The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1922-12-07

1
cosae from the ends Of the hoss. and
the dow deprecated grsaily; instead
~ the STEADY gush of water. . Shiny
SILT was coming out now. spraying and
| splattering about on the sides Of the
drainage ditch. Wildly Harry waved
monstrous paw.
"Shut EN- OF {" he yelled TO Fair
child In the dlmness OF the tunnel.
"Its sucking the muck out OF the
sumpl That means the ole drift Ii
unwatered."
Then the pumping jobs overr'
"Yeh." Harry rose "You stay ere
and dismantle the pumps. so we can
send EN- back. Ill 60 to town. We've
got 10 buy some stun"
Then he started on down the trail.
while Falrchild went to his work. And
he sang as he dragged at the heavy
hose Work was before him. work
which was progressing toward a goal
that he had determined 10 seek, In
spite OF ell obstacles The mysterious
offer which he had received gave evil
deHcs that something awaited him. that
some one knew the real value Of the
Blue Poppy mine. and that II he could
simply stick TO his task. II he could
hold 10 the unwavering purpose 10 win
in spite OF all the blocking pitfalls
that were put In his path. some day.
some time, the reward would be worth
It's price.
More. the conversation with Mother
Howard on the previous morning had
been comforting; n had given : wcm-'
ans viewpoint upon another woman's
actions. And Fairchild intuitively be-
lieved she was correct.
A shout from the road. accompanied
by the roaring OF n motor truck. an
nounced the fact that Harry was max
Ing his return.
Five men were with him. 10 help him
carry IN ropes. heavy pulleys. weights
and a large metal shaft bucket. then
10 move out the smaller OF the pumps
and trundle away with them. leaving
the larger one and the larger engine
for single load. At last Harry turned
TO his paraphernalia and rolled up his
sleeves.
"'Ere's where we work ]" he an
nounced. Its us for pulley and
bucket arrangement until We can get
the 'oist 10 working and the skip to
running. Zip me cave a few timbers."
II was the beginning OF a three
days job. the building OF heavy stag
ing over the top OF the shaft. the afflx-
Ing OF the great pulley and then the
attachment OF the bucket az one end.
and the skip. loaded with pig iron. on
the other Altogether, II formed
sort OF crude counterbalanced ele-
yator, by which they might lower
themselves into the shaft. with various
bumpIngs and delays-but which |
worked successfully. nevertheless. To- |
gether they piled into the big. iron
bucket, Harry Juggling along spikes and /
timbers and sledges and ropes. Then. l
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 as II
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 shsd-
ows about. while the pulley above
creaked and the eroded wheels OF the
skip squesked and protested Down
wards hundred feet-and they col
lided with the upward bound skip. 10
fend on from IL and start on again.
The air grew colder, more moist. The
carbides spluttered and Jared.
slight bump. and they were at the
bottom. Before them the drift tun-
mel, damp and dripping and dark.
awaited. seeming 20 throw back the
fare OF the carbldes as though 10
shield the treasures which might lie
beyond. Harry started forward a step.
then pausIng. shifted his carbide and
laid a hand on his companions shout
Ter
Boy" he said slowly. were start
ng at something now-nnd don't
snow where It's going 10 lead us
There's n cavern up ere and II we're
sver going to get anywhere In this
uiuts WI wv W X IH7t IL hhH ~
lfrald Of what we're going 10 ind
when We cut our wye through :"
Clouds ~ the past seemed 10 rise
md float past FairchiId--clouds
which carried visions OF a white. brok-
n old man sitting by a window. walt
ng for death. visions Of an old safe
nd a letter II contained. For n long.
ong moment. there was silence. Then
ame Harrys voice again.
"rm afraid n Amt going 10 be good
'ews. Boy. But there sln't 90 wye
o get around H. It's got 20 come out
like that won't stay
dden forever. And your fathers gone
nw--gone where II can't 'urt I'm"
I know answered Fairchild. 10
<sr. husky voice. He must have
ny~r. Harry-he must have been will
-. et..t 10 f..sr. fuvx that h. - eafla