The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-10-05
CHAPTER TX

CHAT Elk TX
Fafrchild went back into the tunnel.
spun the f1ywheels of the gasoline en-
gines and started them revolving
again, that the last Of the water might
be drained from the shaft before the
pumps must be returned to their own
ers.
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 a 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 1t out for rent on these pumps.
We can keep EN- al long as we want
'em. It's only costing about a fourth
Of what it might of. Drowning's
worth something" he laughed again.
Fairchild Joined him, then sobered.
1T brought Rodaine out Of the
bushes" he said. "Squint threatened
us after they'd hauled you down town
on the rail-" -
Harry winked jovially.
"Ain't it just what I expectedf It's
better that wye than to ave i'm snoop-
In 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
rusty 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?'
Fairchild asked the question as the
be-mustached visage of Harry came
nearer to the carbide. Harry looked
up.
Mother 'Oward almost slapped It
Off !" came his rueful answer. "For
not telling 'er what Twas going to. do.
and letting FER think I got drownded.
But low was i to known
%Fairchild absently examined the en-
gines and pumps, supplying water to
the radiators and? filing an oil Gun
Dr. two. Then he turned swiftly, vote
ing that which was uppermost in his
HluH. - b = .
when you we're here before, Harry,
did you know a Judge RichmondT"
~Yeh." Harry paved his mustache
and made a greasy, black mark on his
face. "But I don't think I want to
know i'm now"
"Why not?"
"'E's mixed up with the Rodaines."
sHow much?'' ~. - -
f'.They own: 'im-that's ALL" ri
There was silence for a,moment. Il
had been something which Fairchild
had not expected. II the Rodaines
owned Judge Richmond, how far did
that ownership extend? After a. long
time. he forced himself to a statement.
Il know his daughter. She sold me
q ticket to q Dance" Fairchfld care
fully forgot the earlier meeting.
s'Then we've happened to meet several
times after, that. She said that her
father had told her, about met
seems he used to be a friend Of my
own father" &z
Harry nodded.
SO e was. And d good friend. But
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
aBut what's. caused the change1
What--f' $f.4 Z
Harry's intent gaze stopped him.
"''Ow many times. ave You e
Judge Richmond7"
81 haven't ever 9 him.. 1
@You wonf--if Mother coward
knows anything. n amt able to get
ont. ms sick-apoplexy-sa stroke.
Rodaine's taken advantage OF it,
81 ssHoWfasfs &A $500.
.''Ow does anybody take advantage
Of somebody that's sicks Ow does
ANYBODY get old On d personf
Through money! Judge Richmond
sad I. lot " Then Y got stck. RI
daine, eeot lid OF that money. Nov
Judge Richmond 'as ito ask I'm Tor
everry penaly hesgets-and 4 dos what
Roaain& ,ass
mt $500
T~a~.~&03Sfa.~