San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-06-23
This story was commenced june l6.I
THE
Master of the Mine.
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.

Young Redruth looked up again, and tax.
ing candle from his person. examined the
rock. 1t was actually percOlated with sea.
water oOZing through the solid granite mass,
and covered with green and glistening OOze
but through all the dampness and sliminess
the stripes of pure copper ran in rich bars,
forming part of the finest and most precious
lode in the whole mine.
"Why, it's almost solid ore" he said.
''lss, Master large" returned my uncle,
"but us can't go no further thisways without
flooding the shaft. 1t would be warth thou
sands o pounds to gaw on, and twill cost a
heap TO keep tight and safe as it be-
rs that so, TrelawneyY'
Yes, sir. We must build up this part OF
the gallery and have 1t closed. | can't keep
the men from using their picks where the
ore runs thickest. even when every inch of
stuff they loosen is bringing them nearer to
their death"
The young master made no further remark
Just then, but continued his examination of
the other parts of the mine. In several other
places the roof was dangerous. My uncle
pointed out the various unsafe portions, and
led the way from gallery To gallery, until the
tour OF inspection was complete.
At last we reaSCended to the sunshine
How bright and dazzling all seemed after
that subaqueOus darkness! Redruth seemed
in brown study. Not until he had washed
himself and resumed his ordinary attire, did
he find his tongue. By this time, my uncle
had returned to his labOrs down below, and
We two were left alone.
rs there anything else you wish to re-
porte? asked Redruth, sharply, as we stood
together at the Office door
Nothing more than have already report
ed in writing"
We'll, what was that?'
THE whole mile wants repair Putting
aside the outlying galleries, where the sea
may enter at any minute, the engines and
machinery need replacing, the ladders are
rotten; in fact, everything is in the last stage
OF decay; and no wonder, seeing that scarce
ly penny has been spent on it within my
memory"
He frowned, and bit his lips; then he look
ed at me contemptuOuSly from head to foot.
You are pretty fellow, a very pretty fell
low You want to ruin me, eh?'
No, sir; but want to insure the safety
of the men,"
'Pshaw! You are crOaker, and know
little or nothing of the matter" he said, turn
ing on his heel.
"At any rate, sir" | returned, following
him, you will have the outer galleries filled
up, at once? If you don't, I'll not answer
for the consequences"
"Who the devil asked your he cried.
Your place is TO report, not to advise. As
to ceasing to work the outer galleries, sup
pose you know that the richest lode of ore
runs there, and that the inner portion of the
mine is almost barrenY"
81 know that, but
but you prefer mutiny and diSaffectiOn to
study Of your employers interests? | tell
you fatty don't intend to listen to such
nonsense. Thanks to you, the mine at pres
ent yields little or no profit and am in a
fair way to become beggar."
He saw me smile incredulOusly, as l cried:
'"Then you will do nOthing?'
Il will do nothing under your advice, for
/ don't trust you. A gentleman IN whom |
have the utmost confidence will be here to-
morrow morning. You will accompany him
down the mine, and you will show him what
you have shOwnme. | shall then be guided
by his advice, not by yours"
With these words he walked away.
Soon after sunrise the next morning, as [
sat in the Office at the mine head, was visit
ed by the person to whom young Redruth
had alluded. He was thin, spare, sandy
haired young man of about thirty, with
mean type of cOuntenance, and an accent
which was a curious compound of COckney-
isms and AmericanismS He had, indeed,
been born within the sound of Bow Bells;
but having spent portion of his manhood in
the United States, be affected the free and
easy manners of Yankee citizen.
He gave me his card, on which was printed
the words:
EPHRAIM s. JOHNSON,
Civil Engineer,
Bethesda,
State of New York.
/ glanced at the name, and then took
good look at the owner. He wore a snowy
tweed suit, a glazing red necktie with a
horseshoe pin, and light'billycOck hat. Al
his appearance was not PROPOSES
ing.
He informed me, in high, shril voice,
that he had been instructed by Mr.. George
Redruth to go down the mine, and report on
its prospects and condition.
you'll find its condition bad enough"
said, quickly.
May be | shall, and may be sha'n't," he
answered. 81 don't want you to prejudice
my mind, young man; not that you could do
it if you tried. Guess / haven't been three
years on the ShOshOne territory for moth
ing"
He pronounced it 'nothink," but that is
neither here nor there. l saw at once from
his manner that he had cone with precon-
ceived opinion, and that nothing he might
see would be likely to make him side with
the men against their master However,
treated him as civilly as possible, and, when
he had assumed the necessary dress, we
made the tour of inspection together. When
we came to the outlying gallery, above which
the sea was laundering, he trembled good
deal and gave other signs of agitation, and
he did not recover himself until he had re-
gained the open air, which he did after a
very perfunctOry visit indeed. Once or twice
on the way, as we assembled the ladders COM
with the abyss, he grew giddy,
and had to watch him carefully, fearing he
might fall. All this, II may be guessed, did
not increase my respect for MI. Ephraim 5.
johnson.
He did not altogether recover his equanim-
ity until he had sloughed his miners dress
and put on his own radiant apparel. Then,
curious to know what he would say to his
mployer, l questioned him:
swell, Mr. johnson? Did l eXaggerate
hen said that the mine was unsafep'
He answered me sharply and lmpudently,
but averting his small keen eyes from mine:
Excuse me, young man, / shall report my
opinion to Mr.. George Redruth, not to you.
don't mind saying, however, that guess
you did exaggerate, on the whole"
Angry at his answer, could not fOrbear
retOrting:
"You didn't seem to express that opinion
when you were down below"