The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-10
A SPANISH NINE.
An Adventure Of an Amateur Detective.

partners have disappeared to the ut
termost ends of the earth. Cripps was
last heard Of in western Australia,
somewhere on the Murchison; his bro
Their Silas is supposed TO be in NIysore;
the rest of them are in Abyssinia,
South America, Alaska, goodness
knows where"
why don't you take possession of
the property and work the mine, or sell
il for the benefit of McRillop's heirs?''
I came cut here on purpose 70 do
that; but since ! left England We hear
from our Madrid correspondents that
the Spanish government has issued an
Injunction to stop our proceedings We
are foreigners and must fulfill certain
conditions, satisfy some prior claims,
goodness knows what. Black wires me
TO go on straight TO Madrid and work
matters at the fountain head.
Right enough. At the same time
you ought to have a look at the mine
If IS IS anywhere near here.
1t is, or Is supposed to be, as I have
told you. But now am | to find it,
Can take q return ticket by next train {?
There is no train: I'VE inquired here
and they tell me IT'S d three or four
days ride. and that's not much in my
line. OF course. ought TO have brought
all about mines and minerals. I've
had enough trouble with them"
Look here, Harry Brightsmith,
said suddenly. Shall I stop here and
see you through 1t? II might help you.
and would amuse me. | know Spanish
and something of this neighborhoOd
Shall I stay9"
He accepted my offer With enthusi-
2SH, so sent on board for my traps
and was presently in close conference
with my old friend at the Kings Arms
hotel
He had a good map OF southern An
dalusia, the latest government survey.
also the plans originally made to go
With the contract for the sale We
easily fixed upon the locality, or rather
the alleged locality of the mine. for its
existence had still to be proved. But
| the estate of the Marquis de Amen
! dral was clearly marked under its
name of the Llanura de las Sierras. We
saw from the may that it was d long,
| deep mountain valley some six or
| seven miles inland from Marberla, and
! ending in precipitous cui de sac, at
! the bottom Of which we believed the
| mine to be. 1t was called in the min
| ing plan FL Bien Escondida-''The Well
Hidden Was it to deserve its APP
! penation?
We'll. what do you adviser" asked
| Brightsmith dnxiously-
! Clearly, the first thing is to verify
J the existence of the mine That settled
| you must remove the government stop
( and get possession. The whole affair is
| comprised in those two points. You
can't work the mine without sQuarins
the government, and YOU don't want Il
! square the government if there is nc
| mine. Some one must start for Mar
! bella at once
Aye, but who? It's a 40-miIe ride
| paused before answering him. l was
not in robust health but few days or
! horseback among the Vermillion hills
/ would act as a fine tonic. To ride Il
| Marbella and back would be NOTHING
| TO man who had lived almost in the
saddle Cor years. What 1 should fine
mere child's play would be a seriou.
| eXertion for my soft and heShY FRIEND
( Brightsmith. 1t would be time enough
| for him to face the effort when ht
! went armed with proper authority Il
I take possession of the mine.
Of course we might send an ennis.
6arY. but that would have meant tax
ing some outsider into our confidence
and, after all these years. I knew NJ
guide or muiateer at Gibraltar whom
! could thoroughly trust.
/ III go myself, Harry" I said a.
length Il know nay way about. I'vt
| been TO Marbelia before. l can easill
ind my Way there alone and on to tho
| mine-if there is one this side of The
Sierra Moreno. Three or four days from
now ought to settle that part of tn,
! question.
My preparations were soon made. 4
visit TO Niontegriffo's stables secured
me servtceable mount. The huntin.
season was now over. and had plentl
of choice. l hired a big boned. he:
bitten gray. with huge head-an ugi!
horse, but of the class and color mucI
esteemed in southern Spain for spfri
and endurance. I had breeeches anC
'purtieS" in my portmanteau. showed
a few necessaries in my saddle wallet
and 1 was ready for the road
BY that night [ reached Estepona
!, and put up at the Fonda del Mar Her