The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-23
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Story Heard by the Writer Repeated to the Readers
of The Herald.


lind some man who would loan him
the money on the place.
Under the shade of tree he
sat down to think of the best way
of the difficulty.
He was scarcely comfortably set
tied when he heard voices. He did not
care to be guilty of eavesdropping, yet
he could not help but hear what was
said. Plainly he heard the voice of
old Stewart:
u tell you, gentlemen. that the
place will be mine on the 10th of
June
:" How do you know but that he
can raise the money from some of the
people round here?'
" 'Ha! har snickered Stewart. I have
seen all those people would could have
loaned him money, and have got their
word that they will not do 1T. l will
get the place in spite of all, and then
we can organize. our water company
q" You say that he is the main eoWner
of the waters of the creek?'
Yes, and if he had followed the
advice Of his wife he'd have been a
burned sight better off financially
Dan waited until they had left the
spot before he made a move. He was
chatting at the perfdy of Stewart He
did not deem him guilty of such
double-dealing. He could not see that
if he had followed his wifes advice he
would have been placed in such a posi-
ton Still he was not going to despair
over the unexpected turn of events
one thing being certain-he had a
most hopeful disposition
He wended his way across the field
where the large piece of rock seemed
to be embedded in the ground. Passing
close to it, he thought of the words his
wife had said about this identical
piece of stone. Here she was at fault
1t would have been nice thing for
him to have moved this and then
found that he had to lose the farm.
Well. he was glad he had not followed
her idea in this regard. Swinging his
| hoe around he gave it a vengeful
crack. He did not think to make any
impression on its hard-looking sur
face; but he was mistaken. The sharp
point of the hoe Clipped off quite a
large chunk, and being full of curios-
ity. he picked it up. Imagine his sur
prise to find that under its apparently
rusty surface the rock was of a whit
fsh appearance and could be crumbled
without much exertion. He had never
seen any rock like it before, and the
stories of fabulous finds of gold came
vividly before his eyes.
He decided to take it home, but,
as if his wits had been Sharpened by
/
piece with mud from the creek.
Dan told his wife what he had
heard-of the INSCRIPTIONS manner in
which old Stewart was seeking to be-
! come possessor of the farm who he
said had some scheme to corral the
waters of the creek for the purpose of
/ forming a water company on a large
scale
Martha saw the Respondent look
upon her husbands face, so did not
care to say anything of complaining
nature. Instead, she turned to him
and said that she felt sure things
would turn out all right in the end.
Noticing that he carried something
! in his hand, she questioned him:
" What have you got there, Dan,
! that you nurse it so tenderly?
/ oh. only a chunk that I acciden-
| tally Clipped off that old rock in the
! big field he exclaimed.
Taking up the stone, she examined
! it carefully. Turning to him she said:
Do you remember going down to
| the village the other day?'
Yes wondering why she should
ask such question at that time
" Did you notice that load of whit
| ish-looking rock that came from that
! new mine on Skeleton creek?'
Yes, certainly
Gould you not see a similarity in
! this and the rock in the wagon?
'Why-I-believe 1 did was the an
swer, a light beginning to dawn upon
| him: but
/" Well interrupting him. this
seems to be continuation of the
same vein. judging by the character
! of the stone and the location of the
mine from here
q You don't say he exclaimed; why,
! If such is the case, it may mean a
/ good deal to US. I guess I'll take it
down to Wakeley's and ask him to
make an assay of it.
" Very well, but be guarded and
! do not let him know the location.
Throw him off the scent. Invent what
! you like, but keep its true place a
secret
"a few days afterward Dan was
seen vending his way toward the
| field with two gentlemen. After measur-
/ ing distances according to the manner
! Of stalking out mineral lands, they
| posted location notices on group of
ten claims adjoining the farm up the
mountain side. These claims took up
both sides of the creek. Everything
1 was done in the nature of recording
| them so that it would be a barrier to-
ward interference. A day or two after
I this a gang of men commenced work
on the locations and the dirt com
/ menced to fly. as if a new industry
had suddenly been started. Old Stew
art could not understand what the
preparations meant. Everything had
! been kept so ouiet-so quiet, in fact.
that no excitement was caused until
the people saw the operations on the
hillside.
Stewart came on the appointed day.
He felt certain that the farm would
soon be his: that his schemes would be
crowned with success. He was very
prompt, too. in going for the money.
1t was about o'clock in the MORN
ing when he knocked at the Lloyd
homestead. Everything seemed to
have taken on an air of prosperity.
e" Mr.. and Mrs. Lloyd were at break
! fast said the neatly attired girl, land
would not Mr.. Stewart join them
The old money-lender was too
astonished for the moment to answer.
He did not know what to think. What
could it portend? Was his WeIl-laid
plans to be demolished? It seemed a
| mystery to him. Anyhow, he was 60
ing to brave it out, and so to the break
fast he went. 1t could not be said that
it was meal that he enjoyed, though
his host and hostess tried to make ii
pleasant for him. This was heaping
Goals of fire with a vengeance
when the meal was over. Dan SIG
i gested that they adjourn to the parlor.
for it would be better there than in
the kitchen to settle their business
and they would be safe from interrupt
ton.
I'm this Stewart acquiesced.
Turning to him, Dan said:
You are anxious that the mortgage
i chn1ld bQ lifted fOdaU q,