Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-01-14
CHAPTER NH.

could nave Deen more unlike eacn OlntI,
and as Longworth recalled the different
meetings he had had with Kenyon, he
admitted to himself that he disliked the
fellow extremely. The evident friend
ship which his cousin felt for Kenyon
added a bitterness to this dislike shat
was rapidly turning it into hate. How
ever, he calmed down sufficiently on 60
ing home in the carriage to know that
it was better to say nothing about her
meeting with Kenyon unless she in
troduced the subject. After all, the
carriage was hers, not his, and he recog-
nized that fact. He wondered how much
Kenyon had told her of the interview at
his uncle's Office. He flattered himself,
however, that he knew enough of wom-
en- to be sure that she would very speed
lily refer to the subject, and then he
hoped to find out just how much had
been said. To his surprise, his cousin
said nothing at all about the matter,
neither that evening nor the next morn
ing, and consequently he went to his
office in rather a bewildered state of
mind.
On arriving at his room in the city he
found Melville waiting for him.
Melville shook hands with young
Longworth and, taking a mineral spec
linen from his pocket, placed it on the
young mans desk, saying:
81 suppose you know where that
comes from?"
Longworth looked at it in a bewil-
dered sort of way, turning it round and
round in his hand.
"I haven't the slightest idea, really"
'No? l was told you were interested
in the mine from which this was taken.
Mr.. Wentworth called on me yesterday
and gave your name as one of those who
were concerned with the mine"
''Ah, yes, see; yes, yes, Ihave-some
interest in the mine"
"Well, it is about that came to talk
with you. Where is the mine situated?"
'It is near the Ottawa river, believe,
some distance above Montreal. 1 am
not certain about it's exact position, but
it is somewhere in that neighborhood."
II thought by the way Wentworth
talked it was in the United States. He
mentioned another person as being his
partner in the affair. I forgot his
name"
John Kenyon, probably"
Kenyon! Yes, think that was the
name. Yes, l am sure it was. Now
may 1 ask what is your connection with
that mine? Are you n partner of
Wentworth's ard Kenyon's? Are you
the chief owner of the mine, or is the
mine owned by them?"
I'm the first place, Mr.. Melville, 1
should like to know why you ask me
these questions.
Melville laughed well, | will tell
chance there is of our getting a con-
trolling interest in tie mine. That is
very frankly put, isn't it?"
- -na--A--..lA -l4A-~saz,- -rsaoar.-
by we" Who else besides yourself?"
"By we 1 mean the china company
to which | belong. This mineral is
useful in making china. That suppose
you know"
Eyes, 1 was aware of that" answered
Longworth, although he heard it now
for the first time.
know who is the owner of the mine''
''The owner of the mine at present
is some foreigner, whose name and ad-
dress l do not know. The two young
men you speak of have an option on
that mine for certain length of time:
how long l don't know. They have
been urging me to go in with them to
form company for the floating of
that mine, for 100000. on the London
market"
HE mentioned c 100000" said Mel
Vile at struck me as rather large
amount"
"Do you think so? Well, the objec-
ton / had to it was that it was tro
small"
1T seems to me the young men have
an exaggerated idea of the value of
this mineral ii they think it will pay
dividends on G 100000"
"This mineral is not all there is in
The mine. In fact, it is already paying
n dividend on c $4,000 or thereabouts
because of the mica in it. 1t is being
mined for mica alone. To tell the
truth, did not know much about the
other mineral"
"And do you think the mine is worth
G zoe, ,0OO?"
Frankly, I do not
"Then why are you connected with
it?"
81 am not connected with it-at least,
not definitely connected with it.
have the matter under consideration.
Of course, if there is anything approach
ing a swindle in it, shall have nothing
to do with it. 1t will depend largely
upon the figures that the young men
show me whether 1 have anything to
do with it or not"
81 see; 1 understand your position"
Then, lowering his voice, Melville leaned
over toward young Longworth and
said: "You are a man of business.
Now 1 want TO ask you what would
be the chance of our getting the mine
at something like the origina. option
price, which is, of course, very much
less than 100000? We do not want
to have too many in it. In fact, if you
could get it for us at a reasonable rate,
and did not care to be troubled with
the property yourself, we would take
the whole ourselves"
Young Longworth pondered mo-
ment, and then said to Melville:
"Do you mean to freeze out the other
two fellows, as they say in American"
AZ do not know about freezing out,
but, of course, with the other two there
is so much less profit to be divided We
should like to deal with just as few as
possible"
Exactly. see what you mean. Well,
/ think it can be done. Are you in any
very great hurry for the mine?"
"Not particularly. Why?'
"Well, if things are worked rightly,
don't know but that we could get it
for the original option. That would
mean, of course, to wait until this first
option had run out"
Wouldn't there be little danger in
that? They may form their company
in the meantime, and then we should
lose everything. Our interest in the
matter is as much to prevent anyone
getting hold of the mine as to get il
ourselves"
"I see. will think it over. believe
it can be done without much risk; but,
of course, we shall have to be reason
ably quiet about the matter"
"Oh, certainly, certainly"
VERY good. 1 will see you again
after l have thought over the affair,