The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-02-16
CHAPTER xvIII--contlnued.

They reached the mouth Of the Sill
yer Queen. Harry reconnoitered a
moment before he gave the signal to
proceed. Within the tunnel they went,
to follow along its regular, rising
course 10 the stope where, on that
garish day when Taylor Bill and
Blindeye Bozeman had led the enthu-
siastic parade through the streets, the
vein had shown. 1t was dark there
no one was at work. Harry unlocked
his carbide from his belt, lit Ii and
looked around.
'Tt amt coming from 'erel" he an
nounced. Its then his voice
dropped 10 a whisper-"what's that?"
Again a rumbling had CONF from a
distance, as Of an ore car travelling
over the tram tracks. Harry extin-
Euished his light, and drawing Anita
and Fairchild far to the end of the
stope, flattened them and himself on
the ground. A long wait, while the
rumbling came closer, still closer;
then, In the distance, a light appeared,
shining from a side Of the tunnel. A
changing noise, followed by clatter-
ing sounds, as though OF steel rails
hitting against each other. Finally
the trammlng once more-and the
light approached.
Into view came an ore car, and be-
hind II doomed the great form of Tay-
Tor Bill as he pushed 1t along. Straight
70 the pile OF ore he came, unlocked
the front Of the tram, trlpped 1t and
piled the contents Of the car on top
OF the dump which already rested
there. With that, carbide pointing the
way. he turned back, pushing the tram
before him. Harry crept to his feet.
"We've got to follow !" he whispered.
ats a blind entrance to the tunnel
Isom'eres."
They rose and trailed the light along
the tracks, fattening themselves
against the timbers OF the tunnel as
the form Of Taylor Bill, family out
1ined in the distance, turned from the
regular track. opened q great door in
the side OF the tunnel, which, TO all
appearances, was nothing more than
the ordinary heavy timbering Of q
weak spot in the rocks, pulled It far
back, then swerved the tram within.
Then, he stopped and raised a port
able switch, throwing it into the open
ing. A second later the door closed
behind him, and the sound of the tram
began TO fade in the distance. Harry
went forward, creeping along the side
lof the tunnel, feeling his way, stop
ping to listen now and then for the
Sound OF the fading ore car. Behind
him were Falrchild and Anita, follow
ling the same procedure. And all three
stopped at once.
The hollow sound was coming d.
lrectly TO them now. Harry once more
brought out his carbide TO light 1t for
"a moment and to examine the tim
bering.
ats a goodh Job he commented.
rYou couldn't tell II FIVE feet off,
y They've made a cross-cut! 7" This
Kline ii was Anita's voice, plainly an
CRY in spite of It's whispering tones.
"No wonder they had such a wonder
ful strike" came scathingly. THAT
other stope down there"
"Ain't nothing but a sailed propo-
Bition," said Harry. They've cement
ed up the top of 1t with the real stuff
and every once in a while they blow a
lot of II out and cement 1t up again
TO make ii look like that's the real
wein."
"And they're working our mine!"
Red spots of anger were flashing be-
fore Fairchild's eyes.
you've said It! That's why they
were so anxious to buy us u And