The Dolores star., 1922-12-08

mel now, coughing slightly AZ thu
| sharp smoke Of the dynamite cut their
Iun-s-a long journey that seemed
a. many miles Inr,ead of feet. Tan
with shout Fairchild sprany eor-
ward. and went TO his hanGs and
/ knees
IL was there before him-all about
him-the black, heavy masses Of lead
I silver ore. n great, heaping. five-ton
pile OF 1t where Il had been thrown
out by the tremendous force of the
/ explosion. II seemed that the whole
GREAT floor Of the cavern was covered
/ with ~. and the wOrkmen shouted with
1 Fairchfld as they seized bits OF the
precious black stun and held It to the
1 light for closer examination.
Look ?" The voice of one OF them
was high and excited. You can SEQ
the fine streaks of silver sticking out
It's high-grade and plenty OF IT."
! But Fairchild paid little attention
| He was playing IN the stun. throwing
/ IL IN the air and letting II fan to the
| floor of the cavern again, like boy
with new sack OF marbles. or child
with its building blocks. Five tons
and the night was not yet over Five
tons, and the vein had not yet shown
its other side,
Rack TO work they went now. Again
through the hours the drills DIT into
the rock walls. while the ore cur clat-
tered along the tram line and while
the creaking Of the block and Tickle
at the shaft seemed endless. In three
must come out Of that mine-and work
must not cease.
Morning and in spite OF the sleep
laden eyes, the heavy aching in his
head, the tired dropping of the shoul-
ders. Fairchild tramped to the board
ing house to notify Mother Howard
and ask for news OF Harry. There
had been none. Then he went on. to
wait by the door Of the Sampler until
Bittson. the owner, should appear. and
drag him away up the hill. even be
fore he could open up for the morning.
There 1t Isl" he exclaimed, as he
led him to the entrance of the cham
ber. "There II is; take all you want
Of It and assay 1t"
Blttson went forward Into the cross
cut, where the men were drilling even
at new holes. and examined the vein.
Already 1t was three feet thick, and
there was still ore ahead. One of the
miners loked up.
Just finishing up on the cross-cut."
he announced. as he nodded toward his
drill. 1--WE just bitten into the foot
wall on the other side. Looks to me
like the veins about five feet thick
as near as can measure it."
And" Bittson picked up few
samples. examined them by the light
Of the carbides and tossed them away
you can see the silver sticking out.
l caught sight Of couple OF pencil
threads Of 1t In one or two of those
samples. All right, Boy" he turned
to Fairchild. "What was that bargain
we made!"
1t was based on two hundred dol
lars-atOn ore. This may run above
or below. But whatever 1t is, I'll sell
all you can handle for the next three
days at fifty dollars ton under the
assay price"
you've said the word. The trucks
VIII be here In an hour II we have to
shovel path all the way up Ken
| lucky gulch."
He hurried away then, while Fair.
child and the men followed him in:o
town and to their breakfast. Then,
| recruiting new gang on the promise
Of payment at the end Of their three
day shift, Falrchild went back to the
mine. But the word had spread, and
others were there before him.
Already fifteen or twenty miners
were assembled about the opening of
the Blue Poppy tunnel, awaiting per-
mission to enter, the usual rush upon
a lucky mine to view Its riches. Be-
hind him, Fairchild could see others
coming from Ohadi to take a look at
the new strike, and his heart bounded
with happiness tinged with sorrow.
Harry was not there to enjoy 1t all;
Harry was gone, and in spite of his
every effort, Fairchild had failed to
find him.
Some one brushed against him, ana
there came a slight tug at his coat.
Fairchild looked downward to see
passing the form of Anita Richmond.
moment later she looked toward
him, but in her eyes there was no light
or recognition, nothing to Indicate that
she had just given him signal OF
greeting and congratulatIon. And yet
Fairchild felt that she had. Then, alb
sently, he put his hand into his
pocket.
Something there caused his heart to
matt momentarily-a piece of paper.
lie crumped it in his hand, he rubbed
MS fingers over 1t wonderingly; 1t had
not been in his pocket before she had
passed him. Hurriedly he walked to
the far side of the chamber and there.
pretending to examine bit of ore,
Drought the missive from Its place OF