The Dolores star., 1922-11-03


Of the steady gush OF water, SHINY
silt was coming out now. spraying ana
spIatterIng about on the sides OF the
drainage ditch. Wildly Harry waved
monstrous paw.
"Shut 'em on" he yelled to Fair
child In the dimness of the tunnel.
IFS sucking the muck out OF the
sumpl That meaas the ole drift Is
unwatered.'
.Then the pumping jobs cver7"
"Ych." Harry rose. You stay ere
and dIsmantle the pumps, SO We can
send 'em back I'll go to town. We've
got to buy some stuff"
Then he started Off down the trail.
while FairchIld went TO his work. And
he sang as he dragged at the heavy
hose Work wns before him, work
which was progressing toward goal
that he had determined to seek, in
spite of all obstacles. The mysterious
offer which he had received gave evil
dence that something awaited him, that
some one knew the real value of the
Blue Poppy mine. and that If he could
simply stick TO his task, II he could
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 be worth
its price.
More. the conversation with Mother
Howard on the previous morning had
been comforting; It had given wom-
ans viewpoint upon another woman's
actions. And Fairchlld intuitively be-
lleved she was correct.
A shout from the road. accompanied
by the roaring Of a motor truck, an
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 large metal shaft bucket, then
to move out the smaller of the pumps
and trlindle away with them, leaving
the larger one and the larger engine
for n single load. At last Harry turned
to his paraphernalla and rolled up his
sleeves.
'"Eres where we work !" he an
nounCed. ITS US for pulley and
bucket arrangement until we can get
the olst to working and the skip to
running. 'Elp me cave few timbers."
1t was the beginning of a three
days job, the building of 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,
nj hp eli
the other. Altogether, it formed
sort OF crude, counterbaInnced ele-
vator 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 slcdees and ropes. Then.
pulling away at the cable which held
the weights, they furnished the neces-
sary gravity to travel downward.
An eerle journey, faced on one side
by the crawling rope OF the skip as 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
ward-a hundred feet-and they col
lided with the upward-bound skip, to
fend off from 1t and start on again.
The air grew colder, more moist. The
carbides spluttered and fared.
A slight bump, and they were 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 a step
then pausing shifted his carbide and
iaid hand on his companions shoul-
der.
Boy he said slowly, we're start
ing at something now-and I don't
know where it's going to lead us
There's cave-in up ere, and If we're
ever going to get anywhere in this
mine, well ave to go past it. And I'm
"a "hal We going 10 Unu
"hen we cut our wye through"
Clouds of the past seemed to rise
ana float past Fairchild-clouds
which carried visions of a white, brok-
en- Old man sitting by window, wait
Ing for death, visions Of an old safe
and letter 1t contained. For long
long moment, there was silence. Then
came Harry's voice again.
I'm afraid it amt going to be good
news, Boy. But there amt no we
to get around 1t. It's got to come out
sometime-things like that won't stay
ldden forever. And your fathers gone
now-gone where it can't 'urt i'm"
Il know" answered FairchIld in q
queer, husky voice "He must have
known. Harry-he must have been will.
ing that 1t come, now that he is gone.
lie wrote me as much"
ITS that or nothing II we sell the
mine, some one else will find it. And
we can't 1t the vein without following
IIA