The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-12-22

Mother Howard, her arms folded as
usual. bobbed her gray head.
"It's like her, Son." she ANNOUNCED
at last. "She's a good girl. I've known
her eve since she was q little tad not
big enough to walk. And she loves
her father"
But"
"She loves her father. Isn't that
enough? The Rodaines have the
money-and they have almost every
thing that Judge Richmond owns. It's
easy enough to guess what they've
done with tilted 1t up so that he
can't touch 1t until they're ready for
him to do II. And they're not going
to do that until they've gotten what
they want"
(Which is-?"
ANITA! Any fool ought to be able
TO know that. That stroke last night
was the second one for the Judge.
There usually amt any more after
the third n e. Now, can't you see why
Anita is willing to do anything on
earth just to keep peace and just to
give her father a little rest and com
fort and happiness in the last days Of
his life? You've got to remember that
he amt like an ordinary father that
YOU a 90 to ana tell all your trou-
bles TO. He's laying next door to death,
and Anita, just like any that's
got a great, big, good heart In her,
is willing to face worse than death
to help him. It's as plain to me as
the nose on Harry's face"
(Which is quite plain" agreed Fair
child ruefully. Harry rubbed the H.
beled proboscis, paved at his mus
tache and fidgeted in his chair.
II understand that, all right" he
announced at last. 'But why should
anybody want to buy the mine?"
1t brought Fairchild to the realiza-
ton Of a new development, and he
brought forth the letter, once more to
stare at it.
Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of
money" came at last.
And what then?' Mother Howard,
still looking through uncolored glasses,
took the letter and scanned it. you
two amt cutters, are you?"
800, usY Harry bristled.
Eyes, you. If you are, get your
selves a piece Of paper and write to
Denver and take the offer. If you
ain't-keep on fighting"
II believe you're right, Mother How
ard" Fairchild had reached for the
letter again and was staring at it as
though for inspiration. THAT amount
Of money seems to be a great deal.
Still, If a person will offer that much
for a mine when there's nothing in
sight to show it's value, it ought to
mean that there's something dark in
the woodpile and that the things
worth fighting out. And personally
speaking, I'm willing to fight"
II never quit in my life !" Harry
Strengthened in his chair and his mus
tache stuck forth pugnaciously. Moth
er Howard looked down at him,
pressed her lips, then smiled.
mo-" she announced, except to run
away like a whipped pup after you'd
gotten a poor lonely clearinghouse
keeper in love with you'll"
Mother 'Oward, I'll"
But the laughing, gray-haired wom-
an had scrambled through the door
way and slammed the door behind her,
only to open it a second later and poke
her head within.
Needn't think because you can hold
up a dance hall and get away with it,
you "a use ave-m stuff on me !"
she admonished. And in that one SEN
tence was all the conversation neces-
sary regarding the charges against
Harry, as far as Mother Howard was
concerned. She didn't believe them,
and Harry's face showed that the
world had become bright and serene
again. He swung his great arms as
though to loosen the big muscles of his
shoulders. He pecked at his mus
tache. Then he turned to Fairchild.
"Well." he asked, "what do we do?
Go up to the mine-just like nothing
'ad eve 'appenedT
EXACTLY. alt until 1 cnange my
clothes. Then Wen be ready to start.
I'm not even going to dignity this let
ter by replying to 1t. And for n
PRINCIPAL reason" he added-"that
1 think the Rodaines have something
to do with It,"
"'Ow SOP" 4
81 don't know. I'll he ready In a
moment"
An hour later they entered the
mouth Of the Blue Poppy tunnel, once
more to start the engines and to re-
sumo the pumping. meanwhile strug-
Cling back and forth with timbers from
the mountain side, as they began the
task Of rehabilitating the tunnel where
1t had caved In just beyond the shaft.
Hour after hour they tOiled, until
the gray mists hung low over the
mountain tops. until the shadows
heightened and twilight fell. The en-
sines ceased their chugging. the cough
ing swirl Of the dirty water as 1t came
from the drift, far below. stopped.
Slowly two weary men logged down
the rutty road 70 the narrow, winding