The Dolores star., 1922-12-22
CHAPTER XVIII

Hardly realizing what he was doing.
! or why he was doing ii, Fairch!ld
seized Anita in his arms aud. raising
her to his breast ns though she We're
child, rushed out through the cross
cut and nlong the cavern TO the fis-
sure, there to find Harry awaiting
them.
Put 'er In first :" said the Cornish
man anxlously. THE farther the safer.
Did you ear anything morc?"
Fairchild obeyed. shaking his mend
in negative to IIarry's question, then
squeezed into the fissure, edglng along
beside Anita, willie Harry followed.
WHAT'S doing. Harry
Nothing. That's the funny part of
1T" The big Cornishman had crept to
the edge of the fissure and had stared
for moment toward the cross-cut
leading to the stope. "If 1t was com
Ing. it ought to ave showed up by
now. I'm going back. You stay ERE"
A long moment and he was back
| almost creeping, and whispering, as
he reached the end OF the flssure.
Come 'ere-both of you'll Come
ere! 7"
what is it?"
"Sh-h-h-h-h-h. Don't talk too loud
We've been blessed with luck already.
Come ere"
He led the way, the man and wom-
an following him. In the stope the
Cornishman crawled carefully to the
staging and, standing on tiptoes.
pressed his ear against the vein above
him. Then he withdrew ind nodded
sagely.
That's what 1t is,- came his an
nouncement at last. You Gun ear IT -
"But what?
Get up there and lay your ear
against that vein. See If you ear any.
thing. And be quiet about 1t. I'm
scared to make move for fear
somebody II ear me-"
Fairchiid obeyed From far away,
carried by the telegraphy Of the earth
and there are few conductors that
are better-wns the steady pound,
pound, pound of shock after shock rs
it Travelled along the hanging wall.
Fairchld turned. wondering, then
reached for Anita.
You listen" he ordered, as he lift
ed her to where she could hear. do
you get anything?"
The girls eyes shone.
Il know what that is," she said
quickly. "Tve heard that same sort
OF thing before-when you're on an
other level and somebody's working
above. Isn't that it, Mr. HarkinsY"
Harry nodded.
That's it," came tersely. Then
bending, he reached for pick and,
muffling the sound as best he could be-
tween his knees, knocked the head
from the handle. Following this, he
lifted the piece of hickory thoughtful
~ and turned to Fairchild. Get your-
seit one" he ordered. Miss Richmond.
l guess you'll ave to stay ere. | don'r
see 'ow we can do much else with
you"
But can't l so along-wherever
you're going?"
There's going to be fight" said
Harry quietly. "And I'm going 70
knock somebody's block off,"
But-Id rather be there than bere
II don't have to get in it. And pd
De scared to death here. l wouldn't n
1 was along with you two, because I
know" and she said 1t with olmos,
childish conviction-"that Won car
whip EN-"
Harry chuckled.
Come along. then. I've got ,uncn
ana can't sye 1t now. But it'll come
| OUT IT the wash. Come along"
They started up the mountain s,do
sklrtins the big gullies and edgIn.
about the highest drifts, taking od'
vantage of the cover Of the pines and
bending against the force of the bI,z-
zard which seemed to threaten to
bl"w them back, step for sten, No
one spoke; instinctIvely Fairchild and
anna mad guessed Harry's concln.
slons. The nearest mine to tbe R,ma
foppy was the Silver Queen. sitnoted
several hundred feet above II in a,t,
tude and less than furlonp awan
Ana che metal Of the Silver onecn
ana the Blue Poppy, now that the
strike had been made, had assayed nj.
most identicalIy the same. II wa.
tn