Phoenix tribune., 1922-11-04
The CrOSS-Cut

shoulder. Before them were ngureS
and sentences which blurred for mo-
ment, finally to resolve into:
'AIr Robert Fairchild,
"Ohadi, Colorado.
''Dear Sir:
Il am empowered by a client whose
name / am not at liberty to state, to
make you an offer of $4,000 for your
property in Clear Greek county, known
as the Blue Poppy mine. In replying,
kindly address your letter to
''Box $50, Denver, Colo"
Harry whistled long and thoughtful
ly.
That's a 'ole lot of money!"
"An awful lot, Harry. But why was
the offer made? There's nothing to
base it on. There's"
Then for a moment, as they stepped
out of the post office, he gave up the
thought, even of comparative riches.
Twenty feet away, a man and girl
were approaching, talking as though
there never had been the slightest
trouble between them. 1t was Maurice
Rodaine and Anita Richmond; they
came closer, her eyes turned toward
Fairchild, and then
She went on, without speaking, with
out taking the trouble to notice, APP
parently, that he had been standing
there.
After this, there was little converse
ton until Harry and Fairchild had
reached the boarding house. Then
with Mother Howard for an adviser,
the three gathered in the old parlor,
and Fairchild related the events of
| the night before, adding what had
happened at the post office, when Ami
ia had passed him without speaking.
Mother Howard, her arms folded as
usual, bobbed her gray head.
''It's like her, Son." she announced
at last. "She's a good girl I've known
her ever since she was a little tad not
big enough to walk. And she loves
her father"
"But-"
"She loves her father. Isn't that
enough? The Rodaines have the
money-and they have almost every
thing that Judge Richmond owns. It's
easy enough to guess what they've
done with it-tied it up so that he
can't touch it until they're ready for
him to do 1t. And they're not going
to do that until they've gotten what
they want"
(which is-?"
Anita! Any fool ought to be able
to know that. That stroke last night
was the second one for the Judge.
There usually amt any more after
the third one. Now, can't you see why
Anita is willing to do anything on
earth just to keep peace and just to
give her father a little rest and COM
fort and happiness in the last days of
his life? You've got to remember that
he amt like an ordinary father that
you can go to and tell all your trou
bles to. He's laying next door to DEATH
got a great, big. good heart in her,
is willing to face worse than death
to help him. It's as plain to me as
the nose on Harry's face"
(which is quite plain" agreed Fair
child ruefully. Harry rubbed the IL
beled proboscis. paved at his mus
tache and fidgeted in his chair.
81 understand that, all right" he
announced at last. "But why should
anybody want to buy the miner
1t brought Fairchlld to the realiza-
ton of a new development, and he
brought forth the letter, once more to
stare at it.
"Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of
money" came at last.
"And what thenT Mother Howard,
still looking through uncolored glasses,
took the letter and scanned it. "You
two amt cutters, are your"
100, us?" Harry bristled
"Yes, you. If you are, get your
selves a piece of paper and write to
Denver and take the offer. If you
ain't-keep on fighting"
81 believe you're right, Mother How
ard" Fairchild had reached for the
letter again and was staring at it as
though for inspiration. "That amount
| Of money seems to be a great deal
Still, If a person will offer that much
/ for mine when there's nothing in
sight to show its value, it ought to
mean that there's something dark in
the woodpile and that the things
worth fighting out. And personally
speaking, I'm willing to fight"
81 never quit in my lifel" Harry
Strengthened in his chair and his mus
tache stuck forth pugnaciously. Moth
er Howard looked down at him,
pressed her lips. then smiled.
NO" she announced, Except to run
away like whipped pup after you'd
gotten a poor lonely boarding house
keeper in love with you"
Mother 'Oward, I'll"
But the laughing, gray-haired wom-
an had scrambled through the door