The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-12-28
CHAPTER xvIll-cOntlnued.


They reached the mouth OF the Sill
yer Queen Harry reconnoitered
moment before he gave the signal to
proceed. Within the tunnel they went
60 follow along It's regular, rising
course to the stope where, on that
garish day when Taylor Bill and
Biindeye Bozeman had led the enthu-
sinsts parade through the streets the
vein had shown. II was dark there
no one was at work. Harry unlocked
his carbide from his belt, lit It and
looked around.
'Tt amt coming from 'erew he an
nounced. "It's-" then his voice
dropped to wtisper-"what's thatl"
Again a rumblIng had come from a
distance, as OF an ore car travelling
over the tram tracks. Harry extin-
guished his light, and drawing Anita
ard Fairchild far to the end OF the
stope, flattencd them and himself on
the ground long walt. while the
rumbling came closer, still closer;
then, In the distance, light appeared,
shining from side of the tunnel. A
changing noise, followed by clutter-
ing sounds, as thcugh of steel rails
hitting against each other. Finally
the trammlng once more-and the
light approached.
Into view came an ore car, and be
hind II loomed the great form Of Tay-
lor Bill as he pushed II along Straight
TO the pile of ore he came unlocked
the front Of the tram, tripped 1t and
piled the contents OF the car on top
OF the dump which already rested
there. with that. carbide pointing the
way. he turned back, pushing the tram
before him. Harry crept to his feet.
"We've got TO follow r. he whispered
Its blind entrance to the tunnel
som'eres."
They rose and trniled the light along
the tracks. flattenng themselves
against the tlmbers of the tunnel as
the form of Taylor Bill, family out
lined N the distance, turned from the
regular track. opened great door in
the side OF the tunnel, which, to all
appearances, was nothing more than
the ordinary heavy tlmberlng of n
weak spot in the rocks, pulled Il far
back, then swerved the tram within.
Then, he stopped and raised port
able switch. throwing II into the open
ing. A second later the door closed
behind him, and the sound of the tram
began to fade in the distance. Harry
went forward, creeping along the side
OF the tunnel, feeling his way, stop
ping TO listen now and then for the
sound Of the fading ore car. Behind
him were Fairchild and Anita, follow
ing the same procedure. And all three
stopped at once.
The hollow sound was coming d.
rectly 20 them now. Harry once more
brought out his carbide to light II for
moment and 20 examine the tim
bering.
ITS good Job! he commented.
''YOu couldn't tell II FIVE feet on"
They've made a cross-cut" This
time II was Anlta's voice, plainly an
grc' in spite OF It's whispering tones.
"No wonder they had such wonder
full strike came scathlngly. "That
other stope down there"
"Alnt nothing hut snlted propo-
sition," said Harry. They've cement
ed up the top OF It with the real stun
and every once in while they blow a
lot of II out and cement II up again
TO make 1t look like that's the real
VEIN"
And they're working our mine -
Red spots of anger were flashing be-
fore Falrchllds eyes.
"You've said II That's why they
were SO anxious to buy us out. And