Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-06-11
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.
a Strange Story, Taken From Manuscript De.
queathed By an Old Iexican Indian to His
Friend and Cemrade, an English.
caan Named Jones.
COPYRIGHTED. 1894. by q. Rider Haegara
CHAPTER IL-coST1NUEo.

NI<A1 lL-CONTINCED
Don Ignatio, hardly like to ask
You, ana daresay that you will think
sne oner beneath contempt, but are you
am sadly in need of a subrnauager here.
one who could control the Indians. and
10 such man l am prepared to paw one
hundred dollars month; the funds of
the company represent will not allow
me to offer more''
thought for awhile, and answered:
Senior, the money is not enough to
Tempt me, though it will serve to buy
1ood, lodging and cigars. but 1 accept
fought your battles this morning, be-
cause L like you, and will gladly do my
oest to serve you and your interests.
stiu L must warn you that. for
eught l know, | may have to leave
your service at short notice, for nv
time Is not altogether my own. / also am
the servant of a great company, senior.
and though now l am on leave, as it
were. and have been for these MANY
years. may be required at any mo-
Iaent."
Thus it was that I entered the serv-
Ice of SenorJames Strickland, or rather
OF his company, in which I continued
Tor something more than a year, work.
ing very hard, for the senior did not
spare either me or himself.
One evening, on returning from the
smelling works to the house, found
Senior Strickland, with his chin rest
ing on his hand and an unlighted
cigar in his mouth, seated at table on
which lay an open letter. asked him
what evil thing had happened.
Nothing particular, 1gnatio," he an
;swered, but listen here" And he read
the letter aloud.
1t was from the owners of the mine.
and this was the purport of it; that
the shaft had become choked with
wafer because of the incompetence and
neglect of the senior; that they, the
owners, hereby dismissed him sum-
due, and, lastly, that they held him re-
'sponsible in his own person for such
money as they had lost
'Surcly,"I cried in wrath, when he
had finished, ''this letter was written
by man without shame, and l pray
that he may find his grave in the stom-
achs of hogs and vultures!'
do not trouble, Ignatio," he said,
with little smile, cit is the way of the
world. ! have failed, and must take
the consequences. Had 1 succeeded
there would have been a different
story. Still think that, if 1 ever meet
this man again, will kick him for tell
ing lies about me. Do you know, Ig-
natio, that, with the exception of one
thousand dollars which remain to my
credit in Mexico, 1 have spent all my
own money that had saved upon this
mine, and of that one thousand dollars.
eight hundred dollars are due to you
for back pay, so whatever trade l take
to next I shall not begin as a rich
man."
''Be silent, beg of you, senor," an
swered, ''for such words make my ears
burn. What! am I also thief that l
should rob you. you who have already
been pluclked like fowl for the good
of others? Insult me once more by
such thoughts and 1 will never forgive
YOU"
And I left the house to calm myself
by walking among the mountains, lit
tie knowing what should hear before
Il entered IL apaip