Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-10-28

capital could bring TO pass, while all the
camp wondered. The Grubstake had
been located years before by couple of
creduous youths who were directed in
their operations altogether by the pre-
tended revelations Of a so-called pro
fessor of spiritGalisIa in Denver. Al
though they had carried their tunnel
some sixty feet into the mountainside
before they lost Faith III their oracle and
sold out tc the colonel for a soGg, 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 one OF
the English syndicates OF the type that
SC often had been his gudgeon; others,
who thought themselves equally well
| Informed to 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 OWL peace eventually to pur-
| chase the Grubstake at it's owners own
| figure; while others stil, more full of
charity toward gentleman who, 50 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 10 be uncov-
! cred there, since, whatever his faults,
| there was no man who could see farther
through a 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 strike had been made
! surprising even the Mascot's richness.
Harvey Neil was still east when this
occurred, and the hones5 gentleman IN
charge of the mine. VINO could WELD a
siX-pound Jack" as though it had been
but the plaything of child, but whose
| very soul sickened before the labors
of pen, being moreover OF simple and
unsuspecting turn OF mind, little give1.
to poking a meddling nose beyond Che
| legitimate limits OF his own domain.
| saw small reason to deScant upon Il
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
an illness of his mother. returned, to find
out what had been goingon over the hill.
Then it was observed that he looked
troubled and anxious, and the camp
| somehow became aware that he had
visited the Orodelphia smelter to 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 q little
that he had asked permission tic &c
through the workings of the Grubstake
ard had been refused, the NINE, accord
ing to Col. Meredith's invariable 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
astute neighbor by sending an em
issary disguised as 4 workman to spy
out what the Grubstake levels might
disclose; and after that nobody was
surprised when Is became known that
suit had been brought for $4,000 dam
ages and an accounting for ore ab
stracted from the Mascot mine through
the overreaching workings of the Cru
stake; while pending the decision o.
the court the alleged intruder was sum
marty enjoined from further remova
of any ore from that portion OF the
ground embraced in the crossing o
the two claims. And the knowing one:
had hardly time to demonstrate nov
clearly all this chimed in with tneil
oft-repeated prophecies, when they
were given further opportunity {;
prove how keen had been their pre-
science by the filing of E, cross-bi1l Or
the part of Col. MEREDITH, followed by
q counter Ing unction restraining Nei
himself from further meddling witt
the territory in dispute until time
should be given to prove before thu
courts that there was but one true veiI
i'll evidence, and that direct continue
ton of the Grubstake.