Phoenix tribune., 1922-09-30
cHApTEKIx

Several hours passed, then Harry
returned, minus his gorgeous clothing
and his diamond ring, dressed in min
ing costume now, with high leather
boots into which his trousers were
tucked, and carrying carbine lantern,
Dolefully he looked at the vacant fin
ger where once a diamond had spar
kled Then he chuckled.
"Sam took it back" he announced.
And | took part of the money and
paid it out for rent on these pumps.
We can keep 'em as long as we want
EN-. It's only costing about fourth
of what it might of. Drowning's
worth something" he laughed again.
Fairchild joined him, then sobered.
at brought Rodaine out of the
bushes" he said. ''Squint threatened
us after they'd hauled you down town
IN the rail"
Harry winked jovially.
"Ain't it just what expectedf It's
better that wye than to ave i'm snoop-
N around"
They chuckled together then; it was
something to know that they had not
only forced Squint Rodaine to show
his enmity openly, but 1t was some
thing more to make him the instru-
ment of helping them with their work.
Harry looked down the hole, stared
Intently at nothing, then turned to the
.usty hoist
"'Ere's the thing we've got to fix
up now. This ere chiv wheels all
out of gear"
What makes your face 30 red?"
Falrchild asked the question as the
be-mustached visage Of Harry came
nearer to the carbide. Harry looked
lp.
Mother 'Oward almost slapped 1t
J" came his rueful answer. For
not telling 'er what was going to do,
and letting 'er think got drownded.
But 'ow was to known"
Fairchild absently examined the en-
gines and pumps, supplying water to
the radiators and filling an oil cup
or two. Then he turned swiftly, voic-
ing that which was uppermost in his
mind.
when you were here before, Harry,
aid you know a Judge Richmond?"
"Yeh." Harry paved his mustache
and made greasy, black mark on his
face. "But I don't think I want to
know i'm now."
"Why notT'
"'E's mixed up with the Rodaines."
"How much?"
''They own 'im-that's ALL"
There was silence for a moment. It
had been something which Fairchild
had not expected II the Rodaines
owned Judge Richmond, how far did
that ownership extend? After long
time, he forced himself to a statement.
II know his daughter. She sold me
ticket to Dance" Fairchild care
fully forgot the earlier meeting.
''Then we've happened to meet several
times after that. She said that her
father had told her about nett
seems he used to be a friend of my
own father"
Harry nodded.
Nv Y Woo. AAA0 q 6OOQ AI1CAQ. DuL
that was before things 'appened-like
they've 'appened in the last ten years.
Not that I know about 1t of my own
knowledge But Mother 'Oward-she
knows a lot"
"But what's caused the changer
What-%
Harry's intent gaze stopped him.
SOW many times ave you seen
Judge Richmond2"
II haven't ever seen him."
you won't-if Mother 'Oward
knows anything. e amt able to get
out Els sick-apoplexy-a stroke.
Rodaine's taken advantage of it."
"How?"
"'Ow does anybody take advantage
of somebody that's sick? 'Ow does
anybody get a old on a person?
Through money! Judge Richmond
'ad lot of it, Then e got sick. Ro-
daine, e got old of that money. Now
Judge Richmond as to ask i'm for
every penny he gets-and e does what
ROdaine says"
'But a Judge"
Judges is like anybody else when
they're bedridden and only 'arf their
faculties working The girl, so Mother
'Oward tells me, is about twenty now.
That made 'er just a little kid, and
motherless, when Rodaine got in is
work. She amt got a thing to sye.
And she loves 'er father. If e don't
die pretty soon, you'll see a wedding I"
"You mean-?"
She'll be Mrs. Maurice Rodaine.
She loves 'er father enough to do it.
after 'er Wills broken"
Again Robert Fairchild filed an oil
cup, again he tinkered about the
pumps. Then he Strengthened.
How are we going to work this
mine?" he asked shortly. Harry stared
at him
SOW should / know? You own 1t p
Il don't mean that way. We were
fifty-fifty from the minute you showed
up. There never has been any other
thought in my mind"
"Fifty-hfty? You're making me a
hlOafed canitalistr y,