The morning times., 1895-11-17
BY ROBERT BARR,
Author of The Face and the Mask" In
the Midst of Alarms" etc.
Copyright, 1895, by Robert Barn.
CHAPTER XIII.

and Kenyon had first met, the former
would have disllked the latter. Although
strong friendships are formed between
people who are very much unlike, still IL
must not be forgotten that equally strong
hatreds have arisen between people merely
because they are of opposite natures. NO
TWO young men could have been more unlike
each other. and as Long worth recalled me
different meetings he had had win Kenyon,
he admitted TO himself that he disliked the
fellow extremely. The evident friendship
which his cousin felt for Kenyon added
bitterness TO this dislike that was rapidly
turning il INTO bate. However, he Gained
down sufficiently on going home in the
carriage to know that 1t was better 10 say
nothing about her meeting with Kenyon
unless She introduced the subject. After
all, the carriages was hers, not ms, ana he
recog nized that fact, He wondered how
niucn Kenyon had told her or the interview
at his uncle's office. He flattcred him
self, however, that he knew enough Of
women 10 be sure that she would very
speedily refer to the subject, and then he
hoped 10 find out Just how much had been
said. To his surprise his cousin said moth
ing at all about the matter, neither that
evening nor the next morning, and conse-
quentIy he went to his office in rather u
bewlldered state of mind.
On arriving at his room in the city he
found S,,lvihc waiting for him.
Melville shook hands with young Long
worth, and taking mineral specimen
from his pocket placed il on the young
mans desk, saying:
Il suppose you know where hat comes
from"
Long worthlookedatitip Lewildereds sort
of way, turning it round and round IN Ills
hand.
81 a. 4 10 eli really -
mo: was told you were interestcdinthe
mine from which this was taken. Mr.. Went
worth called on me yesterday and gave your
name as one of those who were concerned
with the mine
"Ah, yes Isee;yes, yes, Ihave-some inter
est in the mine"
We'll, it is about that came TO talk with
you. Where is the mine situated"
at is near the Ottawa River, / believe,
some distance above Montreal. / am not
certain about It's exact position, hut IL is
somewhere in that neighborhood."
II thought by the way Wentworth talked
1t was in the United States. He mentioned
another person as being his partner i'll the
affair. ] forget his name
John Kenyon, probably"
kenyon! Yes, think that was the name.
Yes, am sure it was. Now may ask what
is your connection with that mine? Are you
a partner OF Wentworth's and Kenyon's?
Are you the chief owner of the mine or is
the mine owned by them?"
In the first place, Mr. Melville, should
like to know why you ask me these queS-
tious?''
Melville laughed We'll, win tell
you. We should like to know what chance
there is of our getting controlling in
terest in the mine. That is very frankly
put, isn't IT."
Yes, it is But whom do you mean by
'we?' Who else besides yourself?'
by we l mean the China Company to
which l belong. This mineral is useful
In making china. ThaJ l suppose you
know"
Yes, / was aware OF that" answered
Longworth, although he heard it now for
the first time.
VERY well, then; should like to know
who is the owner of the mine"
THE owner of the mine at present is
some foreigner, whose name ana address
/ do not know. The tive young men you
speak of have au option on that mine for
a certain length OF time; how long, L
don't know They have been urging me
TO 20 in with them to form company for
the floating of that mine, for t2oo,ooo,
on the London market"
He mentioned G20O, 00O," said Nell
Vile 1T struck me as rather large
amount"
no YOU think so? Well, the objection
had to 1t was that IL was too small
at seems to me the young men have an
exarrcraIcd idea of the value OF tins min
eraI if they think it will pay dividends on
9200, 900"
..Tbis mineral is not all there is In the
mine. In fact, IL is already paying
dividend on 10000 or whereabouts be-
cause of the mica in it. 1t is being mined
for mica in il. TO tell the truth, did not
know much about the other mineral.
And do you think the mine is worth
C2OO,0OO?"
Frankly, do not"
.Than WHY are YOU connected with it,
IL am not connected with it-at least
not definitely connected with II. naVe
the matter under consideration. otconrse'
n there is anything approaching swindle
in II. / shall have nothing TO do with 1t.
II viii depend largely on the figures that
The Young men show me whether nave
anything to do with it or not"
''I see: | understand your position.
Then, lowering his voice, Melville leaned
over toward young Longworth ana sald'
you are a man of business. Now want
20 ask you what would be the chance or
our getting the mine at something like the
original option price. which is, of course,
very much less than 100000. We do
not want TO have too many in 1t. In
fact, if you could get it for us at rea
sonable rate, and did not care to De
troubled with the property yourself, We
would take the whole ourselves"
Young Longworth pondered j moment,
and then said TO Melville:
Do you mean to freeze out the other
two fellows, us they say in America"
II do not know about freezing out, but
of course, with the other two there is so
much less profit to be divided. We should
like to deal with just as few a possible"
Exactly. ] See what you mean. Wen,
think it can be done. Are you in a very
great hurry for the mine?'
mot particularly. Why?"
"Well, If things are worked rightly,
don't know but that we could get 1t fol
the original option. That would mean,
of course, to wait until this first option
had run out"
wouldn't there be n little danger in
that? They may form their company in
the meantime, and then we should lose
everything. Our interest in the matter
is as much to prevent anyone getting
hold of the mine as to get 1t ourselves.
~ see. ] Will think it over. l believe
it can be done without much risk; but, of
course. we shall have to be reasonably
quiet about the matter"
"oh, certainly, certainly
VERY good. / will see you again after
l have thought over the affair, and we can
come to some arrangement"
II may say that our manager has written
q note TO Wentworth saying that this
mineral is of no particular use to u.s."
Exactly" said young Longworth, Will
q look of Intelligence.
$50, of course, in speaking with Went
worth about the matter, it is Just as wei
BOT to mention us in any way"
Ell shall not do So"
VERY well. i Will leave the matter II
your hands for the present.
"Yes; do so. / VIII think over ii this
afternoon, and probably See Wentworth anC
KENYON tomorrow. There is no immediate
h,,rr.. fnr L In man O innM thnX have MOI