Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-10-06
CHAPTER xiv--con.inued.

made and had completed their first
shipment to the smelter. There was
no necessity that they buy the Blue
Poppy mine. Therefore. was II simply
another trick to break him. to lead
him up to point Of high expecta-
lions, then. with laugh ut his dis
appointment. throw him down again?
His shoulders Strengthened as they
reached the outside air. and he moved
close to Harry Gs he told him his con-
lectures. The Cornishman bobbed
his head.
81 never thought of II that wyel"
he agreed. "But II could explain lot
of things. They want to beat us and
they don't care 'ow. II 'urts person
to be disappointed. That's II. nj.
wyes said you nd a good 'ead on
you'll That's II. Let's go back to the
Blue Poppy"
Back they went, once more to de-
scend the SHIFT. once more to follow
the trail along the drift toward the
opening OF the stone. And there.
where loose earth covered the place
where a skeleton once had rested.
Fairchild took of his coat and rolled
up Is sleeves.
Harry" he said. with new deter
mination, "this vein doesn't look like
much, and the mine looks worse. But
n you're game. I'm game. and well
work the thing until II breaks u.s."
"You've said It. II we ~ anything
fine and weil--if we can turn out five
thousand dollars worth Of stuff be-
fore the trial comes up. then we can
sell hit under the direction Of the
court, turn over that money for cash
bond, and get the deeds back. II we
can't, and if the mine peters out then
we ain't lost anything hut lot Of
'opes and time. But ere goes. Wen
doubie-jack. I've got big 'nmmer
ERE. You old the drill for awhile and
turn II. while I sling tn sledge. Then
you take tn 'ammer and Lor' ave
mercy on my 'ands II you miss"
Fairchild obeyed. Hour after hour
they worked. Then. as the afternoon
grew late. Harry disappeared far
down the drift TO return with hand
full Of greasy. candlellke things,
wrapped In waxed paper.
81 knew that dynamite of yours
couldn't be shipped in time. so
bought little up ere" he explained
as he cut one OF the sticks In two
with pocketknlfe and laid the pieces
TO one side. Then out came coil OF
fuse. to be cut to its regular lengths
and lnser ed In the copper-covered
caps of illuminate of mercury, Harry
showing his contempt for the danger
GUS things by crimping them about
the fuse with his teeth. while Fair
child. sitting on smal1 pile of much
nearby. begged for caution. But Harry
only grinned behind his big mustach'
and went on.
Out came his pocketknlfe again n!
he slit the waxed paper of the gelat
nous sticks. then inserted the cap II
the dynamite. One after another The
charges were showed into the holes
Harry tamping them into place with {
steel rod. instead of with the usua
wooden affair. his mustnche brushing
his shoulder as he turned to explain
the virtues OF dynamite when handled
by an expert.
"It's all I'm the wye you do it, h
announced. "If you don't strike FIR
with steel rod. it's fine"
But II you do?"
"Oh. then!" Harry laughed. "Thel
It's flowers and funeral-afte
they've finished picking you up"
One after another he pressed tn
dynamite charges tight into the drill
holes and tamped them with mucl
wrapped In newspaper that h
dragged from his hip pocket. The
he lit the fuses from his lamp AM
stood a second In assurance that the
all were splutterlng.
"Now we rum he announced, an
they hurried. side by side down III
drift tunnel until they reached I'll
shaft, "Far enough" said Harry.
A long moment of waiting. The
the earth quivereG and INJURED
booming roar came from the distance
Harry stared at his carbide lamp
~One," he announced. Then, 1.-TWO.
Three, four and five followed, al
counted seriously, carefully by Harry
Finally tSey turned back along III
drift toward the stOpe, the ncrid odo
Of dynamite smoke cutting ut thel
nOstrlls as they approached the spo
where the explosions had occurred
There Harry s'oNd In silent contempli
ton for long time, holding bis cal
bide over the pile of ore that had bee
torn from the vein above.
ut amt much" came at last. mo
more'n arr ton. We won't get ric
at that rate. And besides" he locke
upward-''we amt even going to h
getting that pretty soon. It's pinchlh
out"
&lrchIid followed his gaze, to sc
In me torn rock above him only nal
row streak now. fully an inch and
half narrower than the vein had bee
before the powder holes had bee
drilled IL could mean only one thing
that the bet had been played and los
Fiat the vein had been one of thos
freak Affairs that start out with niue
promise, seem to give hope of etern'
riches. and then gradually dwindle
nothing. Harry shook his head.
ga won't last"
"No, tnora than ftyo or three MOI