The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-08-12

at don't seem possible And me re-
membering him looking just Ike you.
fuH Of life and strong and
"Our pictures of him are a good deal
different. II guess you knew him
when everything was all right for him.
Things were different after he got
home again
Mother Howard looked quickly
about her, then with a swift motion
closed the door.
"SOn," she asked in a low voice
didn't he ever get over it?'
'1t?' Fairchild felt that he stood
on the threshold of discoveries what
do you meanT'
Didn't he ever tell you anything,
Son?'
NO. Il
"Wen, there wasn't any need to-"
But Mother Towards sudden embar-
rassment, her change of color, told
Fafrchild it wasn't the truth. He just
had a little bad luck out here, that
was all. His-his mine pinched out
just when he'd thought he'd struck 1t
rich-or something like that
"Are you sure that is the truthY'
For a second they faced each other.
Robert Fairchild serious and intent,
Mother Howard looking at him with
eyes defiant, yet compassionate. Sud
denly they twinkled, the lips broke
from their straight line into a smile,
and a kindly old hand reached out to
take him by the arm.
Don't you stand there and try to
tell Mother Howard she don't know
what she's talking about!' came in
tones of mock severity. Hear me?
Now, you get up them steps and wash
up for dinner. Take the first room on
| the right. It's a nice, CHEEKY place"
| In his room, Fairchild tried not to
think. His brain was becoming too
| crammed with queries, with strange
| happenings and with aggravating mys-
| ticisms of the life into which his IA
| theirs death had thrown him to per-
NIT clearness of vision. Even in
i Mother Howard he had not been able
to escape it; she told all too plainly,
both by her actions and her words,
| that she knew something of the mys-
terry of the past-and had falsifed to
keep the knowledge from him.
| 1t was too CALLING for thought. Rob
| ert Fairchild hastily made his toilet,
then answered the ringing of the din
ner bell, to be introduced to strong
shouldered men who gathered about
the long tables: Cornishmen, who
talked an ''h-less" language, ruddy-
faced Americans, and sprinkling of
| English, all of whom conversed about
things which were to Fairchild as so
much Greek-of levels" and "stopes"
and 'winzes,'' of "skips" and IMAM
ways" and "rises," which meant moth
ing to the man who yet must master
them all, if he were to follow his am
| bitiOn.
Robert Fairchild spoke but seldom,
except to acknowledge the introduc-
tons as Mother Howard made him
known to each of his table mates. But
it was not aloofness; from the first,
the newcomer had liked the men
about him, liked the ruggedness. the
mingling of culture with the lack of
it, liked the enthusiasm, the muscle
and Drawn, liked them all-all but two.
Instinctively, from the first men
ton Of his name, he felt they were
watching him, two men who sat far
in the rear of the big dining room,
older than the other occupants. far
less inviting in appearance. One was
small, though chunky in build, with
sandy hair and eyebrows; with weak,
filmy blue eyes over which the lids
bIinked constantly. The other, black
haired with streaks of gray, powerful
in his build, and with q walrus-like
mustache dropping over hard lips, was
the sort of antithesis naturally to be
found in the company of the smaller
sandy cOmplexiOned man. Who they
were, what they were, Fairchild die
not know, except from the genera
attributes which told that they too fol
lowed the great gamble of mining. But
one thing was certain; they watched
him throughout the meal; they talked
about him in low tones and ceased
when Mother Howard came near; they
seemed to recognize In him someone
who brought both curiosity and innate
enmity to the surface. And more
long before the rest had finished theil
meal, they rose and left the room, in
tent, apparently, upon some important
mission.
After that, Fairchild ate with less
of relish. In his mind was the GER
tainty that these two men knew him
or at least knew about him-and thai
they did not relish his presence. MOI
were his suspicious long in being full
filled Hardly had he reached thu
hall. when the reckoning eyes o.
Mother Howard signaied to him. In
stinctively he waited for the Other
diners to pass him, then looked eager
~ toward Mother Howard as she once
more approached
II don't know what you're doing
: here" came shortly. ''but I want to-
FairchiId Strengthened. There ISM
much to tell you" he answered quiet
ly. My father left me the Blue POpp!
mine in his will. I'm here to work it.
: "Know anything about mining?
/ "N0t a thing"
/ cor the people you're liable to have