After Mr. Sorrel had left, Mr. Dobson read through all Ted’s notes. They discussed the article—or series of articles—Ted would do, and then he added:
“I think I’m going to break out into a front-page editorial, boys. This mine could have been opened years ago. Mr. Winslow could have opened it, but he was hoping for financial help from the state. The unions wanted it open, but demanded an agreement about job protection from automation first. The coal pirates could have opened it by reporting that new seam, but they were doing well enough with their relief checks and what they made on their pirating, and were afraid if the mine opened they’d lose out to automation. I think Mr. Sorrel would have liked it opened, but he was more concerned with his own projects.
“My point is that the mine stayed closed because there was no one big enough to open it. Everyone was so concerned with dividing up the pie that the pie was never baked. Now it’s time to get it in the oven.”
Several weeks later Nelson waited outside the building where the legislature was meeting, with more patience than he usually showed. That series of articles in the Town Crier, under the by-line of Ted Wilford, had created quite a stir, and a committee had been appointed to investigate the East Walton situation. Professor Thomas had been an earlier witness, and Ted was the next one called.
“How did you make out?” asked Nelson, as Ted finally appeared.
“Pretty well, I guess. They not only wanted to know everything I know, but how I knew it, and what I proposed doing about it.”
“What do you think, Ted?”
“Oh, they’re a shrewd, hard-hitting bunch, with no nonsense about them. They intend to get to the bottom of this business. I believe they’re seriously determined to do something about East Walton, and something will get done. I bet that mine will be open again soon.”
“Then I guess we really did something to help the Llewellyn children. If the pie is big enough, they’ll get their share.”
“And I’m glad to hear that Phil is going back to college,” Ted added.
About to start the car, Nelson remembered something. “Ted, I forgot to show you this.”
He opened his wallet and showed Ted a picture. It was a close-up of Alice.
“Did you ever see anything as pretty as that?”
Ted looked at the big, floppy ears, the droopy, sleepy eyes, the shaggy hair and grizzled muzzle. But he remembered that as they had come out of the blackness of the mine, Alice’s face was the first thing they had seen, growing brighter as they walked beside her and approached the tunnel mouth.
“Make me a copy, my boy. She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”
The Abandoned Mine Mystery Page 13
