Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-10-20
FINDING THE GOLD QUEEN.
by James SeIwin TAFT.
copyright. 1898. by the Author.1

indeed when, for the first time in his
life, he seated himself in fashionable
New York restaurant. He was suffering
from an attack of the blues, which not
even the hum of cheerful, active life
around him could overcome, although
he had fled to that throbbing center of
gay postprandial life to escape the
gloom of his own thoughts and the bit
ter reflections which gnawed at his
heart.
And as he reviewed the situation
under the soothing influences of his
cigar and his coffee he reassured him
self that he had most excellent grounds
for repining if not indeed for despair
ing altogether.
CHANGING backward few months, he
saw himself returning to his native
land after many long years of self de-
NAL and hardship in the mining dis
tricts of India and South Africa, with
enfeebled health, few hundred pounds,
a good reputation for honesty in bust
ness of some temptations and ripe ex-
pe1ience in mining matters.
Then in his retrospect amid the hum
of cheerful humanity around him he
saw the fairest face in Scotland smiling
on him, he saw an obdurate old Scotch
laird who utterly refused to let his
daughter be engaged to a "penniless
mining fellow, and after a long siege
by soft, persistent womanhood' ire
sistible arms, he saw the grim old Dor
derer yield so far as to say that if he,
igfx l. ha
started for Norway in July that he had
means to maintain his daughter suit
ably he would then be willing to con-
slider the propriety of an engagement on
the clear, mutual understanding, how
ever, that Gaskell must sheer off for
good if he was unable to satisfy the old
man within the three months which he
allowed him.
This had been most despairing de-
oision to the mining expert, who term
ed it the offer Of "a 90 day option on
the woman 1 love, with impossible con-
ditions, and the wreck of two lives as
forfeit" But Madge, the lady of his
hearts affections had declared every
thing was possible of achievement TO
true love, and his stern face softened as
he recalled the bright, hopeful, loyal
look with which she bad dispatched
him to London to take counsel with
her uncle, her dead mothers favorite
brother.
He remembered how the uncle had
obtained him commission to examine
an American gold mine as a step to-
ward finding ON his own account, while
in the mining districts of the United
States, some good property suitable for
the British market.
"If you find such a mine, " he had
said, 81 will do my best to place it for
you, and you can honestly add $l00,0 600
to its price as discOverer if it is large
enough and provided the terms on
which you obtain the control will JUS
tify it. That is the only way that &C.
ours to me in which You can honestly
comply with the old curmudgeon' abb
surd conditions within the time"
The face of the silent and absorbed
man grew dark as he recalled how in
the execution of his commission he had
arrived in New York only to learn that
the property he came to examine had
The fact was that the gentleman who
had offered the property in London and
| who had accompanied him across the
ocean to introduce him to the propri-
etors had taken his measure accurately
during the voyage and had reported to
his colleagues and joint owners that he
was quite satisfied that Gaskell could
not be tempered with, but would insist
upon making thorough examination,
such as must inevitably disclose the
worthlessness of the property. The own.
ers were simply gang of inscriptions
Adventures, who had thought to avail
themselves of the existing craze foI
American mining properties.
1t was the announcement of the with
drawal of the property that had plunged
Douglas Gaskell into the depths of de
spondency in which this narrative finds
him.
As his retrospection ended he sat lost
in thought and barely conscious of the
ebb and flow of the city's giided youth
and the men of affairs who throng Del
monico's in ever increasing numbers.
He was all unconsciously being very
closely observed by three gentlemen
seated at a distant table-Mr Oswald
who had accompanied him across from
England; Hector Marble and Hamilton
Gilbey, all Spectators, in other PEG
ples money. They were, in fact, thu
owners of the withdrawn mine.
Mr.. Gilbey broke the silence at theil
table. 'It is just as easy to make {
large haul as a small one, )" he said
ave must manage to fix something VI
for this Scotch expert who is sitting
over there looking so glum. He is dis
appointed at our withdrawal of tina
mine, and is, l imagine, ready for I
fresh suggestion. Now. L have beer
casting about for something to suit him
and think have discovered it at last. ;
The three drew their chairs closer to
gether than strictly honest men founC
it necessary to do in Delmonico's, ant
the champagne in their glasses grew fla
and their cigars went out while the on
expounded and the two received and ap
proved one of the choicest plans which
villainy ever conoooted in connection
! with international syndicate or corpo
rate business.
The proposition laid by Mr.. Glide.
! before his colleagues with much graphi
force and a wealth of luminous illustra
ton began with the preamble-the,
! must have money. The Scotchman sit