Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-09-22

"Whats the Rumpus1"
"Nfe?" Harry's laughter doomed
again, in a way that was infectious.
'Me drowned, just because l let a
'oIler and dropped my 'at?"
'You did it on purpose?" Sam Her.
benfelder shook a scrawny fist under
Harry's nose. The big Cornishman
waved it aside as one would brush
away an obnoxious fly. Then he
grinned at the townpeople about him
SWELL" he confessed, "there was an
un'oly lot Of water in there, and
didn't ave any money. What else
was to do?'
"You-w A pumpman had picked
up a piece of heavy timberlng and
thrown it at him in mock ferocity.
"Work us to death and then come back
and give us the laugh Where you
been att"
Center CITY," confessed Harry
cheerily.
"And you knew all the timer
Mother Howard wagged a finger under
his nose.
well" and the Cornishman chuck
led, 81 didn't ave any money. I 'ad
to get that shaft unwatered, didn't II"
"Get a rail !" An irate-but laugh
-ing-pumpman had come forward.
think you can pull that on us? Get
a rail !"
Someone seized a small, dead pine
which lay on the ground near by.
Others helped to strip it of the scrag-
ely limbs which still slung to it.
Harry watched them and chuckled-
for he knew that in none was there
malice. He had played his joke and
won. 1t was their turn now. Shout
ing in mock anger, calling for all dire
things. from lynchings on down to
burnings at the stake, they dragged
Harry to the pine tree, threw him
astraddle of it, then, with willing
hands volunteering on every side,
hoisted the tree high above them and
started down the mountain side, Sam
Herbenfelder trotting in the rear and
forgetting his anger in the joyful
knowledge that his ring at last was
safe.
Behind the throng of men with their
mock threats trailed the women and
children, some throwing pine cones
at the booming Harry, juggling him
self on the narrow pole; and In the
crowd Fairchild found someone he
could watch with more than ordinary
interest-Anita Richmond, trudglng
along with the rest, apparently re-
monstrating with the sullen. mean
visaged young man at her side In
stinctively Fairchild knew that young
Rodaine was not pleased with the re-
turn of Harkins. AS for the father
Fairchild whirled at a voice by HIS
side and looked straight into the
crooked eyes of Thornton Fairchild's
enemy. The blue-white scar had turned
almost black now, the eyes were red
from swollen, blood-stained veins, the
in sullen fury. They were practically |
alone at the mouth of the mine, Fair |
child with a laugh dying on his lips, I
Rodaine with all the hate and anger
and futile malice that a human being |
can know typified In his SCARED, hawk
like features. A thin, taloned hand /
came upward, to double, leaving one (
bony, curved finger extending in EN-
phasis of the words which streamed
from the slit Of a mouth:
Funny, weren't you? Played your
cheap jokes and got away with 'em.
But everybody amt like them fools I"
he pointed to the crowd just rounding
the rocks Harry bobbing in the fore
ground. There's some that remem-
ber-and I'm one of 'em. You've put
over your fake; you've had your
laugh; you've framed it so III be the
butt Of every numbskull in Ohadi. But
just listen to this-just listen to this p
he repeated, the harsh voice taking
On tone that was almost a screech.
There's another time coming-and
hat times going to be mine !"
And before Fairchild could retort,
le had turned and was scrambling
Town the mountain side.