The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1897-01-08
The Russian Count Interviewed.

TIL other day while scouting for the fes-
tive benau, one of our most reliable miners
accidentally stumbled onto the camp of
Count Mordoff, the Russian noble. who is
searching for the lost mine, and who was re-
ported in our last issue to have mysterious
ly disappeared.
The miner in question positively refuses to
diyulge the secret of the exact location of
Count Mordotf's camp, further than that it is
near the summit of the Black Range, almost
due west from Chloride.
After the preliminary greetings were over,
our informant tells us, that the Count invit.
ed him into a comfortable and well fitted
apartment, and in n very few minutes one of
the attaches brought forward o table and
spread before the astonished and hungry
visitor a most excellent meal. After ithe
meal the Count pressed his visitor to pro-
long his stay, the day being pnfavorable for
hunting, and the likelihood of bagging a deer
very slim, and last but not least a box of
fresh Havana cigars was laid before the visi-
tor which brought him to his senses. Soon
he fell back in the arms of an easy chair
with a most excellent cigar between his lips
and was at peace with all the world. AS the
visitor thus sat before the bright wood fire
watching the smoke from his cigar climb up
toward the rock ceiling of the Counts sitting
room, conversation turned into interesting
channels. Soon the visitor discovered that
his host was q very interesting person, much
abov We the average, and possessed a bright
active mind, with that peculiar power of i'm
nm rfin ~ en- NtInr ~ nIno, o-J ~.oos,n .oa..,.
the real germ of any subject that they hap.
pened to touch upon. Aman of the world,
a conversationalist OF extraordinary ability
and with all that peculiar charm of mystery
with which the man seemed possessed, held
our friend as If by magic.
They talked of many places and things
and finally conversation turned to the lost
that his host was on a wild goose chase"
The Count only smiled in his peculiar way,
and stepping across the room-for it was a
room and q large one-and taking from some
recess a leather bag, brought it before his
astonished guest and said: "Does that look
like a myth? You are acquainted with min.
erals and mineral bearing rock-what think
you of these, h !" The visitor seized the an.
cient leather sack and poured its contents
out on the floor and stood looking at the
treasure in utter amazement. This was
real there could be no mistake. For there
before his astonished eyes, right at his feet,
lay chunks of almost pure sulphide of silver
and small pieces of quartz (eyidently broken
up as is the usual custom when sacKing are)
literally covered with bright shining gold.
Great heavens" cried the now thoroughly
amazed visitor, as he seized a piece OF the
sparkling quartz and rushed to the door of
the cave to get the full light of day on the
precious piece of metal he held in his hand.
Yes, it was gold. there could be no mistaking
it. The Count, VINO had followed his guest
to tie door. stood looking at him with that
| peculiar smile lighting up his face, and as
his visitor now looked HIM full in the face
saw plainly for the first time the broad white
forehead snd clear cut features of the man
who stood before him, TIL noble character