Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-07-15

listening. And his speech blossomed
forth in slopes, fake rock, running
ground, stulls, dips and cribs-all the
vocabulary of his theoretical mining
course. But ever and anon he re-
Cured to the richness OF the Ell Rico
vein.
IL shall advise against a SALE" he
repeated. "In my opinion, my COM
pany can, by a small expenditure,
realize large amount; timbering will
not be expensive-drift- gravel ground
largely-aud it is my belief it will
prove the richest mine in Mexico"
The plaza miner was good.natured.
He agreed, and helped along the ef-
feet by references to OWNS unusual
experience and honesty. Then he
withdrew. and Gwin pulled out his
watch and frowned. He tapped his
foot impatiently on the pavement,
and his nice, boyish face grew black.
The plutocrat read his paper and cast
glances at Gwin between paragraphs.
Then he approached.
1t began with the question as to
how long You have been here, and
ended with an invitation to lunch in
in the private car. Gwin considered,
and counted his minutes, and decided
that he might spare the time. He &C.
cepted.
1t was all an iridescent dream. He
sat back in the upholstered seats and
held his mouth open. The plums fell
into it. Miss Meredith was as amiable
as she was beautiful. The plutocrat
eyinced marked interest in mines.
The Ch,naman cook s biscuits breathed
OF home and the past in their odor-
GUS steam. And Mr.. Meredith asked
him to come again.
"We shall be here a week, possibly.
And if your man Storms don't come to
time, l might like to take look at
tn" Rico myself" he said.
Storms did not come to time, and
Gwin took Mr.. Meredith to the mine.
He raised ten dollars and engaged the
horses aud dressed himself in the
charro suit that he had bought in the
first few days, when he had been
flush and all things had been new and
picturesque. The suit was pictur-
esque still. The short jacket set off his
broad shoulders ard the skin-tight
pantaloons his height; the sombrero
added stern daring to his open coun-
tenance, while the knife in its leather
case, hanging from his belt, and the
revolver showing from his hip pocket
wrought the effect to its highest pitch.
Miss Meredith--who was to stay
with friends at the hotel during her
fathers absence-showed her admira-
ton. She let Gwin hold her hand
rather long and hard; and under the
influence of the bowie-knife and re-
volver, she trembled little and
raised the beautiful eyes to his. "You
won't let anything happen to father?"
she begged. Gwin treasured her.
He wondered how much OF the anxi-
ely might reasonably be portioned of
to Gather" And he found himself
wondering that pretty steadily as he
rode with the man of Pullman cars be-
side him, sitting uneasily the scrswny
little horse.
It was the season of the rains, when
the land is most beautiful, and least
visited. They broke their way through
flowers, pink, white, purple, blue,
scarlet and yellow; the blossoms
brushed against their hands and met
across the pommels The trees were
gay with blue morning glory and great
tufts of orange and scarlet parasite.
After that they began to climb noun
tains, and Gwin began to wish himself
we'll out Of it. He had started with.
out knowing just why, half recklessly,
half to see what would happen. He
was seeing now
In rather less than week he was
thinking all day OF a grit might
even be that she was thinking of him
he had taken in a kindly disposed
man lied to him while he broke his
bread; he himself was fraud, and il
lie carried it out to the end would be
a criminal; if he did not, she would
know. She would know in any case,
sooner or later. He groaned as he
grabbed his horses name while they
scrambled up the mountain side.
They came to the mine ut length,
as many another plaza miner and his
prey had done before them. There
was timbered entrance and some
yards of tunnel. Gwin hat lost his
taste for the thing. But the impossi-
bility of turning and sUuarely facing
with the truth This man whom he had
brought thirty-odd leagues on horse
back was manifest. He enlarged con-
vincingly on the wealth in beyond
that black hole. He dug out hand
full of soft rock with his knife, and
pointed to silver where none was.
His face was more scarlet than the
sunburn. He lied with that glibness
which arises from not knowing where
your next inspiration is coming from.
And he was immensely convincing.
"But, of course, I shall have to
have my own experts" Mr.. Meredith
said, halfspologetically.
"Of course" agreed Gwin, briskly,
with sinking heart.
And then they rode back. twin
was somewhat silent. He was figuring
upon how man who has nine silver
dollars in the world can best get out
of country. But he ceased to calcu
late when Miss Meredith welcomed
him with tears in her eyes-tears Of
thankfulness for his having kept hel
father in safety. Gwin rather en-
couraged her belief that they had rid
den into the open jaws OF danger, and
accepted an invitation to run up tC
Mexico on the private car.
A day and half took them to the
city; and day took Gwin and Miss
Meredith far along the rose-strewI
path of fancy. Gwin had no such in
/ tention in the morning, and by night
( he had told Miss Meredith that he
loved her. 1t was all part of the
chance game.
They sat in the moonlight upon The
steps OF the car, rushing along leve
/ ho;oht-a nlafeau from which they