Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-10-20
CHAPTER XVII.


Harry's disappearance. This re-
vealed why the search through the
mountains had failed. This
But Fairchlld suddenly realized that
now was not time for conjecturlng
upon the past. The man on the bed
was unconscious. incapable Of helping
himself. Far below, n white-haired
woman, her toothless jaws uttering
one weird chant after another, was
digging for him quckilme grave, In
the insane belief that she was aiding
in accomplishing some miracle of i'm
mortality. In tiine-and Fairchild did
not know how long-an ill-visaged.
scar.faced man would return to help
her carry the inert frame Of the I'M
conscious man below md bury 1t. Nor
could FaIrchild tell from the CONVEX
perform the merciful act OF killing the
| poor, broken being before he covered
1t with acids and qulck-eatlng lime in
a grave that soon would remove all
vestige Of human Identity forever.
| Certainly now was not time for
| thought; II was one for action
And for caution. Instinct told Fair
child TINT for the present. at least,
Rodaine must believe that Harry had
escaped unaided. There were too
many other things I'm which Robert
| felt sure Rodaine had played part,
too many other mysterious happenings
which must be met and COPIED with,
before the man of the blue-white scar
could know that finally the underlng
was beginning to show fight, that at
last the crushed had begun to rise.
Fairchild bent and unlaced his shoes,
taking of also the heavy wooden
socks which. protected his feet from
the biting cold. Steellng himself to
the ordeal which he must undergo, he
tied the laces together and slung the
footgear over shoulder. Then he
went to the bed.
| AS carefully as possible, he wrapped
Harry in the blankets, seeking to pro-
tect him In every way against the
cold. With great effort, he lifted
him, the sick mans frame huddled In
his arms like some gigantic baby, and
started out Of the eerie, darkened
house.
The stalrs-the landlng--the hall !
Then query from below:
lis that you. Roady?'
The breath pulled sharp into Fair
childs lungs. He answered in the
best Imitation he could give of the
voice of S1uInt Rodaine:
| "Yes.' 20 on with your digging
Honey. III be there soon."
"And you'll kiss me?'
N"Yes. Just like I kissed you the
night our boy was born"
II was sufficient. The chanting be.
gan again, accompanied by the swish
Of the spade as II sank into the earth
and the Guiding roll of the clods as
they were thrown to one side Fair.
child gained the door. A moment more
and he staggered with his burden into
the protecting darkness OF the night.
The snow crept about his ankles
seeming to freeze them Mt every
touch. but Fairchild did not desist. His
original purpose must be carried out
IL Rodaine were not to know-the ap
pearance that Harry had aroused him
self sufficiently 10 wrap the blankets
about him and wander Oft by himself
And this could be accomplished only
by the pain and cold and torture of q
barefoot trip.
Some way, by shifting the big frame
of his unconscious partner now ant
then, Fairchild made the trip to the
main road and veered toward the
pumphOuse Of the Diamond J. mine
running ms II often did without at
tendance while the engineer made 9
trip with the electric motor into the
hill. Cautiously he peered through
the windows. No one was there. BE
yOnd lay warmth and comfOrt-and q
telephone. Falrchild went within anC
placed Harry on the floor. Then hC
reached for the phone and called the
hospital.
"Hellow he announced In a husky
disguised voice. This Is Jeb Gresham
Of GeOrgeville. I've Just found a mar
lying by the side OF the Diamond J
pumphouse, unconscious, with hi,
cut in his head. I've brought him in
side. You'll find him there; I've go
TO 20 on. Looks like he's liable to tll,
unless you can send the ambulance fol
him"
wen make IL rush trip" cam,
the answer, and Falrchild hung up IN,
phone, to rub his half-frozen, achin.
feet moment, then to reclOthe then
I'm the socks and shoes, watching I'll,
entrance of the Diamond J. tunnel a
he did so. A long minute-then he lief
= the pumphOuse, made few tracks II
the snow around the entrance, an,
walked swiftly down the road. Fifteel
minutes later, from hiding place a
the side OF the Clear creek bridge, h
saw the lights OF the ambulance as
swerved TO the pumphouse. out cam
the stretcher. The attendants went Il
, search of the injured man. When the,
came forth again, they bore the form
of Harry Harkins, and the heart o
Fairchlld began to- beat once NOR
with something resembling regularity
His partner--at least such was hi
, hope and his prayer-was on the wa
TO Aid and To recovery, while Squin
! RO.alne would know nothing Othe