Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-09-10

tRAt iit1AA DftA 80 tlG olAit ~ LttAi Oil
Brown, and now she had probably sent
word to Jones to call on her. would have
bet hundred to one that Jones wouldn't
have gone, even 20 close deal in which
there was sure profit OF 10000 but there
he was, sure enough, and / began to feel
annoyed and uneasy. was at the office
when Jones returned, two hours later. He
not only had a grin on his face, but he felt
30 good that he actually uhisned bar OF
two Of popular air
If anything farther was needed to con.
vince me that things were at skies and
sevens in the house of Brown, Smith &,
Jones the conduct of Smith furnished it.
On a certain Wednesday morning he was
twenty eight minutes late. Az if this were
not enough, he came in looking frustrated
and excited. An hour later boy brought a
note which carried TO his room. 1t was
addressed in a woman's hand, and within
twenty minutes after receiving it he left
the bank, evidently to keep an appoint.
ment. He had hardly gone when Jones
came out to me and began to discuss bust
ness matters. This had never happened
before, and | was regarding him with sur.
prise and establishment when he observed:
IF we could pick up a silver mine known
by insiders to be worth million dollars,
and get it for about $4,000 it might be a
good investment, eh2"
mumbled something in reply, and he
took three or four turns across the room
and disappeared into his private office. AT
l o'clock Smith came in. He had forgot.
ten his usual dignity Of entrance, and he
was so absent minded that he hung up his
coat on the wrong hook. lie fidgeted and
then observed:
II have had an offer Of mining property
which promises great things. Did you ever
hear Of the Queen Anne mine OF Nevadag'
! replied that l never had, and after sit.
ting in deep study for willie he also re.
tired He had evidently been TO see Mrs.
Temple also. Mrs. Temple then swas O
woman who had "A silver mine to dispose
Of OF all men in the world whom should
have hestated TO approach were the three
comprising our firm OF all people liable
to succeed with them a woman would be
the very last. | couldn't make it out II
seemed to me that the natural order OF
things had been reversed.
Before the week was out Jones escorted
Mrs Temple to the theater, Brown had
taken her out for drive, and there were
we'll founded rumors that Smith had sent
her a bouquet. | then set to work to find
who Mrs. Temple was. No one could give
me any information beyond the fact that
she was the widow of Nevada mine own.
er, and that she had come east for the pur.
pose Of disposlng of some mining property
She had charts and maps and diagrams OF
lands and mines, and seemed to be well
posted as TO the business on hand. II was.
however, the general impression that she
was sharper or adventures, with a man
behind her somewhere, and it was further
told me that Brown, Smith and Jones, in.
dividually and collectively, were infatu.
ated with her.
l always wondered why she did not at.
tempt to secure my assistance in her prof
ect, but she probably either mistrusted
that | suspected her, or she thought she
could work her cards without my assist
ance. While each of the three partners
knew that each Of the others had been an
preached on the same subject-that OF
buying the mine-neither of them knew
that the other had been done for by he1
fascinating ways. | have the strongest
grounds for stating three separate and dis
tinct beliefs:
First-That Jones expected to marry her.
Second-That Brown expected to marry
her
Third-That Smith had become SO in
fatuated thar he would have run away
with her, leaving wife, business and all.
Wen, the proposition TO buy her silver
mine came mp at the business meeting one
morning. There was nothing in the looks
or words Of either party TO lead one TO mis-
trust that he had ever met her or talked il
over before. i would have been proper to
send some expert out 70 the mine to inves.
tigate and report, but she had given them
the names Of parties TO write to- and II
was agreed that if reports were favorable
the deal should be closed ! now for the
first time learned Of the location of the
mine ! had not only been on the site and
knew the mine TO be worthless, hut had
friends there who would attest the fact.
Under directions of the firm wrote to the
address given by Mrs. Temple. Acting on
my own Judgment, also wrote to disin.
terested parties,
While waiting for answers to these let.
tiers Brown suddenly asked the other two
members of the firm TO congratulate him,
as he had decided to get married. They
had hardly done so when Jones announced
that he hal also decided on the same step.
Smith couldn't follow suit, having wife
already, but he flushed up and looked con.
fused, and seemed about TO declare that he
was going 20 elope, but caught himself and
stopped short
Ten days had elapsed, and answers to my
letters were expected every day. when ]
was sent TO a town a hundred miles away
on business which detained me two days.
Returning &C 10 O'Clock on the morning Of
the Sd, caught sight of Mrs. Temple
entering the Second National bank
where our surplus was on deposit
and on which checks Of over 81 600 were
drawn. II struck me that the letters
written in the name Of the firm had ar
rived and the deal had been closed during
my absence. ! followed her in, and my
fears We're realized. Indeed Jones came in
after her 70 identify her. Il was make o.
break, and as she presented the check
said TO Jones;
let her wait until can run over To om
bank and return. Mr.. Haspeth to the
teller) please delay payment until tri
fling irregularity can be arranged
Jones called TO me and ran after me, but
did not stop or answer. On arriving a
our bank l found three letters addressed
to me from parties in Nevada. ] took tim,
TO read only four or five lines OF each, ant
then, calling on Smith and Brown to fol
low, FASTENED TO the other bank. We hac
a lively row, / can assure you. The letter.
addressed to the bank made the mine out
to be "A big thing, but those from my friends
stamped it as a fraud. It was finally agreed
that the check should be returned unit
. further investigation could be made, anS
that afternoon the adventures skipped, {,
be heard Of 40 more
do not know how the partners settled /
among themselves, but / know they had
private meeting, lasting over two hours
Perhaps each one Of them candidly admit
I ted that be had made an ass Of himself
Z and promised better things in future. Al