Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-03-02
ScoPYRIGHT BY CHARLES SCRIBNERS SONS -
buncl. VI straw through the threshing

Dunc. vi straw through the threshing
machine.
With things looking as blue as the
bluest milestone that ever clicked
upon scythe, we tried to settle upon
some line Of action. Copah was the
county seat, and the obvious first step
would have been for me to go there
for search in the county records for
evidence Of the sale of the mine to my
grandfather. But the minute / should
show myself on the railroad, I'd be
nabbed for the theft Of that internal
inspection car. Daddy offered to go
In my place, but that alternative didn't
appeal to me at all. knew perfectly
well how helpless he'd be in any such
lawyerlike search as would have to be
made in the county recorders office.
Being stopped of short in every
other direction, we finally gravitated
over to the shaft-house and went to
work In an aimless sort of fashion
gathering up the wreckage Of the
smashed gear train and putting things
shipshape again. With steam up, we
turned the machinery over q few
times, just to see that everything was
In working order again, and threw in
the clutch of the centrifugals, merely
TOR the satisfaction of hearing the
flood rushing through the outlet. When
the pumps were going at full speed l
went to look down the shaft. As be-
fore, when we had run the pumps for
week on end. there was a slight dis
turbance Of the water, but nothing
more. My makeshift float-and-pulley
gauge showed no change in the level.
Suddenly a freak notion seized me
that I'd like to know just what was
going on down in those black depths
into which the suction pipes of the
big pumps led.
Daddy, I'm going to try to find out
something" declared and forthwith
began to strip my clothes of. "We've
seen the water coming out at the 9TH
er end Of things, and now, by George,
I mean to make sure that it's going in
at this end"
He didn't try very hard to dissuade
me, and minute or so later I was
crawling down the shaft ladder in the
habiliments that old Mother Nature
gave me. 1t was my first exploration
Of the shaft, and was surprised to
find 1t so well and tightly timbered;
boxed" is the better word, since the
timbering was really a substantial
wooden box built within the square
outlinings Of the pit. Common sense
told me that this must have been done
to prevent the caving in of the sides {;
and afterward remembered wonder
ing, at the time, that the shaft should
have been sunk in cavfng material
and painting as X he were waiting Inn
patiently for us to stop talking and
pay some attention to him.
I Poor old Barney's hemesick, and
don't blame him." said. 'tTm feeling
good bit that way. myself. Daddy"
Then to the dog: "Come here, old
boy!"
The collie came to lick my hand. and
while was petting him found a
pretty bad cash just behind one of his
ears.
"See here, Daddy" I broke out {;
1.-The dogs hurt!'
We examined the wound and decided
at once that it was not bite. It was
bruised cut, looking as IL 1t had been
made by some blunt instrument or
weapon. l had a hot-flash vision Of
Fullerton kicking the dog with his
iron-shod heel in an attempt to drive
him back home, and 1t was SO real that
couldn't shake it of,
/ When it began to grow dusk in the
shaft-house we shut up shop and went
over to the cabin to cook our supper.
The dog went along, but evidently with
reluctance. While we were crossing
the dump head he turned back and
once more started off down. the road
toward the bench below, but when he
found that we were not following him
he came to heel again. Still. neither
Of us had dog sense enough to guess
what was tile matter with him.
Daddy Hiram and l, being merely
stupid humans, We're commenting upon
his queer actions, and laying them to
Jeanie's absence. when again the dog
started off down the road, looking
back and barking when he found that
we were still sitting OH the doorstep.
At that, since even solid ivory can be
penetrated if the woultl-be driller of ii
St0vS IN rho inh long pnn1l,rh yyQ final.