The Holbrook news., 1922-12-15
CHAPTER XVII.

So this explained, after a fashion, Harry's disappearance. This re- vealed why the search through the mountains had failed. This
 But Fairchild suddenly realized that now was not time for conjecturing upon the past. The man on the bed was unconscious, incapable of helping himself. Far below, a white-haired woman. her toothless jaws uttering one weird chant after another, was digging for him a quicklime grave, in the insane belief that she was aiding in accomplishing some miracle of i'm mortality. In time-and Fairchild did not know how long-an ill-visaged, scar-faced man would return to help her carry the inert frame of the un- conscious man below and bury 1t. NOr could Fairchild tell from the conver- sation whether he even intended to perform the merciful act of killing the poor, broken being before he covered 1t with acids and Quick-eating lime in a grave that soon would remove all vestige of human identity forever Certainly now was not a time for thought; 1t was one for action!
 And 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 a part too many other mysterious happenings which must be met and coped with before the man of the blue-white scar could know that finally the underling was beginning to show fight, that at last the crushed had begun to rise Fairchild bent and unlaced his shoes taking off also the heavy woOlen socks which protected his feet from the biting cold Steeling himself to the ordeal which he must undergo, he tied the laces together and slung the foOtgear over a shoulder. Then he went to the bed.
 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.
 The stairs-the landing-the hall Then a query from below:
 ''Is that you, Roady?"
 The breath pulled sharp into Fair. child's lungs. He answered in the best imitation he could give of the voice of S1uint Rodaine:
 "Yes. Go on with your digging Honey. I'll be there soon."
 And you'll kiss me?"
 "Yes. Just like I kissed you the night our boy was born"
 IL was sufficient. The chanting be. gan again, accompanied by the swish of the spade as it sank into the earth and the cludding -oll of the clods as 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 If Rodaine were not to know-the ap pearance that Harry had aroused him. self sufficiently to wrap the blankets about him and wander off by himself And this could be accomplished only by the pain and cold and torture of 8 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 J. mine running as 1t often did without at tendance while the engineer made 6 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 6 telephone. Fairchild went within ant placed Harry on the floor. Then he reached for the phone and called the hospital.
 "Hello!" he announced in a husky disguised voice. "This is Jeb Gresham of Georgeville. I've just found 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 got to go on. Looks like he's liable to dit unless you can send the ambulance fol him."
 "We'll make it a rush trip" came the answer, and Fairchild hung up ths phone, to rub his half-frozen, aching feet moment, then to reclothe then in the socks and shoes, watching the entrance of the Diamond J. tunnel a. he did so. A long minute-then he Jeff oCoCoCoCoCoGoooOoCoCoCoCoC