The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-07-05

"h Ouldn FGu IKE 70 purchase
share Of it?' be asked. rather coax
ingly.
looked At his face. with the Thought
that he was guizzing me; but he ap-
peared to De perfectly serious. Seeing
that | was IN douht a to his meaning.
he pointed 10 printed bin posted ON
the derrick. which had not before
seen. although il WIS in staring cap
itlls. Without giving the exact con-
tents Of il. il will h. sufficient to say
that il offered for sale the one-half in
ierest ia thi, well for ten Thousand
dollars. the offer to stand for one week
only.
Are You in carurst about this''
/ asked. feeling somewhat startled.
and somewhat ~ If NY chance had
come.
Perfectly IN earnest. I'm sorry 10
saw" he replied. ''l've tried harl
enough 10 avoid II. Int I'm driven to
IT, Il j. ms half that is offered. and
offered for only trillc over what /
have expended here. d. q few weeks
more ] could easily realize ten thou
sand dollars out Of this oil; but ] can't
wait Ny house and lot in Buffalo
are % be sold on mortgage in one
week from to-day. and can't bear 20
have them sacrificed. as ! know they
will be-. The property Is worth morn
than the sim offer tn sell uui here
for; but if / am not there II may sell
for unc-half of IL. - yuu see must
sell this interest. Il sriuds me to de-
u. but for reason, ] can't speak Il 10
stranger; IL is better. on the ~ hole.
for me to lose the fortune that is pour
ing ont IF thi, well than my home
stead.
Your partner might huv you out"
! suggested.
"And glad enough would Doe 10 do
IT,, spoke up the tall man. coming just
in time 90 hear my remark. Ii I had
the means. iui haven't Like poor
Fred. here. I've ,prnt my la-i dollar in
putting down this well and getting the
machinery ~ run it.. II il wasn't for
the good prospects ahead. believe my
boarding-house keeper would have
turned me out two weeks ago. But
I'm better of than my partner. I've
only to hold on and gather the gold
that coming In. while hc must sell. -
Nv mimi was half made. ] walked
mp iu the spot where the oil was gu,h-
ing ont 81 the pipe at every stroke of
the pump. aud looked as if il were
already INV own. a small crowd had
again gathered about. and such en-
clamation, ~ great thing lucky
fellows here, fortune. sure"
greeted INV ears.
DO you think 81 purchasing about
herc?' one If the owner, asked, fol-
lowing me mp. / answered in the
affirmative.
Then here's Your chance. sure rs
you're living man. the other en-
Enthusiastically cried. II tell yuu. sir.
there's no mistake about it-this is one
of the most promising places ON the
creek, aud You can pump ont an indie
pendent fortune here in few months
II had the money, I'd not hesitate
minute: and ~ ! haven't. all INV in
tcrcst in the sale i 10 help poor Fred
out If his trouble. ! rather like your
looks. too. aud I'd prefer you for a
partner than some Others who have
been here looking ut the we'll. If
you've got the cash" and he looked
hard at me. ''ynu'd better buy"
II have got the cash" l replied.
''Goodi You're Just the man for
Fred; and if You take his offer it'il be
like giving you fifty thousand dollars.
Come up to the office and let Us talk It
over; there are too many people about
here"
walked with them "a the shanty
that they occupied. and went in with
them. almost persuaded at that mo-
mont 10 make the investment Every
thing seemed straight and honest
about the matter; I had seen the well
and oil. and there was no chance for
deception about that, and the mans
reasons for selling were perfectly salts
factory. In fact, l believe / began ~
have some pity for him on account Of
the hardship Of the case, and TO wiSk
that had Thousand or two more than
he asked. tn offer him. And then the
fact that the other pariner-Dick was
the name he answered to-was to re-
main and work his interest. was the
best kind Of guarantee Of good faith.
If had any lingering doubts or
fears on the subject when ! entered
the office. they shortly dispelled them.
We sat down around the rough Pima
table. Uttered over with papers. Fred
produced some excellent cigars. and
we sat aud smoked. while Fred's
tongue ran ON describing the profita-
blPness Of the business | was satisfied
before h. had talked ten minutes.
"Show me your title | said.
Satisfy me about your rights here.
and I'll buy the one-half interest at
the terms you offer
They Immediately produced n lease
Of the premises for one hundred wears.
which l examined and which was un-
doubtedly correct. had seen other
leases made by the same proprietor.
and knew the signature.
Il don't mind telling you what that
cost Us. said Fred. with a laugh.
just twenty-five dollarsl We took it
when there had been no oil found with
in half mile of here, and got it cheap
enough. n things have happened.
lie asked nay name, and in half
minute he had filled upa blank assign
mcnt on the back of the paper and
signed it. transferring to me his one
half interest in the well and lands for
ten thousand dollars. He held it so
could read il, and | saw that il was
sufficient. took out my bill-book and
produced the certificate.
This is PAYABLE 10 my ORDER" l
said. Il don't know how you're 10 get
the money. Who'll identify you?"
LET me see. D." said Fred. and l laid
the certificate on the table. ''Oh.
that's all right he exclaimed. as he
read it. Il know the officers Of thas
bank. aud they'll pay me on your in
dorsemcnt.
The other partner-Hly future part
ner-the tall. dashing fellow. came and
leaned over Fred's shoulder aud looked
at the certificate. As he bent his face
lower / saw n most sinister smile diff
fusn itself ovnr his f.rstutauango