Sioux County pioneer., 1922-11-23

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stretch Of road faded swiftly. Almost
before he realized 1t, they were at the
outskirts Of the city.
Grudgingly he gave up his hold up
on her, as they hurried for the side
walks and for the sherifrs Office. There
Fatrchild did not attempt to talk-he
left It all to Anita, and Bardwell, the
sheriff. listened. Taylor Bill had con-
fessed to the robbery at the Old Times
dance and to his attempt to 80 ar
range the evidence that the blame
would fall on Harry. Taylor Bill and
B1indeye Bozeman had been caught at
work In cross-cut tunnel which led
to the property Of the Blue Poppy
mine, and one Of them, at least, had
admitted that the sole output Of the
Silver Queen had come from this thiev-
ing encroachment. Then Anita COM
pleted the recital-of the plans Of the
Rodaines to leave and Of their depart
ure for Center City. At last, Tairchild
spoke, and told the happenings fhich
he had encountered In the ramshackle
house occupied by Crazy Laura. It
was sufficient. The sheriff reached
Tor the telephone.
'sNo need for hurry" he announced.
young Rodaine can't possibly make
that trip In less than two hours. We've
got plenty Of time-dello-Central1
Long distance, please. What's that7
Yeh-Long Distance. Want to put in
q call for Center City" A long wait,
while a metallic voice streamed over
the wire into the sherifrs ear. He
hung up the receiver. Blocked" he
said shortly. '"The wires down"
"But there's the telegraph"
"lt'd take half an hour to get the
operator out Of bed-oflce is closed.
Nope. Well take the short cut. And
we'll beat him there by a half-hourl"
Anita started.
You mean the Argonaut tunnel1"
Eyes. Call up there and tell them
to get motor ready for Us to shoot
straight through. We can make 1t at
thirty miles an hour, and the skip in
the Reunion mine will get us to the
surface in five minutes. The. tunnel
ends sixteen hundred feet under
ground, about a thousand feet from
Center City," he explained, as he noted
Fairchld's wondering gaze. "You stay
here. I'll be getting my car warmed
up to take US to the tunnel"
A humping sound came from with
out. Harry entered with his two
charges, followed shortly by Bardwen,
the sheriff, while just beneath the Of
fee window motor roared in the
process of warming up"
A moment more and steel door
Changed upon the two men, while the
officer led the way to his motor car.
There he looked quizzically at Anita
Richmond, piling without hesitation
into the front seat.
"Ypu going too7"
II certainly am" and she covered
her intensity with a laugh, "there
are a number of things that I want
to say to Mr.. Maurice Nodaine-and
I haven't the patience to waltz"
Bardwell chuckled. The doors of
the car slammed and the engine roared
louder than ever. Soon they were
churning along through the driving
snow toward the great buildings Of
the Argonaut Tunnel company, far at
the other end Of town. There men
awaited them, and a tram motor, to-
gether with its operator. The four
pursuers took their places on the
benches Of the car behind the motor.
The trolley was attached. Then clat-
tering over the frogs, green lights
flashing from the trolley wire, the
speeding journey was begun.
Three miles, four, five, while Anita
Richmond held close to Fairchild as
the speed became greater and the
sparks from the wire above threw their
green. vicious light over the yawning
stretch before them. A last squirt,
slightly down-grade, with the motor
pushing the wheels at their greatest
velocity; then the cracking Of cleo
tricfty suddenly ceased, the motor
slowed in Its progress, finally to stop.
A greasy being faced them and Bard
well. the sheriff, shouted his mission.
"Got to catch some people that are
making q getaway through Center
City. Can you send us up in the skipi"
"Yes, two at a time.'
"All right r. The sheriff turned to
Harry. '.You and I'll go on the first
trip aud hurry for the Ohadi road.
Fairchild and Miss Richmond will wait
for the second and 60 to Sheriff Ma
sons office and tell him what's up.
Meet Us there" he said to Fairchild,
as he went forward.
A long walt followed while Fairchild
strove to talk Of many .things-an
failed In all Of them. Things were
happening too swiftly for them to be
put into crisp sentences by a man
whose thoughts were muddled by the
fact that beside him waited girl In
whipcord riding suit same girl
who had leaped from an automobile
on the Denver highway and
Il capitalized things for him momen-
tarily.
arm going to ask you something
after Q while thing that I've