Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-02-26

cuatLluS W1bO Mmora BOD, the best
prospector in camp and the third owne,
with Stacy and myself in the Ajax. ]
turned my, head and saw the lights in
the shaft-house of the Big Giant mine on
Red mountain cleaning way in the dis.
tance;'I heard the Changing blows of the
blacksmith at his forge as he sharpened
the tools for the mornings work, and the
deep boom of the blast in the Little
Emily mine came floating through the
still night air. Then my eyes wandered
back to the cabin which held Nellie.
Bob was still there, his tall figure and
| broad shoulders contrasting greatly with
the little old man in the doorway. What
was he doing there so long, I thought,
and pulled my pipe viciously as I saw
Nellie a moment later join the two: The
night settled down and the cabins faded
from view, their presence only revealed
by the lights shining through the little
square windows or the sparks streaming
out Of the stone and mud chimneys. It
was getting cool, too, and I knocked the
ashes out of my pipe and re-entered my
little home and stirred up the shoulder
ing embers on the hearth. An hour went
by and the moon sent it's beams across
my little table, with it's tin plates and
cups; across my earthern and rocky floor,
touching lightly my books on q shelf at
the head Of my bed and resting softly on
the rolled-up coat that served me for a
pillow. turned on my stool and glanc-
ed out of the window. The top Of the
surrounding timber were silvered by the
moonlight; and the cabins stood out
against the dark background of the tall
spruces. The sound of singing came up
from the saloon, and the wind sighed fit
fully now and then. And so I fell into a
ter about which all my thoughts revolv-
ed. Presently there was knocking at
my door, and at my invitation Mineral
Bob entered. ~,
'Hello! Philadelphia" he said, II
kinder thought you wasn't in.'''
"Why?" asked, rather sorry of the
interruption, though Bob was good COM
pany, and no one could look into his
merry, blue eyes and pleasant face, COW
cred all over with a luxuriant, rich
brown beard, without feeling better and
less out of spirits.
"Oh, I sort of calculated you'd be
somewhere around the girl. :How's
your chances, partner {? Good, eh?"
"Come in, Bob, and stop your nom
sense. Here, fill your pipe and. sit
down.
Bob laughed spontaneously and,
pulling up stool, sat down near the
fire and, as he filed his pipe, said: 49,
Give dropped in on little business
about tho Sunshine, you Know allud-
ing to mine Of his and one Of the best
IN the camp, "You know Tn obliged
to sink-ain't got no chance to tunnel,
and the surface water is getting the best
OF me: - Must have pump, if want to
do anythingAthis bailing water out by
the bucketul when she's coming in near
as fast is Of no account. You know
that?"
I nodded assent. - :: -.
.*Well, then, Philadelphia" as he
lighted his. pipe, and gave two or three
vigorous putfs, II want to see. what
kind of dicker I can make with you about
running the mine. I amt got the money
to get an engine or pump, though +
guess / could borrow it, and besides I've
got to 60 east on business inside of q
week, and I don't want to leave the
Sunshine idle. can't afford it,
:" Why don't you sell it to old: Stacy ?"
l said. Hes got some ready money"
:" But he's going out shortly and wants
to sell his own mines"
"Going out-Stacy I demanded.
wondering why Nellie had never alluded
to it. - -
eyes, going to take that cal of his
back to the states. This amt no fit
FACE FOR pretty little Sing Ike sac .,
you Know
Nellie going to leave camp! By Jove.
that wouldn't do. No, if she left, /
would, too. I shouldn't lose her, now
that I had all but won her, SO I said.
81 tell you, Bob, Idon't know that
shall stay much longer myself. Per-
haps you would like to make me an offer
for an interest in the Ajax, and let me at
tend to your business in the east, if I
can; I would be very glad to-" <,
"No; much obliged, partner, but no
one can do what I am going out for ex-
cept myself. Same time I might be
able to handle my own property better
ii l had the Ajax too, seeing as how the
two claims join each other on the same
vein. I wonder if old Stacy would sell
out cheap enough ?" .5
! 20, / guess So" I said: especially
if he is at all anxious to get away. III
speak to him for you"
"He said the other day." continued
Bob, as though he were carefully weigh
ing the proposition, "that he'd sell to
me on time if could get good man to
60 my security
"Would he take me, do.you think p
I "Take you? A great sight sooner
than any other man in camp"
Well, then, Bob, YOU give me q
mortgage on the mine. and if his FIGURES
are not too high indorse your note and
turn you over my interest beside. The
niue e solid yet, I.guees, though /
haven't neen to it for week."
"That's the gals fault" grinned Bob:
but it she wasn't good + wouldn't want
to buy: I believe I'll go down and see
| the old man-it won't take long" and
Bob buttoned up his coat and started out.
| Halt an hour later Bob returned with
the necessary papers by which Stacy
conveyed ms. third interest in the Ajax
! mime to him for eight thousand dollars.
payable within thirty days. I endorsed
Bobs note for the amount. he assuring
me that if the mine continued to pay. as
1t had IN the past, he could easily take
It up when due, besides which. I reasoned
to myself, that I would soon be Stacv'a
son-in-law, and, in case Of Bob's failnre
to meet the note, the old man wo,lld NOT
be hard onsnae. I also Transferred nav
third interest to Bob for a like tonount
and secured myself for both sums by o