The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-04-19
mi BY name, was ra

pref lark and chubby, as
Mexican gft1s often are. Bu, she was
sweet, innocent and very faithful, and
she let Simpson see that she cared for
him, and would marry him If be so de-
sired. Strange to say, he did desire;
his life had been such that the pure
and unselfsh love of even Mexican
girl meant much to him, and lie swore
that he would reform, once married to
Anita. Not that lie loved her. Love,
Mr. Simpson had killed with his own
hands ten years ago and more. But
some men cannot live up to much Of
standard without q good woman
help. Simpson was OF this ilk. Where
fore he married Anita, severed up IN
q manner that astouaGed even himsel,
refused to accept help from his some
what grumpy }athcr-in law, and found
a ioo as assistant assayer Ia the Ne =
lean mining town Of Palma Sola, III
the very centre Of the gold and silvcr
mining district which English aul
American capital was in process Of
ex) loiting.
in the course Of time Simpsons en-
ployer died, and Simpson continued
the assay office on his own account,
for he had learned the business dur
ing his five years apprenticeship, and
chemical knowledge gained b. him
while at Oxford also stood him III good
stead. Besides which he hal learned
q great deal about lnipes and mining,
and knew what was o:e and what was
not. (Yo1 may not realize il, but this
last is great attainment. Also, III
addition to his assav Office, he now
had small ore buying agency and was,
in fact. making money hand over fist.
Anita, though now very fat and
lnustached, had nevertheless proved
good and faithful wife and mother, and
Simpsons lines had not been cast iu-
the most unfortunate places after all.
H hal totally reformed and lived a
contented life, forgetfill Of his old es-
tate and old love, straight and honest
in business, devoted to lis only child
and kind 10 his wife. Few men in
Palma Sola were more respected than
John Simpson, assayer and ore buyer.
Just about this time rumors got
afoat in Palma Sola that some pro-
moters had at last doomed the ''Es-
peranza" gold prospect near by Oh
the London market; that ore OF the
biggest mine -broking concerns there
had been favorabiy impressed-so IA
vorably impressed, in fact, that the
head of the concern, We rich man
and member Of Parliament, was him
self on the way to make personal III
vestigation Of the mine. If it ''panned
OUT as represented, the Englishmen
intended to buyit and erect costly
stamp mills for working the ore. with
cyanide plants for treatment Of the
tailings.
In due time the rich Englisbman
arrived. Simpson at once recognized
il the puffy, pompous member Of Par
lament, who rep. eseniei the greatest
combination of mining capital in Great
Britain, his Old chum and deadly en-
envy, Hadley-Benton. Needless to
say the latter did not recognize in
Simpson, assayer and ore buyer, the
Duncan Dudley OF Is years agone. In
this rough, bearded. sloppy-looking
westerner, whom he patronizingly ad-
q essea as My good man., Mr.. ;'ad-
ley Benton. NJ p, saw mere!ya human
machine which would be useful later
in assaying the "EsperanIa" samples,
for the macLi e Was considered the
cn,.:: reputable and accpra & assayer in