The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-06-16
capital could bring to pass. while all the

capital could bring to pass, while all the
camp wondered. The Grubstake had
been located years before by a couple OF
credlious youths who were directed in
their operations altogether by the pre-
tended revelations of so-called pro-
fessor of spiritualism in Denver. AL
though they had carried their tunnel
some sixty feet into the mountainside
before they lost faith in their oracle and
sold out TO the colonel for song, no
mineral had been discovered, while the
camp was generally of the opinion that
none ever would be, until the new
owners operations stirred doubts as TO
the soundness of that judgment. Some
there were to opine that the colonel
might be preparing new bait for ore OF
the English syndicates of the type that
SO often had been his gudgeon; others,
who thought themselves equally well
informed as 10 the great promoters pc
culiar methods, argued that he was
more probably plotting mischief which
would presently be apparent in the
ground where the two claims crossed,
prophesying that Neil would be forced
for his own peace eventually to pur-
chase the Grubstalle at its owners own
figure; while others stiu, more full of
charity toward a gentleman who, so far
as reputation went, seemed generally in
the position of the under dog, contended
thta the work upon the property meant
only that there was mineral TO be uncov-
cred there, since, whatever his faults,
there was no man who could see farther
through stone than Col. Randolph
Meredith. And these last could take
JUNCTION TO their souls when one day the
ore wagons began coming down from
the Grubstake side of the hill on their
way to the Orodelphia smelter, while
rumor said that n strike had been made
surprising even the Mascot's richness.
Harvey Neil was still east when this
occurred, and the honest gentleman in
charge of the mine, who could WELD Il
six-pound Jack" as though it had been
but the plaything Of child, but whose
very soul sickened before the labors
OF q pen, being moreover of simple and
unsuspecting turn of mind, little given
10 poking a meddling nose beyond the
legitimate limits of his own domain.
saw small reason TO descant upon u
neighbours good fortune beyond barest
mention of the strike. Several months
had therefore gone before Neil, who had
been detained beyond his first plan by
on illness of his mother, returned.to find
outwhat had been congo over the hill.
Then il was observed that he looked
troubled and anxious, and the camp
somehow became aware that he had
visited the Orodelphia smelter 10 obtain
samples OF the ore which the Grub
stake was shipping in such prodigious
quantities. while it was said that he
held many consultations with his law
yer. 1t became known after little
that he had asked permission to go
through the workings of the Grubstake
and had been refused, the NINE, accord
ing to Col. Meredith's invarable prac-
tice with all his properties, it was
stated, being rigidly closed to all Wis
itors. Later the camp laughed appre-
ciatively over the story that went
round of how Neil had outwitted his
~ SNhbihB "h NAi'
issary disguised as n workman to spy
out what the Grubstake levels might
disclose; and after that nobody was
surprised when it became known that
suit had been brought for $4,000 dam
ages and an accounting for ore alb
stracted from the Mascot mine through
the overreaching workings of the Grub
stake; while pending the decision of
the court the alleged intruder was sum-
marily enjoined from further removal
of any ore from that portion of the
ground embraced in the crossing Of
the two claims. And the knowing ones
had hardly time to demonstrate how
clearly all this chimed in with their
oft-repeated prophecies, when they
were given further opportunity to
prove how keen had been their pre-
science by the filing of a cross-bill on
the part of Col. Meredith, followed by
a counter injunction restraining Neil
himself from further meddling with
the territory in dispute until time
should be given to prove before the
courts that there was but one true vein
in evidence. and that a direct continue
ton of the Grubstake.