The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1922-12-02
CHAPTER xViI-Continued.

IUe StlIlS VI Tic DdltCiiS'
passed, two; gradually Harry came 10
himself, to stare about him In Won
dering, vacant manner and then TO
fasten his eyes upon Fairchild tie
seemed TO be struggling for speech, for
coordination Of ideas. Finally, after
many minutes
'That's you, Boy?"
eyes, Harry"
"But where are we"
"We're in a hospital, and you're
knocked out. Don't you know where
you've been?'
81 don't know anything since Slid
down the wall"
"Since you what?'
But Harry had lapsed into semi
consciousness again. And it was not
until late in the night after the rescue,
following a few hours of rest forced
upon him by the inferno, that FAR
child once more could converse with
his stricken partner.
'It's something I'll ave to show you
to explain" said Harry. Il can't tell
Won about it. You know where that
ltIIe USSuTe Is III tiiC ahoA'S
away back in the stope"
ayes"
swell. that's 1t. That's where / got
out"
But what happened before that?'
"What didn't 'appen?' asked Harry,
with a painful grin. Everything IN
the world 'appened. but what dld
the assay show?"
FairchiId reached forth and laid
hand on the brawny one Of his part
ner.
"We're rich, Harry" he said, richer
than 1 ever dreamed we could be. Inc
ores as good as that of the Silver
Queen!"
1.-THE bloody ell it is !" Then Harry
dropped back on his pillow for long
time and simply grinned at the cell
ing. Somewhat anxious. Fairchild
leaned forward, but his partners eyes
were open and smiling. I'm just let
ting 1t sink in" he announced. and
Fairchild was silent. saving his ques-
lions until ut" had sunk. Then:
"You were saying something about
that fissure?"
"But there is other things first.
After you went to the assayers, l
fooled around there in the chamber,
and I thought I'd just take flyer and
blow up them 'oles that I'd drilled IN
the 'anging wall at the same time that
shot the other. SO ] put In the
powder and fuses, tamped 'em down
and then thinks, thinks l, that there
somebody moving around In the drift.
But l didn't pay any attention to 1t
Won know. I was busy and all that,
and you often ear noises that SOUND
funny. So I set 'em off-that Is, lit
the fuses and ! started to run. Well,
'adn't any more'n started when
bloeyy-y-y, right in front OF me, the
whole world turned upside down, and
I felt myself knocked back into the
chamber. And there was them fuses.
All Of 'em burning. Well. managed
to pull out the one from the foot wall
and stamp II out, but didn't ave time
TO get at the others. And the only
place where there was chance for
me was clear at the end OF the cham
Der. Already l was bleeding like
stuck hog where whole arr noun.
tain 'ad 1T me on the 'ead, and
didn't know much what was doing.
Just wanted to get be'ind something
that's all I could think Of. So l SHE'D
for that assure In the rocks and
crawled back In there, trying tt
squeeze as far along as could. And
'ere's the funny part Of it, kept on
going!"
"YOu what"
"Kept on going. I'd always thought
Il was Just place where the angling
wall 'ad slipped. and that 1t stopped
a few feet back. But 1t don't-it goes
on. crawled along 1t as fast as
could was about WOODY, anyway
and by and by card the shots go of
behind me- But there wasn't any us'
IN going back-the tunnel was cavet
in. So kept on.
"After while, ran into stream o
water that came out of the inside o
the Ill somewhere, and ! took drink
II gave me a bit Of strength. Ant
tnen kept on SUITE uoic Until az ="
q sudden. slipped and fell, just whel
was beginning to see dyeiight. AM
that's all l know. 'Ow long ave
been goneY
Long enough to make me gray
headed" Fairchild answered with
little laugh. Then his brow furrowed
"You say you slipped and fell just
you were beginning to see daylight!'
Eyes. 1t looked like 1t was refiecte
from below. somewyes."
Tairchild nodded.
"Isn't there quite spring right D
Crazy Laura's house|
"Yes; 1t keeps going all year
there's a current and 1t don't freez
nm. II comes out like II was watel
fall-and there's roaring noise bs
ind it,"
..Then that's the explanation. 70
followed the assure until II Joined tn
nstural tunnel that the spring ha
made through the hills. And when yo
reached the waterfall-well. you re