The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-09-05

ABOUT TQe Blue Poppy mine, Wnen
neither he nor Harry had any idea Of
what the future might hold for them
there: That day in court ROdaine
had said that the Blue Poppy mine
was good property and that 1t was
worth every cent of the value which
had been placed on it. How did he
know? And why?
Suppose that it had been Anita
Richmond after all who had arranged
this? 1t was logical in a way. Maurice
ROdaine was the one man who could
give direct evidence against Harry as
the man who had held up the Old
Times dance, and Anita now was en-
gagged TO marry him. Judge Richmond
had been a friend Of Thornton Fair
child: could it have been possible that
this friendship might have entailed
the telling of secrets which had not
been related to anyone else? The
matter Of the finding of the skeleton
could be handled easily. Fairchild
saw. through Maurice Rodaine. One
word from him 70 his father could
change the story of Crazy Laura and
make Ii. on the second telling only
the Numbering tale of an insane,
herb-gathering woman. Anita could
have arranged it. and Anita might
have arranged it. Yet, why should
she have gone through this procedure
to reach him? Why had she not gone
to Farrell with the prOposition-to a
man whom she knew Fairchild trust
ed, instead of to greasy. hand-rub-
bling shyster? And besides
But the question was past answer
ing now. Fairchild had made his de-
cision, and he had told the lawyer
where to go. But one thing was GER
tain: the Blue Poppy mine was worth
money. Once before an offer had
come and now that he thought of it,
Fairchild felt almost certain that ii
had been from the same source That
was for fifty thousand dollars. Why
should the value have now Jumped to
four times it's original figures? 1t was
more than the adventurer could en-
compass; he sought to dismiss it all,
went to a picture show. then trudged
back TO his hotel and to sleep.
The next day found him still striv-
ing to put the problem away from him
as he went about the various errands
outlined by Harry. A day after that.
then the putting, snorting. narrow
gagged train took him again through
Clear Creek canon and back to Ohadi.
The station was strangely deserted
Only the bawlfng bus man for the
hotel, the station agent wrestling with
a trunk or two-that was all. Fair
child looked about him in surprise,
then approached the agent.
whats happenedT'
"a lot From what I hear it's q
strike that's going to put Ohadi on
the map again.
"Who made it?''
Don't know. Some fellow came
running down here an hour or so ago
and said thered been tremendous
strike made on the hill, and everybody
beat 1t up there"
F'airchild went on. TO turn into de-
serted street,-a street where the
doors Of the stores had been left open
and the owners gone. Everywhere 1t
was the same; 1t was as If Ohadi sud-
denly had been struck by some catas-
trOphe which had wiped out the whole
population. Only now and then hui
man being appeared, a few persons
left behind at the banks, but that was
about all. Then from far away, up
the street leading from Kentucky gulch,
came the sound of cheering and shout
ing. Soon a crowd appeared, led by
gesticulating, vociferous men, who
veered suddenly into the Ohadi bank
at the corner, leaving the multitude
without for moment, only to return,
their hands full of gold certificates,
which they stuck into their hats,
punched through their buttonholes,
stuffed into their pockets. allowing
them to hang half out, and even
damned down the collars of their
rough shirts, making outstanding dec
oratiOns of currency about their
necks. On they came, closer-closer,
and then Fairchild gritted his teeth.
There were four of them leading the
parade displaying the wealth that
stood for the bonanza of the silver
strike they had just made, four men
whose names were gall and NORWOOD
to Robert Fairohild.
Blindeye Bozeman and Taylor Bill
were two of them. The others were
SQuint and Maurice Rodaine!
Continued Tororrovl