Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-05-25

Howard. 3
"He came here about a month aoo
Just Gler you left for the Raw an
struck up : great friendship for Old
Smalley. Hes cabininp with the old
man now, and has charge of the tunnel
the old man is runnin' t. tan the Iedge
of his claim. Hes no good"
"Well, amt sorry he knows what
kind of a pard he has" Barnes said.
"0ld Smallysno good, and il goes if
he hears il. ,~bichI guess he viii " AMI
the prospect Of some pistol practice
with old Smalg which this reflection
suggested causel Mr.. Barnes 10 refill
his pipe with much care.
"Ffiend Of yours?' he suddenly
asked Of Mr. White, the Young man
who had first spoken.
"No; | only met him a few days
ago. I've been asking him about Old
SInally's claim, which was thinking
of bonding N buying" the young man
answered /, "a remark which instantly
caused him to be regarded with intense
interest by every man in the room.
nearly every one of whom had a claim
he was willing either to bond or sell
In a few minutes White left the
saloon, after wishing every one a
pleasant goodnight"
When he walked out into the dark
street he stopped moment. as if assur-
ing himself that none of his late com.
panions weregatching his movements
Then he walkCd quickly on for a short
distance, overtaking Howard. to whom
he said, with quiet hugh "If any
incentive was needed, | think Mr..
Zinc Barnes story supplied it, Frank. >
"Rather, " was Franks short. dry
reionder. They walked on for a while
in silence, and then White said:
DO you really think | ought to
offer the old rascal S100, Frank? 1t
happens to be just about all have
left. It's been rather expensive work.
posing as acapialist a here for a week.
The whole hundred, Frank ?"
Il tell you yes, Henry" Frank re-
piled, with some i'm atienee. aYou
do not know what an influence the
sight of gold has on the miserly old
reprobate. Thosepreeious iivetwenty-
dollar gold pieces will turn his head
nearly. Follow the programme I've
laid out and, The game will win"
"All right, my dear boy; but if il
don't, we walkback to- San Francisco,
or borrow from this ruddy Reddy.
Here we are.
As he spoke they reached cabin
Entering, they were met by Ole
Smsliy whose slosely set eyes and un
commonly lng, smooth upper lip gave
him a an1ostanloyely appearance. HI
greeted WhAs with a efinging attempt
at cheerfnlRs and received from tha
Young pansg,h grip of the hand a!
caused his aes ev-waSer and Ills lont
lip TO twitcfN Nith pain. al have con
cluded to close with the terms you pro
posed tbr. ugh Howard, and hav,
brought the necessary papers," Whit,
said, brskly, after releasing the OLE
mans cramped fingers.
Oh, the morning will do, Mr.
White; the morning will do quite a
well, old Smally said, his cunning
suggesting some show of reluctance.
Excuse me, bnt the morning viii
not do. You must sign the papers to
night or the trade is off, and l will ac
cept another favorable offer | hav,
from Mr. Barnes"
We'll, if you insist upon it, I've
no objection to signing tonight. Bu
you know that some little coin, just a
guarantee ofgood faith, you know
generally passes at such a transaction
as this. >
White threw FIVE twenties on tn,
table with the remark: That's al
the god happen to have in m,
pockets
Old Smaily's eyes cleaned as h,
clutched the gold, and droned over anC
over, such a transaction as this, sue.
a transaction as this"
White AMI Howard glanced at eacf
other significantly. When White spoke
again, old Smaly started like a dis
covered thief, and hastily buried the
gold in pocket.
Well, here are the papers," Whit,
said.
He laid on the table a carefully
drawn form OF memorandum of sale
by the terms of which old Sma' 'ly bound
himself todeed certain mining claim
duly described, to White, for the sun
of $20,00l.
Then, after taking receipt for his
five twenties, and pccketing bott
papers, White left the cabin. These
formalities ooml | ed with the strictly
observed, though mwritten, law Of
that class OF mining-camp transac-
tions.
An hour later the young men met at
the mouth of the tunnel.
"Is the dear man asleep, Frank r.
asked White.
"Yes the sweet creature is in gen
tie repose, his lovely head resting on
your five twenties, already sewn up in
his pillow
The two men then threw off their
coats, and by the light of two lanterns
reversed the usual order of mining,
for five or SIX hours carrying ore into
the tunnel instead of out of it. The
ore they carried in they took from
numerous small piles scattered about,
but wherelt had carefully been hidden
in the thick growth of sagebrush near
the mouth of the tunnel.
"This ought to make a good veneer
ing" Howard remarked, as they carried
in the ore Il worked hard enough
packingit up here from old Smiths
select dump"
At last, each holding a lantern. they
stood neal the face Of the tunnel, and
carefully surveyed their work. The
face, and for several feet, the sides and
crown Of the tunnel were thickly
studded Hlth pieces of rich free gold
quartz, firmly set into every creYice
and cracS' and loose broken piles of
the same glittering ore lay on the floor
of the tunnel near the face, as though
blown downby the last b.ast.
1T will do,' Howard said, finally.
"Now 60 nome and prepare to be sur
prisel soon after daylight"
LIZ had not long 70 ,.,ni+ A1.ondu