Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-10-06

his life? You've got to remember that
he amt like an ordinary father that
you can go to and tell all your trou-
bles TO- He's laying next door to death,
and Anita. just like any woman that's
got great big, good heart in her,
Is willing face worse than death
to help him. It's as plain to me as
the nose on Harry's face"
(which is quite plain" agreed Fair
child ruefully Harry rubbed the IL
beled proboscis, paved at his mus
tache and fidgeted in his chair.
81 understand that all right he
announced at last. "But why should
anybody want to buy the mine?'
1t brought Fairchild to the reallza-
ton Of new development, and he
brought forth the letter, once more to
stare at it.
"Fifty thousand dollars is a lot Of
money" came at last.
"And what then?" Mother Howard,
still looking through uncolored glasses,
took the letter and scanned it, you
two amt cutters, are your"
400, us?" Harry bristled.
''Yes, you. If you are, get your
selves a piece Of paper and write to
Denver and take the offer. If you
ain't-keep on fighting"
81 believe you're right, Mother How
ard" Fairchild had reached for the
letter again and was staring at it as
though for inspiration. "That amount
of money seems to be great deal.
Still, If a person VIII offer that much
for mine when there's nothing in
sight to show its value, it ought to
mean that there's something dark in
the woodpile and that the things
worth fighting out. And personally
speaking, Pm willing to fightw
81 never quit in my llfel !" Harry
Strengthened in his chair and his mus
taehe stuck forth pugnaciously. Moth
er Howard looked down at him.
pressed her lips, then smiled
mo" she announced, except to run
away like a whipped pup after you'd
gotten a poor lonely clearinghouse
keeper in love with you"
''Mother 'Oward, III"
Out lllG iduSillhSs EidA -idiith Noih7
an had scrambled through the door
way and slammed the door behind her,
only to open 1t a second later and poke
her head within.
Needn't think because you can hold
up dance hall and get away with it,
you can use cave-man stuff on mep
she admonished And in that one sen
tence was all the conversation neces-
sary regarding the charges against
Harry, as far as Mother Howard was
concerned. She didn't believe them,
and Harry's face showed that the
world had become bright and serene
again. He swung his great arms as
though to loosen the big muscles Of his
shoulders. He pecked at his mus
tache. Then he turned to Fairchild.
well" he asked, "what do we do?
Go up to the mine-just like nothing
'ad ever 'appened?"
Exactly. Wait until change my
clothes. Then Wen be ready to start
I'm not even going to dignity this let
ter by replying to it. And for one
principal reason" he added-"that !
think the Rodalnes have something
TO do with It."
"Ow soY"
az don't know. I'll be ready in a
moment"
An hour later they entered the
mouth Of the Blue Poppy tunnel, once
more to start the engines and to re-
sumo the pumping, meanwhile strug- |
Cling back and forth with timbers from
the mountain side, as they began the
task of rehabilitating the tunnel where
it had caved in just beyond the shaft
Hour after hour they toiled, until
the gray mists hung low over the
mountain tops, until the shadows
heightened and twilight fell. The en-
gines ceased their chugging, the cough
ing swirl of the dirty water as 1t came
from the drift, far below, stopped.
Slowly two weary men logged down
the rutty road to the narrow, winding
highway which led through Kentucky
gulch and into town
That night Fairchild did not lie
awake to stare about him In the dark
ness. His eyes closed YEARLY, yet
with a wholesome fatigue. Nor did
he wake until Harry was pounding
on the door in the dawn Of the morn
ing.
Once more the pumps; once more
the struggle against the heavy tim
bers; once more the "clunk" Of the
ak as it bit deep into wood, or the
Of hammers as great spikes
were driven into place. The timber
Ing OF the broken-down portion Of the
tunnel Just behind the shaft had been
repaired, and Harry tipped the sweat
away from his broad forehead with an
action of relief.
'Not that 1t does any particular
good he announced. 'But it's room
wen need when we start working
lown below, and we might as well
ave # fixed up"
He ceased suddenly and ran TO the
pumps. A peculiar gurgllng sound had
,ome from the ends Of the hose, and
he flow deprecated greatly; instead
If the steady gush Of water, Shiny
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