The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-26

q Did Not" 1a.,.
ing up there like everybody else."- (
"But to 60 there and ask them to
look at their riches - 4s
There amt no law against it!'' !
He reached for his carbide lamp,
booked to small chink of the hang
ing wall, and then pulled his hat over.
his bullying forehead. Carefully he
attempted to smooth his straying mus
tache, and failing, as always, gave up
the job. 81. is.aas J, 3t.-s, e. ~,
'1'd he 'appy, Just to look at it, he
announced. "Come on. Let's forget
100 they are and just be lookers-on.",
! Fairchild agreed against his will.
Out of the shaft they went and on up
the hill to where the townspeople
again were gathering about the open
ing Of the Silver Queen. A few were
going in. Fairchild and AIRY Joined
them. 81 4,. - s~ NJ II.
A long walk, STOPPING most of the
way, as the progress was made,
through the narrow, low-roofed tun-
mel; then q slight raise which travelled
for fair distance at an easy grade
at last. to stop; and there before them,
damned between the rock, was the
strike, great, heavy streaking vein,
nearly six feet wide, in which the ore
stuck forth in tremendous chunks,
embedded in a black background.
Harry eyed it studiously. 5s@
= 'tYou can see the silver sticking
.out!'' he announced at last. It's won
derful-even If the Rodaines did do it.
Come on, Boy, let's us get out Of 'ere.
I'll be getting the blind ,staggers If I
stay much longer" ISL
Fairchild accompanied him word
'lessly. It was as though Fate had
played q deliberate trick, that it might
laugh ut him. And as he walked
along, he wondered more than ever
about the mysterious telegram and the
mysterious conversation OF the greasy
Barnham in Denver ts. ]. hyf &
For once a ray Of cheer came to
him. The Rodaines had known Of this
strike long before; he ever went :. to
that. Office in Denver. They had wait
ed long enough to- have their assays
made and had completed their first
shipment to the srnelter. There was
no necessity that they buy the Blue
Poppy mine. Therefore, was it simply
another trick to break him, to lead
him up to point of high expecta-
tons, then, with a laugh at his dis
appointment, throw him down again?
His shoulders Strengthened as they
reached the outside air, and he moved
close to Harry as he told him his con-
lectures. The Cornishman < bobbed
his head. 49,. H.. 80 .rl-slE. : r. -
he agreed. "But 1t could explain a lot
Of things. They want to beat us and
they don't care 'ow. 1t 'urts person
to be disappointed. That's it. I al
wyes said you 'ad good; 'ead on
you! That's 1t. :. Let's go back to the
Blue Poppy" @.s.., I'll u. Z II.
Back they went, once more to de-
scend the shaft, once more to follow
the trail along the drift toward the
opening Of the stope. And there,
where loose earth covered the place
where skeleton once had rested,
Fairchild took Off his coat and rolled
up his sleeves. s'ssa$ - ,,st1s r.
~ Harry" he said, with a new deter
mination, "this vein doesn't look like
much, and the mine looks worse. But
If you're game, I'm game, and we'll
work the thing until it breaks fus.''
you've said it.. If we 1t anything,
fine and well-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. If we
can't, and if the mine peters out, then
we amt lost anything but a lot of
'opes and time. But ere goes. Wen
double-jack. I've got a big anmer
'ere. You odd the drill for awhile and
turn it, while I sling tn sledge. Then
you take tn 'amner and Lor' ave
mercy on my lands If you miss"
\ Fairchild obeyed. Hour after hour
they worked. Then, as the afternoon
grew q late, Harry " disappeared far
down the drift to return with a hand
full of greasy, candlelike things,
wrapped in waxed paper.
II knew TINT dynamite Of yours
couldn't be shipped lin time, \ go n
bought little up ERE, !" he explained,
as he cut one Of the sticks in two
with a pocketknife and laid the pieces
to one side. Then out came a coil Of
fuse, to be cut to its regular lengths
and inserted in the copper-covered
caps Of illuminate Of mercury, Harry
showing his contempt for the danger
Gus things by crinping them about
the fuse with his teeth, while Fair
child, sitting on a small pile of muck
nearby, begged for caution. But Harry
only grinned behind his big mustache
and went on. 4, - .---s--,. +.