The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-27
A FEARFUL PRICE.

the money on anyth ng less than a big
show ing of ore. II Prang won't give Us
\ renewal OF the lease, it's good bye to
the Daily Hope.
''He won't" was the reply made with
conviction, He has been offered more
"A nry for the mine than we agreed to
paw him IN case we conclude TO buy, and
! our time will be out at midnight. He
viii be only too glad to have US fail in
our DART of tine contract"
''Well, we have as good as failed now,
ana there's no help for 1t; but I'm not
disposed to give up the mine without
making an tffort to hold it,. Go and see
Pranp and do your best to talk him over.
Tell him we will take him in as silent
partner if he will let the lease stand
tnree months more, and leave us the
prI,il-ge OF buying two thirds interest
At the end of that time at the original
prize. That may bring him-at least it's
worth trying"
mot while Blashford stands ready to
Quit bid us in any offer we can make" "
responded Duncan down heaTtedly.
But he Yielded to his partners view
OF the mat er, and made ready for the
long ride down the mountain TO Talk the
| matter over WIN fTAnR.
The two miners Duncan and Mayhem,
had taken hold of the D uly Hope Mine,
after pr ivattly prospecting the property,
satisfied from the indications that there
was a body of rich ore near at hand. but
he result had net justified their expec-
tations.
Mayhew went down into the mine
after Duncan left looking over the work
hey had done dlspiritedIy.
Nothing to show for all our months
Of digging and sweating in here,
thought he; land now most likely we'll
lose it. But if it was all to do over
again, I'd take the same chances. Well
here goes; it won't do to idle away what
may be our last day."
He set to work with a will. They had
started on drift following narrow
seam of ore which they expected would
increase in body as they progressed, but
as Mayhew entered the passage with his
hand drlll, his eyes fell upon some fresh
chipping of rock which showed green
Ish STAN. He looked around to see
where they had come from, and pres
-ntly found the spot high up on the op-
posite wall.
Some looseped pieces there had been
fitted carefully into place, and the seams
cleverIy plaslered over, so az to present
a smooth surface to the eye, exc-pI
" here the fallen chips had cracked away
AZ the plaster dried.
| 1t was not the first time that the miner
had found reason to suspect that some
{ bird party had been tampering with the
nine, bu, this was the first positive evil
dence he had found that his suspicion
were correct, and his face daIkened
ominously as he saw in this the work oil
some tool of Blashford's.
Cant wait till he gets shut OF us by
honest means, eh ? Well, III see what ht
has found.
A blow of the pick brought out the
iuosened fragments, ,and Mayhew tsmped
IN blast at the spot, which brought
town the whole section of the wall wher
h- fired It, revealing natural crevict
Nhich ran back a DOZEN feet, and wa'
lined with brilliant green incrnstatlor
IT lime crystals stained with copper, bu'
the miner had no thought for the beauty
If the place.
He clipped off the surface covering
and eagerly scanned the ore beneath; II
was high grade mineral, and the whole
length and depth Of the ti,sure lay with
IN the vein which he had SO accidently
tumbled upon.
Here was the discovery they had beer
,rplng to make, only a hundred time'
cher than they had dared to expect
BuI had it come in time to benrh' them
Mayhem dropped his tools and rushec
t. m the mine To glance al the sun rid
| ,,uArhaa1 aud fhnn q
.ruan of evaporation a. he remembered
hat Duncans horse was better than any
me " which he could procure for his owl
Use in the camp.
Notwithstanding this fact Duncant
rugress down the mountain bad beer
low. He had little b art for his errand
,nd less faith of convincing Prang tina
their prospects were worth more thar
Bashfuru's offer of cash IN hand.
He rode along leisurely, and stopped
ror a rest during the heat of the day, ,bu
,s evening approached he pushed oI
more rapidly. and was within few
niles If town when a clalter of hoof
cuse on the trail behind him, and hi
uartuer's voice called his name.
duncan, hold Oh hardly hope
or such good luck as to overhaul you
nd couldn't have one it with an
lher brast. Come. get down and chang
nouns with me, | am the one to sc
ShaIkey aud convince him that he
, ,afe in backing Us. See that, Will you
: The HOPE is certainty now, old fellow
and it will be ours yet"
H. showed the specimens of miner'
vhich he carried, and poured out til
story of his find; but Duncan fixed h
.yes upon the horse which his con
panion rode.
surely that is Blashford's Comet
ne exclaimed.
Yes; found her 'all saddled al
nridled and ready 10 ride more tht
uspect that BlashfOrd was about to
ut on this same eTrand of ours to g
> rold of the Daily Hope, but l stole
+ march on him and borrowed his ma
, without asking. reckon you had bt
E er take her back TO camp about az ia
!, ~ you know how. He'll rave OF court
a buI he can't help himself no ="
He might make 1t look uncommon
ike case of sit aling if he tried" sa
, Duncan, gravely.
"Oh, nonsense | A fellow is justifi
- IN case like this
And Mayhew swung into the othe
addlr ard was off, eager to close
y ,argain which should make them
und all chance the owners OF the mil
The present owner, Prang, was waiC
q the clock as it drew toward mi
:. night.
Id b.ashford had assured hun that Il
ha there was not chance in the world Il
b. ne lessees of the Daily Hope wol
i'm lain a fulfillment of their privilege
a. nuy, and had promised to be on ha
IIeeG himself to pay over the greater sum
We; HI willing to give for the mine; bu
~. til lacked quarter TO twelve wi
I'd day entered in company with
SSss Snark-y ready TO complete the purch
greed upon.
- Prang, was disappointed, and show
= but there was nothing for him to
Il ut to sign the papers in fulfllment
is part of the contract.
NJ They had hardly changed hands, wi
Blsshiord appeared at the door ,moun
I upon C"met.
y Il must spoligiza for borrowing y,
= orsp without permission" said Mayh
VI lated by his Triumph. "Necess
~ knows no law.
Nor Justice somtt'mee," rotor
I 3a-hford, grimly-"as in your partn'
case"
. "What do you means by that ?"
he Bu, Blashfurd, without dism0unti
ne turned and rode away without Civ
nd any answer He realized he was bea
n1t IN the race for the mine!
70 Mayhew was not easy after q
Ion From the fact Of Blashford's appeara
upon the spot 1t was evident that he
follnwed close upon Mayhew's track +,
encountered Duncan somewhere u
the way.