The Holbrook news., 1922-11-03
The Cross-Cut
 By Courtney Ryley Cooper
By Courtney Ryley Cooper

Drop in any day this week and we'll go over things" he announced cheerfully. "We put one over on his royal Joblots that time, anyway. Hates me from the ground up. Worst we can hope for is a conviction and then a Supreme court reversal. I'll get him so mad he'll fill the case with errors. He used to be an instructor down at Boulder, and l stuck the pages of a lecture together on him one day. That's why asked for an early trial. Knew he'd give me late one. That'll let us have time to stir up little favorable evidence, which right now we don't possess. Understand-all money that comes from the mine Is held in escrow until this case Is decided. But I'll ex- plain that. Going to stick around here and bask in the effulgence of really possessing a case. S'long"
 And he turned back into the court room, while Fairchild, the dazed Har- ry stalking beside him, started down the street.
 "'Ow do you figure it?" asked the Cornishman at last.
 "What?"
 "Rodaine. 'E 'elped us out!"
 Fairchild stopped. It had not Oc- cured to him before. But now he saw 1t: that if Rodaine, as an expert on mining, had condemned the Blue Poppy, 1t could have meant only one thing, the denial of bond by the judge and the lack of freedom for Harry. Fairchild rubbed a hand across his brow.
 "I can't figure It." came at last. And especially since his son is the accuser and since I got the best of them both last nightl"
 'Got the best of 'em? You?"
 The story was brief In Its telling. And 1t brought no explanation of the sudden suitability displayed by the crooked-faced Rodaine. They went on, striving vainly for reason, at last to stop in front of the post office, as the postmaster leaned out of the door.
 "Your names Fairchild, isn't itT' asked the person of letters.
 "Yes."
 Thought so. Some of the fellows said you was. There's been a letter for you here for two days!"
 For mel" Vaguely Fairchild went within and received the missive, a plain, bond envelope without a re- turn address. He turned 1t over and over in his hand before he opened 1t then looked at the postmark-Den- yer. At last:
 "Open 1t, why don't you?"
 Harry's mustache. was tickling his ear, as the big miner stared over his shoulder. Before them were figures and sentences which blurred for a mo- ment. finally to resolve into: ''Mr. Robert Fairchild,
 "Ohadi, Colorado.
 Dear Sir:
 "i am empowered by client whose name I am not at liberty to state, to make you an offer of $50.000 for your property in Clear Creek county, known as the Blue Poppy mine. In replying, kindly address your letter to
 Box 1S0, Denver, Colo"
 Harry whistled long and thoughtful ly.
 "That's ole lot of moneyw
 "An awful lot, Harry. But why was the offer made? There's nothing to base it on. There's"
 Then for a moment, as they stepped out of the post office, he gave up the thought, even of comparative riches. Twenty feet away, a man and a girl were approaching, talking as though there never had been the slightest trouble between them. It was Maurice Rodaine and Anita Richmond; they came closer, her eyes turned toward Fairchild, and then
 She went on, without speaking, with out taking the trouble to notice, ap- parently, that he had been standing there.
 After this, there was little conversa- tion until Harry and Fairchild had reached the boarding house. Then, with Mother Howard for an adviser, the three gathered in the old parlor, and Fairchild related the events of the night before, adding what had happened at the post office, when Ami ta had passed him without speaking. Mother Howard, her arms folded as usual, bobbed her gray head.
 Its like her, Son." she announced at last. "She's good girl. I've known her ever since she was a 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 they have almost every thing that Judge Richmond owns. It's easy enough to guess what they've done with it-tied it up so that he can't touch 1t until they're ready for him to do 1t. And they're not going to do that until they've gotten what they want"
 (Which iS-f"
 "Anital Any fool ought to be able to know that. That stroke last night was the second one for the Judge. There usually ain't any more after the third one Now, can't you see why Anita is willing to do anything on earth just to keep peace and just to give her father little rest and con- fort and happiness in the last days of