The Cross Cut
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Courtney Ryley Cooper >> The Cross Cut
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Fairchild started to speak, but the sheriff stopped him.
"Wait, here 's another item:
"'I failed. I did n't kill either of them. They got out someway and
drove out of town to-night. Roady is mad at me. He won't come near
me. And I 'm so lonesome for him!'"
"The explanation!" Fairchild almost shouted it as he seized the book
and read it again. "Sheriff, I 've got to make a confession. My
father always thought that he had killed a man. Not that he told
me--but I could guess it easily enough, from other things that
happened. When he came to, he found a single-jack hammer lying beside
him, and Larsen's body across him. Could n't he naturally believe that
he had killed him while in a daze? He was afraid of Rodaine--that
Rodaine would get up a lynching party and string him up. Harry here
and Mrs. Howard helped him out of town. And this is the explanation!"
Bardwell smiled quizzically.
"It looks like there 's going to be a lot of explanations. What time
was it when you were trapped in that mine, Harkins?"
"Along about the first of November."
The sheriff turned to the page. It was there,--the story of Crazy
Laura and her descent into the Blue Poppy mine, and again the charge of
dynamite which wrecked the tunnel. With a little sigh, Bardwell closed
the book and looked out at the dawn, forcing its way through the
blinding snow.
"Yes, I guess we 'll find a lot of things in this old book," came at
last. "But I think right now that the best thing any of us can find is
a little sleep."
Rest,--rest for five wearied persons, but the rest of contentment and
peace. And late in the afternoon, three of them were gathered in the
old-fashioned parlor of Mother Howard's boarding house, waiting for the
return of that dignitary from a sudden mission upon which Anita
Richmond had sent her, involving a trip to the old Richmond mansion.
Harry turned away from his place at the window.
"The district attorney 'ad a long talk with Barnham," he announced,
"and 'e 's figured out a wye for all the stock'olders in the Silver
Queen to get what's coming to them. As it is, they's about a 'unnerd
thousand short some'eres."
Fairchild looked up.
"What's the scheme?"
"To call a meeting of the stock'olders and transfer all that money over
to a special fund to buy Blue Poppy stock. We 'll 'ave to raise money
anyway to work the mine like we ought to. And it 'd cost something.
You always 'ave to underwrite that sort of thing. I sort of like it,
even if we 'd 'ave to sell stock a little below par. It 'd keep Ohadi
from getting a bad name and all that."
"I think so too." Anita Richmond laughed, "It suits me fine."
Fairchild looked down at her and smiled.
"I guess that's the answer," he said. "Of course that does n't include
the Rodaine stock. In other words, we give a lot of disappointed
stockholders par value for about ninety cents on the dollar. But
Farrell can look after all that. He 's got to have something to keep
him busy as attorney for the company."
A step on the veranda, and Mother Howard entered, a package under her
arm, which she placed in Anita's lap. The girl looked up at the man
who stood beside her.
"I promised," she said, "that I 'd tell you about the Denver road."
He leaned close.
"That is n't all you promised--just before I left you this morning,"
came his whispered voice, and Harry, at the window, doubled in laughter.
"Why did n't you speak it all out?" he gurgled. "I 'eard every word."
Anita's eyes snapped.
"Well, I don't guess that's any worse than me standing behind the
folding doors listening to you and Mother Howard gushing like a couple
of sick doves!"
"That 'olds me," announced Harry. "That 'olds me. I ain't got a word
to sye!"
Anita laughed.
"Persons who live in glass houses, you know. But about this
explanation. I 'm going to ask a hypothetical question. Suppose you
and your family were in the clutches of persons who were always trying
to get you into a position where you 'd be more at their mercy. And
suppose an old friend of the family wanted to make the family a present
and called up from Denver for you to come on down and get it--not for
yourself, but just to have around in case of need. Then suppose you
went to Denver, got the valuable present and then, just when you were
getting up speed to make the first grade on Lookout, you heard a shot
behind you and looked around to see the sheriff coming. And if he
caught you, it 'd mean a lot of worry and the worst kind of gossip, and
maybe you 'd have to go to jail for breaking laws and everything like
that? In a case of that kind, what'd you do?"
"Run to beat bloody 'ell!" blurted out Harry.
"And that's just what she did," added Fairchild. "I know because I saw
her."
Anita was unwrapping the package.
"And seeing that I did run," she added with a laugh, "and got away with
it, who would like to share in what remains of one beautiful bottle of
Manhattan cocktails?"
There was not one dissenting voice!
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