American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1922-11-25
CHAPTER XVII.

30 this explained, after a fashion,
Harry's disappearance. This re-
vealed why the search through the
mountains had failed. This
'giBut Fairchild suddenly realized that
now was not a time for conjecturing
upon the past. The man on the bed
was unconscious, Incapable Of helping
himself. Far below, q white.haired
woman. her toothless jaws uttering
one weird chant after another. was
digging for him quicklime grave, In
the Insane belief that she was aiding
IN accomplishing some miracle Of Inn
mortality. In time-and Fairchild did
not know how long--an ill.visaged,
scarfaced man would return to help
her carry the inert frame Of the un.
conscious man below and bury Il. Nor
could Fairchild tell from the CONVEX.
eatio0 whether he even intended 10
perform the merciful act Of killing the
poor. broken being before he covered
II with acids and Quick-eating lime In
. grave that soon would remove all
vestige Of human identity forever.
Certainly now was not q time for
thought; 1t was one for actioni
Am for caution. Instinct told Fair
child that for the present, at least,
Rodaine must believe that Harry had
escaped unaided. There were too
many other things in which Robert
felt sure Rodaine had played Q part.
too many other mysterious happenings
which must be met and COPIED with.
before the man Of the blue-white scar
could know that finally the underlIng
was beginning to, show fight. that 1t
last the crushed had begun to rise.
Fairchild bent and unlaced his shoes,
taking OF also the heavy wooden
socks which protected his fest IRON
the biting cold. Steeling himself 70
the ~ eal which h must undergo, ~
tied the iaces together and slung the
footgear over shoulder. Then he
went to the bed. 81. ~,
As carefully as possible. he wrapped
Harry In the blankets, seeking to pro.
tect him In every way against the
cold. With a great effort, he lifted
him. the sick mans frame huddled In
his arms like some gigantic baby, and
started out Of the eerie. darkened
house. KS
The stairs-the landing-the hall
Then a query from below:
"Is that you. Roadyr'
The breath pulled sharp into Fair
child's lungs. He answered In the
best imitation he could give Of the
voice Of Squint Rodaine:
"Yes. Go ON with your digging.
Honey. I'll be there soon"
"And you'll kiss met"
"Yes. Just like I kissed you the
night our boy was born"
II was sufficient. The chanting be-
gan again, accompanied by the swish
Of the spade a. It sank into the earth
and the Guiding roll Of the clOds a.
they were thrown to one side. Fair
child gained the door. A moment more
and he staggered with his burden into
the protecting darkness of the night.
The snow crept about his ankles,
seeming to freeze them at every
touch. but Fairchild did not desIst. His
original purpose must be carried out
IL Rodaine were not to know---the ap-
pearance that Harry had aroused him
self sufficiently to wrap the blankets
about him and wander or by himself.
And this could be accomplished only
by the pain and cold and torture Of a
barefoot trip.
Some way, by shifting the big frame
Of his unconscious partner now and
then. Fairchild made the trip to the
main road and veered toward the
pumphouse Of the Diamond ]. mine,
running as II often did without 1t
tendance while the engineer made q
trip with the electric motor into the
hill. Cautiously he peered through
the windows. No one was there. Be.
yond lay warmth and comfort--and q
telephone. Fairchild went within and
placed Harry on the floor. Then hs
reached for the phone and called the
hospital.
"Hello" he announced In q husky
disguised voice. This Ia Jeb Gresham
Of Georgeville. I've just found q mar
lying by the side Of the Diamond J
pumphouse. unconscious. with a BIZ
cut in his head. I've brought him In
side. You'll find him there; I've gol
to 90 on. Looks IKE he's liable to dls
unless you can send the ambulance foI
him."
"we1l make II rush ttSp." cam,