Sioux County pioneer., 1922-11-23
THE CROSS-CUT
CHAPTER kvIII-cen

+ tt CHAPTER xvIiI-centlhusd.
IL
!. They reached the mouth Of the Sill
ter Queen. Harry reconnoitered
uaoment before he. gave the signal to
proceed. Within the tunnel they went.
% felcw along its regular, rising
course to the stope where, on that
garfsh day when Taylor Bill and
Blindeye Bozeman had led the enthu-
elastic parade through the streets, the
yein had shown. It was dark there
J: 40 onN was at work. Harry unlocked
his carbide from his belt, lit 1t and
looksd around.
It amt coming from 'erel" he an
nounced. .slt's" then his voice
dropped to whlsper what's that7"
Again I rumbling had come from q
distance. rs Of an ore car travelling
over the tram tracks. Harry extin-
guished his light, and drawing Anita
and Fairchild far to the end Of the
stope. dattened them and himself on
the ground. A long wait, while the
eumbling came closer, still closer;
then, IN the distance. a light appeared,
Ghining from side Of the tunnel. A
changing noise, followed by clatter-
ing sounds, as though Of steel rails
hitting against each other. Finally
the tramming once more-and the
light approached.
Into view came an ore car, and be-
hind It doomed the great form Of Tay.
aor Bin as he pushed It along. Straight
TO the pile Of ore he came, unlocked
the front Of the tram, tripped it 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. eHarry crept to his feet.
''We've got to follow r. he whispered.
4.It's blind entrance to the tunnel
som'eres."
They rose and trailed the light along
the tracks, aattening themselves
against the timbers Of the tunnel as
the form Of Taylor Bill, family out
lined 81 the distance, turned from the
regular track, opened q great door in
{ the aide Of the tunnel, which, to all
/. Appearances, was nothing more than
staaEs ordinary heavy timbering Of a
weak spot In the rocks, pulled 1t far
back, then swerved the tram within.
Then, he stopped and raised q port
able switch, throwing It into the OPEN
ing. a second later the door closed
6ehind 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 Eairchild and Anita, follow
Ding the same procedure. And all three
stopped at once. .s
The hollow sound was coming d.
,rectly to them now. Harry once more
brought out his carbide to light it for
q moment and to examine the tim
bering.
cts a good Job j" he commented.
You couldn't tell It 1--WE feet of II
They've made cross-cut!" This
time It was Anita's voice. plainly an
cry In spite Of its whispering tones.
No wonder they had such wonder
ful strike" came scathingly. .sThat
other stope down there
@Ain't nothing but salted propo-
aition," said Harry. They've cement
cd up the top Of it with the real stuff
and every once in a while they blow a
lot Of It out and cement 1t up again
to make It look like that's the real
'vsin.' NJ,
"And they're working our mine I"
Red spots Of anger were flashing be-
fore Fairchild's eyes.
You've said It'll That's why they
were 20 anxious to buy us out. And