Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-05-17


but every day Ben was out attending
To business. looking for some chance 4
in the mining way" as he said mean I
while keeping an eye on the Cactus
City bank and the people who visited
It, and making many acQuainances-
imh.biug Information from them all
without giving much about himself. /
Several times he found 1t necessary 10
ride over to Fairbank. where the in
gots were shipped by rail, and at one
time he disappc lred entirely for three
days
Horton. I want you TO come up 10
my room before you start In the
morning he said to his friend soon
after his mysterious disappearance.
Don't fail me, will you? It's very
important for us both
Horton promised, and shortly after
daylight the next morning he was in
Ben ; room, where Ben was still lying
ia bed.
I'm going to ask you to do a very
surprising thing for me, old fellow.
Ben said, sitting up IN bed There's
pencil aud paper on the table want
you to send note to the Cactus CITY
bank people, saying that you are not
able to 80 out to the mines today, and
that they must send somebody else
in your place
Not able to go to the mines" llor
ton exclaimed, why, lad, you
know
yes, | know" Ben interrupted, but
l want You to do 1t as a particular
favor to me | must have a long talk
with you today You can trust me,
can't you?
I'm sure | can, lad but
Hold on. then" Ben interrupted
again. I'm put 1t another way You
think a great deal of your mother and
sisters, ! know. For their sakos. sit
down and write the note"
Wonderingly Horton obeyed, aud IN
n few moments the note was written
and sent But with all his questioning
he could get no explanation from Ben
before breakfast After the early
meal. when they had returned to the
room, Ben carefully closed the door
and unfolded his important business.
q am going to give you plan, IIor-
tom he said that will put money
into both Of our pockets | suppose
you know that although the present
value OF silver is very low, still a sill
yer dollar is worth 100 cents. If you
sell the silver from your projected
mine by weight, you will get, say, 60
cents an ounce for It, If You coin it
into dollars yourself, you get dollar
an ounce"
"Rr' that would he"-Horton inter
rupted
Hold on! Hear me out Ben con
tinued "That would be counterfeiting
as you were about to say, even though
we made the dollars Of pure silver It.
would be in this country, where there
is special law against It, But your
silver lies just across the border in
Mexico. where American dollars could
be made with comparative safety We
could make them at the mine, and
then every day you could bring over a
chest of your own silver dollars in
stead Of a chest Of somebody else'S
silver ingots. Just think how we could
heap up the money! Think Of It,
man.
Dead SHOT Horton sat with his head
in his hands and made no reply,
"Think Of IT." Ben repeated, mill
ions milllonsw
IN n mi
not answer Then he raised his head
and replied:
mo, Mr.. Trumbull, I couldn't do IT,
and you mustn't either"
A pity it is that there was no one
in the room to take a snap shot at
Ben as he sprang forward and seized
Horizons hand
Horton, old fellow" he exclaimed
"you're as good as gold. | was sure
of Il before, but since I've tried YOU
am doubly sure. / knew you wouldn't
do such thing no more than | would
not for all the millions there might be
in it. But want TO ask you question
or two. Did you ever notice that when
you took the chest back to the mines
in the morning it was always as heavy
as when you brought it back here fun
Of silver
'I'y~ noticed sometimes" Horton re-
piled, that it seemed pretty heavy
But there's quicksilver In that's
heavy, you know"
Ben went to the window and looked
out
Now, | don't have to be mysterious
any longer" he said look at this
crowd in the street They are follow
ing the Cactus City bank people who
have just been arrested. All the PEG
pie on this side the border who had
anything 70 do with the Santa Marin
mine are wearing handouts except
yourself. was sure YOU were limo
cent even before | tried to tempt you
a moment ago, and that was why !
wanted you here with me today IT.
you had gone to your work, you would
be wearing handouts too. But ]
couldn't let you go out and be ar
rested, Horton, old fellow"
Arrested Horton exclaimed. rs It
for smuggling? The stuff has ali come