American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1922-11-04


mystery Of the Blue Poppy mine. But
the Joy Of Fairchild and Harry was
short.lived. In the long, legal phrase
ology Of the jury's report was the
recommendation that this important
subject be the first for inquiry BY the
next grand inquisitorlal body to be
convened - and the threat still re-
manned.
But before the two men were now
realities which were worse even than
threats. and Harry turned from his
staging late one afternoon to voice
the most important.
f.. 'We'll start single lacking tomor-
row." he announced with a little sigh.
I'm the 'anging wall. The veins
pinched down until we ain't even get.
ting day laborer's wages out of tt
and It's October now"
Octoberi October--and winter on
the way. October-and only q month
until the time when Harry must face
q Jury on four separate charges, any
one of which might send him to Canon
City for the rest Of his days. Fair.
child's hopes lay inert. He was only
working now because O great, strong,
big-shouldered man had come from
Cornwall to help him and was willing
to fight II out to the end. October
and the announcement had said that
a certain girl would be married in the
late fall, girl who never looked In
his direction any more, who had al
lowed her name to become AFFILIATED
with that Of the Rodaines, now near
ing the task Of completing their two
million. Octoberi
For q long moment. Fairchild said
nothing. then as Harry came from the
staging. he moved to the older mans
side.
Ell didn't quite catch the idea."
came at last. Harry pointed with his
sledge.
ave been noticing the vein. Il
keeps turning to the left. II struck
me that It might ave branched of
from the main body and that there's
q bigger vein over there some'eres.
Well Just ave to make try for Il
It's our only chance"
"AndK we Tall to find Il theret'' \
III II amt there--we're whipped!"
II was the first time that Harry had
said the word seriously. Fairchild
pretended not to hear. Instead, he
picked up drill. looked at Its point,
then started toward the small forge
which they had erected Just at the
foot Of the little raise leading to the
stope. There Harry Joined him; to-
gether they heated the long pieces Of
steel and pounded their biting faces
to the sharpness necessary to drilling
in the hard rock Of the hanging wall.
tempering them in the bucket Of wa
ter near by. working silently. slowly
hampered by the weight Of defeat.
They were being whipped; they felt
It in every atom Of their beings. But
they had not given up their night.
Two blows were left In the struggle.
and two blows they meant to strike
before the end came. The next morn.
ing they started at their new task,
each drilling holes at points I'VE feet
apart In the hanging wall. to send
them in as far as possible. then at
the end of the day to blast them out.
tearing away the rock and stopping
their work at drilling that they might
muck away the refuse. And day after
day, each, without mentioning It to
the other, was tortured by the thought
of that offer Of riches, that mysteri.
GUS proffer of wealth for the Blue
Poppy mine--tortured like men who
are chained In the sight Of gold and
cannot reach II. For the offer car.
ried always the hint that wealth was
there, somewhere. that Squint Ro.
!. dame knew II. but that they could not
find Il. Either that--or fiat failure.
Either wealth that would Yield Squint
a hundredfold for his purpose, or q
sneer that would answer their offer
| to sell. And each man gritted his
teeth and said nothing. But they
| worked on.
October gave up It's hght. The hrst
| day Of November came, to hnd the
chamber wide, vacuous thing now
shelterlng stone and refuse and two
struggling men-nothing more. Fair
child ceased his labors and nopped
his forehead. dripping from the heat
engendered by freuzied labor. 4 M
moment. then;
Harry"
AYE"
'Tm going after the other ssde
We've been playing half-horsed game
here"
.rye been thinking that. Boy"
"Then I'm going to tackle the FOO
wall. was at the bank today"
"Yeh."
any balance is Just two hundred"
\ Harry ciawed at his mustache
"We're nearing the end. Boy. Tackle
the foot wall"
They said no more. Fairchild with
drew his drill from the swimmer" o
straightforward powder hole an
turned far to the other side OF IN
chamber, where the sloping foot wal
showed for few feet before II dive