The Meeker herald., 1922-11-11

| come from tI.e ends Of the bose. ana
! the dow deprecated greatly; instead
| q the steady Eusn Of water. SHINY
silt VS. coming out nov. spraying ana
sp,atterinx about on the sides OF the
draIaage ditch. Wildly Harry waved
. rnonstro0s paw.
-Saut 'em OFT" he yelled to Fair-
| child In the dlmness Of the tunnel.
ITS sucking the muck out Of the
stump. That means the ole drift u
unwntered."
Then the pumping jobs sserT
-Yeh.- Harry rose. You stay ere
and dismantle the pumps. 10 ne can
send EN- back I'll 80 to town. We've
got to buy some stuff"
| Then he started of down the trail.
while Faircbild went to his work. And
he sang - he dragged at the heavy
hose. Work was before him. work
which was progressing toward q goal
that he bad determined to seek, 70
spite Of all obstacles. The mysterious
offer which he had received gave evil
dence that something awaited HIN. that
| some one knew the real value OF the
Blue Poppy mine. and that II he could
| simply stick to his task. IL he couio
hold to the unwavering purpose.to win
In spite Of all the blocking pitfalls
| that were put in his path. some day.
some time, the reward would Os worth
its price.
More. the conversation with Mother
Howard On the previous morning had
been comforting; II had given WON.
ans viewpoint upon another womnns
actions. And Fairchild intuitIvely b.
lieyed she was correct.
/ 4 shout from the road. accompanied
by the roaring Of motor truck. m
nounced the fact that Harry was max
ing his return.
| Five men were with him. to help him
carry In ropes, heavy pulleys. weights
and a large metal shaft bucket, then
to move out the smaller of the pumps
and trundle away with them. leaving
| the larger one and the larger engine
for a single load. At last Harry turned
| to his paraphernnlia and rolled up his
sleeves.
"Ere's where we work." he an
nounced. "It's us for a pulley and
bucket arrangement until we can get
the 'oIst to working and the skip to
running. 'Elp me cave few tlmbers."
1t was the beginning Of q three
days Job. the building Of a heavy stag
ing over the top Of the shaft. the afiix-
ing Of the great pulley and then the
attachment of the bucket at one end.
and the skip. loaded with pig iron. on
the other. Altogether. II formed Q
sort of crude. counterbaianced els-
vator. by which they might lower
themselves into the shaft. with various
bumpings and delays-but which
worked successfully. nevertheless. To
Eetber they piled into the big. Iron
bucket. Harry Juggling along spikes and
timbers and sledges and ropes. Then.
pulling away at the cable which held
the weights. they furnished the neces-
sary gravity to travel downward.
An eerie journey, faced on one side
by the crawling rope Of the skip a Il
Travelled along the rusty old track on
its watersoaked ties. on the other BY
the still dripping timbers Of the aged
shaft and Its broken. rotting ladder.
while the carbide lanterns cast shad-
| ows about. while the pulley above
creaked and the eroded wheels Of the
skip squeaked and protested! Down.
wnrd-a hundred feet-and they col
lidel with the upward.bound skip. to
fend of from It and start on again.
The air grew colder. more moist. The
cnrbides spiuttercd and flar4d.
A slight bump. and they we're At the
bottom. Before them the drift tun-
mel. damp and dripping and dark,
awaited, seeming to throw back the
flare of the carbIdes As though to
shield the treasures which might lie
beyond. Harry started forward step.
then pausing. shifted his carbide and
laid hand on his companions shout
der.
BOY" he said slowly. 'we're start
ing at something now-and don't
know where It's going to lead Us.
There's a cnve-in up ere. and II were
ever going to get anywhere In this
mine. well ave to 90 past 1t. And I'm
afraid Of what we're going to ind
when We cut our wye through!'
Clouds Of the past seemed to rise
and noat past Falrchild-ciouds
which carried visions Of white. brok-
en- old man sitting BY q window, walt
ing for death. visions Of an old safe
and letter II contained. For long
long moment. there was silence. Then
came Harry's voice again.
-Tm afraid Il amt going to Be good
news. Boy. But there ain't DO wye
to get around It. It's got to come out
sOmetime-things like that won't stay
'idden forever. And your fathers gone
now-sooe where Il can't 'urt I'm"
Il know" answered Falrchild. in Q
queer. husky voice. "E1e must have
known. Harry-hs must have been will.
ing that II cOme. now that he 10 gone.
He wrote me a. much"
tits that or nothing. II We sell the