The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-02-09
CHAPTER XVIII

CHAPTER XVIII
Hardly realizing what he was doing,
or why he was doing 1t, Falrchild
seized Anita In his arms and, raising
her to his breast as though she were
q child, rushed out through the cross
cut and along the cavern to the 1s-
sure, there 70 find Harry awaiting
them.
"Put 'er In flrstl" said the Cornish
man anxiously. "The farther the safer.
Did you ear anything moreY
Fairchild obeyed, shaking his bend
In a negative to Harry's question, then
squeezed into the assure, edging along
beside Anita, while barry followed.
whats doing. Harry"
Nothing. That's the funny part Of
I'll" The big Cornishman had crept to
the edge of the fissure and had stared
for a moment toward the cross-cut
leading to the stope. "If 1t was COM
ing, it ought to ave showed up by
now. I'm going back. You stay ere"
A long moment and he was back,
almost creeping, and whispering, as
he reached the end of the assure.
Come 'ere-both Of you'll Come
'erel I"
What Is TT?
"Sh-h-h-h-h-h. Don't talk too loud.
We've been blessed with luck already.
Come ERE"
He led the way, the man and WON
an following him. In the slope the
Corpishman crawled carefully TO the
staging and, standing on tiptoes,
pressed his ear against the vein above
him. Then he withdrew and nodded
sagely.
That's what 1t Isl" came his an
nouncement at last. you can ear it!'
"But what?"
"Get up there and lay your ear
against that vein. See If you ear any
thing. And be quiet about it. I'm
scared to make a move, for fear
somebody IL ear me-"
Fairchild obeyed. From far away.
carried by the telegraphy of the earth
and there are few conductors that
are better-was the steady pound,
pound, pound Of shock after shock as
1t travelled along the hanging wall.
Fairchlld turned, wondering. then
reached for Anita.
"You ~listen," he ordered, as he lift
ed her to where she could hear. do
you get anything?"
The girls eyes shone.
II know what that is" she said
quickly. "Tve heard that same sort
Of thing b~efore-when you're on an
other level and somebody's working
above. Isn't that it, Mr.. Harkins?"
Harry nodded.
That's It," came tersely. Then
bending, he reached for a pick and,
muffling the sound as best he could be-
tween his knees, knocked the head
from the handle. Following this, he
lifted the piece Of hickory thoughtful-
ly md turned to Fairchild. Get your
self one" he ordered. Miss Richmond,
l guess you'll ave to stay ERE. l don't
see 'ow we can do much else witt
you"
But can't l 60 along-wherever
you're going"
"There's going to be a fght." said
Harry quietly. "And Tn going TO
knock somebody's block off"
"But-Td rather be there than here.
IL don't have to get in It. And I'd
be scared 10 death here. I wouldn't I!
I was along with you two, because !
know" and she said II with almost
childish conviction-"that you can
whip EN-.
Harry chuckled.
"Come along, then. I've got a lunch,
and I can't sye it now. But It'll come
out ir the wash. Come along.
They started up the rountain side,
skirting the big gullies and edging
about tho highest drifts. taking ad.
vantage OF the cover Of the pines, and
bending against the force Of the biz
zard. which seemed to threaten to
blow them back. step for step. No
one spoke: instinctvely Fairchlld and
Anita had guessed Harry's conclu.
sions. The nearest mine to the Blue
Poppy a the Silver Queen. situated
several hundred feet above II In alti.
tude and less than q furlong away
And the metsi Of the Silver Queen
and the Blue Poppy. now TIM, the
strike had been made, had assayed nj
most identical!y the same. I, vas
an CIV IN make r~ouclusious