-
cine. The driver waved a hand for
ward.
keep to the main road. Drop of
when ! make the turn"
sIhankS for the lift"
"Aw, forget It."
The truck wheeled from the MAR
read and chugged away, leaving Fair
child afOot, making as much progress,
as possible toward his goal until goot
fortune should bring q swifter mean.
o~,~r CvGJn,y- lo rLonIoJ