Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-09-29

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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 cut the various unsafe portions, end
led the way from gallery to gallery. until the
tour of inspection was complete.
At last we r~eascended to the sunshine.
How bright and dazzling All seemed after
that subaaueous darkness! Redruth seemed
In a brown study. Not until he had washed
himself and resumed his ordinary attire, did
he lind his tongue. BY this time, my uncle
had returned 10 his labors down below, and
we two were left alone.
us there anything else you wish to re-
porty' asked Redruth, sharply, a. we stood
together at the Office door.
Nothing more than | have already report
ed IN writing"
We'll, what was that?'
The whole mine wants repair. Putting
aside the outlying galleries, where the sea
ma 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 a penny has been spent on it within my
memory"
'N'ht"s Wv wa hH ups hlCu &c OtN-
ell at me contemptuouSiy from head TO foot
You are a pretty fellow, a very pretty fell
low. You want 10 ruin me, el?'
NO, sir: but want to insure the safety
of the men,
'Pshaw! You are a croakcr, and know
little or nothing of the matter" he said, turn
ing on his heel.
AT any rate. sir" 1 returned, following
him ssyotl NVfl Ia ga ti,a p,,for fy.f1arf.a Gitnl
M, at once? III you don't, Iii not answer
for the consequences"
who the devil asked yOuP' he cried.
"Your place is TO report, not to advise. As
b. eeasing 10 work the outer galleries. | sup
pose you know that the richest lode OF ore
runs there, and ihat the inner portion Of the
mine Is almost barren?'
II know that, out"
"Bnt you prefer mutiny and disatfection 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 q
fair way 10 become a beggar."
He saw me smile ~incredulously, as | CRED:
Then YOU will do nothingg'
IL will do nothing under your advice, for
i 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 shown me. / shall then be guided
by his advice, not by yours"
With these words he walked away
SOon after sunrise the next morning, as I
sat in the office at the mine head. | was visit.
ell by the person To whom young Redruth
had alluded. He was a thin, spare, sandy
haired young mar of about thirty, with n
mean type OF countenance, and an accent
which VAS a curious compound of Cockney-
isms and Americanisms. He had, indeed,
been born within the sound of Bow Bells:
bat having spent a portion of his manhood in
the United States. be affected the free and
easy manners OF q Yankee citizen.
He gave me his card, on which was printed
the words:
EPnRATM 5. JOHNSON,
Grill Engineer,
Bethesda,
State Of New York.
! glanced at the name, and then took q
good look at the owner. He wore a snowy
tweed suit, a glaring red Incktie with a
horseshoe pin, and a light biilycock hat Al
together, his appearance was not proposes
Ing.
lie informed me, in q high, shrill voice,
that he had been instructed by Mr.. George
Redruth 10 go down the mine, and report on
lis prospects and condition.
You'll ind its conditi N bad enough /
said. quickly.
May be 1 shall, and may BE- | sha'n't," he
answered. II DON want you to ~prejudics
my mind, young man; sot that you could DO
Il if you tl.ed. Guess | haven't been three
years on the Shoshone territory for moth
ing"
He pronounced it ''nothink," but that Is
neither here nor there. / saw at once from
his manner that lie had ONE with a precon-
ceived opinion, and that nothing he might
see would be likely 10 make him side witt
the mea against their master. HoweveA
treated him as ciYillv as possible. aud. wheI
ne nad assumed the necessary uress We
made the tour % Inspection together. WheI
we came TO the outlying gallery. above which
the sea was laundering, he trembled a 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 q
very perfunctoIy visit indeed. Once or twice
on the way, as we assembled the ladders com.
municating with the abyss. he grew giddy,
and I had 10 watch him carefully, fearing he
mlADt ldfl. All Ills, " may NC EutHoNhs Olu
not increase my respect for Mr.. Ephraim 5.
johnson.
He did not altogether recover his eQuanlm.
fly until he had sloughed his miners dress
and put on his own radiant apparel. Then,
curious to know what he would say TO his
employer. | questioned him:
well, Mr.. Johnson? Did l exaggerate
when l said that the mine was unsafe?'
lie answered me sharply and i~mpudently,
but averting his small keen eyes from mine:
Excuse me, young man, l shall report my
opinion 10 Mr.. George Redruth, not to you.
/ don't mind saying, however, that l guess
You did ~exaggerate, on the whole"
Angry at his answer, l could not forbear
retOiting:
"You didn't seem to express that opinion
when you were down below"
"What do you mean?" he cried, turning
crimson.
II mean ina yod seemed ratner III a nurfy
to get back to the terra frnd, up hereP'
He did not reply, but gave me a look full
OF m~alignity and dislike, Then he walked
out of the office, but the next minute he put
his head in again at the door.
you think yourself smart" he said; "but
you'll have to get up early before you're as
smart as me. mean 10 do my duty, young
man. and SO you'll find afore very long"
He left me with this curious yalediction. l
saw neither Redruth nor johnson for SEINE
days Then l heard casually that the latter
had gone back to London. About a week
after his departure, saw 1t publicly an
nounced thai arrangements had been made
with George Redruth, Esq, the proprietor, Il
turn the St Gurlott's copper mine into a
joint stock company, the said George Red
ruth, Esq, receiving half the purchase money
and retaining the other half In fully paid-uT
shares. Nothing was said about the precise