The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-06-04
THE ML6RESS
Of they |Mine.
> s.s.s 4 ~
Copyright. 1893. by Rober: Barr.1
CHAPTER XVIII
Copyright. 1893. by Robert Barr.l

CHAPTER XVIII.
Kenyon was on his way to lunch next
day when he met Wentworth at the
door.
Going to eat ?'' asked the latter.
Yes"
Very well; III go with you. I
couldn't stay last night to have talk
with you over the meeting; but what
did you think of it?''
well, considering the articles which
appeared in the morning, and consid-
erinG also the exhibition l made of my
self in attempting TO explain the merits
of the mine, 1 think things went off
rather smoothly"
$50 do I. 1t doesn't strike you that
they went off too smoothly, does it?''
What do you mean?'
81 don't know exactly what I mean.
/ merely wanted to get your opinion
about it. You see. have attended
great many gatherings of this sort, and
il struck me there was certain cut-and-
driedness about the meeting. 1 can't
say whether it impressed me favorably
or unfavorably, but l noticed it,
ct still don't understand what you
mean"
We'll, as a general thing, in such
meetings. when man gets up and pro-
poses a certain action there is some
opposition, somebody has a sugges-
ton to make, or something better to
propose, or thinks he has, and SO there
is a good deal of talk. Now when King
got up and proposed calmly that Mel
vile should go to America, it appeared
to me rather an extraordinary thing
to do, unless he had consulted Melville
beforehand"
Perhaps he had done So
Yes, perhaps. What do you think
of it all?''
Kenyon unused for a moment before
he replied: "As 1 said before, 1 thought
things went off very smoothly. Whom
do you suspect-young Longworth?"
II do not know whom l suspect.
am merely getting anxious about the
shortness of the time. l think myself
you ought to go to America. There is
nothing to be done here. You should
go, see Won Brent. and get a renewal
of the option. Don't you see that when
. they get over there, allowing them few
days in New York, and a day or two to
get to the mine, we shall have little
more than a week after the cable dis
patch comes in which to do anything,
should they happen to report unfa-
vorably.'
"Yes, l see that. Still. it is ONLY a
question of facts on which they have to
report, and you know as well as 1 do
that no truthful men can report I'M
fAvorably on what we have stated. We
have understated the case in every in
stance
''T know that. I am perfectly well
aware of that. Every thing is all right if
--if-Longworth is dealing honestly
with US. If he is not, everything is all
wrong, and l should feel a great deal
easier if we had in our possession an
other three months option of the mine.
We are now at the flag end of this op-
ton, and 1t seems to me, as protection
to ourselves, we ought either to write
TO Won Brcnt-by the way, have you
ever written to him.
81 wrote one letter telling him how
we were getting on, but have received
no answer. Perhaps he is not in OF
tawa at present"
We'll, think you ought to go to the
is the conjunction of those two men that
makes me suspicious. l can't tell what
/ suspect. l can give nothing definite
but l have a vague uneaSineSs when
think that the man who tried to mis-
lead us regarding the value of the min
eral is going with the man who has led
us into all this expense; he who refused
to go into the matter in the first place,
pretended he had forgotten all about il
in the second place, and then suddenly
developed an interest"
John knitted his brows and said moth
ing.
Il don't want to worry you about it,
but l do want your candid opinion.
What had we better do?''
ut seems to me-" said John. after
pause. that we can do nothing. 1t is
a very perpleNing situation. L think,
however, we should turn it over in our
minds for 4 few days, and then l can
get to America in plenty of time, if nee
essary.'
Very we'll: suppose we give them
ten days to get to the mine and reply.
If no reply comes by the eleventh day.
then you will still have eighteen or
nineteen days before the option ex-
pires. Put it at twelve days. l pro-
pose. if you hear nothing by then. you
go over"
Right" said John; I'VE may take
that as settled"
by the way, you got an invitation,
did you netS'
:. Yes"
Are you going?"
i. Il doG not know. l should like to
go, and yet. you know. l am entirely
unused to fashionable assemblages. [
should not know what to say or do
while i was there"
AS l understand. it is not to be \
fashionable party, but merely little
friendly gathering which Miss Long
worth gives because her cousin
is about to sail for Canada.
L don't want TO flatter you,
John. but 1 imagine Miss Long
worth would be rather disappointed if
you did not put in appearance. Be
sides. as we are partners with Long
worth in this, and as he is going away
5 on account of the mine, Think it would
be little ungracious of us not to CO."
"Very we'll; 1 will go. Shall l call