The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-10
THE BEST COAL
ON EARTH.
MARCELINE
TRY 1T.

millionaire. But the prospector, still
nervous about the safety Of his secret,
asked that the door be closed and the
request was humored- At last he pro-
duced from a piece of sacking. which
appeared to have come from inside his
inner garment, a few pieces of quartz
They looked so well that James J.
Brown and his friend grew interested
have them assayed- In the meantime
he turned the prospectOr over to one of
his men, with instructions that he be
given creature comforts and fitted out
with a new garb, from hat to socks.
This treatment appeared to satisfy the
man cut of the desert regarding his
hosts good faith, and that night he en-
joyed a sleep that was broken only by
occasional sudden upstartings and out
cries. These were attributed to his
privations in the sand waste before he
reached Randsburg.
An assay of the quartz specimens
startled even the mineral wise and
phlegmatic Mr.. Brown. The pieces of
rock ran more than $500 in gold alone to
the ton. Here was the prospect Of even
a richer mine than the Little Johnny.
Anyway. the mere chance of realizing it
was worth more than the cost Of a pros
pecting outfit
Another talk was held with the owner
of the quartz. preliminary to closing a
deal with him. He was reticent about
his affairs, particularly the happenings
on his recent trip, which. he said, was
just across the desert" with a wave of
his arm that took in everything within
the horizon. A question regarding the
second prOSpector's outfit, or fragment
/ thereof. which his exhausted outfit con-
tanned drew from him a reply that rath-
! er myStlned and somewhat troubled his
! auditors. A partner, he declared, l:ad+
| started with him on the trip to Rands-
| burg. each of them having d burrO and
/ outfit When they began to suffer for
/ water and food the partner cleared out
J one night and failed to return. 1T
| was afterward that 1 found this mine,
/ which somebody has abandoned. evil
IDENTIFY concluded the explanation. and
| nothing more would the man say on the
| subject of his vanished partner
There the matter was allowed to rest.
/ Brown agreed to put up the necessary
capital to work the strangers mine in
| return for half interest in it, pro-
vided his most trusted expert. after ex-
aiming the property, gave him an en-
| couragIng report. In any event, he
| would give the prospectOr and expert
| generous OUTFIT, with fresh burrOS, for
| their trip to the spot in which the pos
| siole bonanza lay These terms were
satisfactory and al daylight next morn
ing a start was to he made.
The prOspectOr and his future COM
panion slept together that night Soon
after II o'clock the latter was aroused
and told that their journey must be-
| gin then, as they might be followed if
| they waited until daylight Regarding
the man before him in the light of
| victim of too long nervous strain. the
expert agreed to his proposal, and the
! more readily since the light of the moon
and stars shone down brightly on the
level before them. The animals were
packed and the bonanza hunters set
out at brisk trudge, the prospector
saving that he knew the way to the
secret treasure so well that there was
no risk of their losing their way. He
tolied on confidently ahead of the other
occasionally glancing at the heavens,
| out never speaking a word.
sunrise showed the warfarers only
sand, scrub cactus ard here and there
a patch OF bunch grass. whichever way
their eyes were turned. After camp
ing for breakfast they pitched a small
tent they had and under it's shadow
snatched few hours of sleep. With
the exception of a stop for the midday
meal, they tramped all the rest of the
nay. and after supper the prOspector in
sisted on continuing the journey until
ms companion refused for sheer weari-
ness to go further. Before turning in
Tor the night, which his morOse part
ner had already done, Browns employe,
oelng rested, bethought him of some
punch grass they had passed little
way back on the unmarked trail and
decided to get it for the burros. He
arose quietly and proceeded on his
errand, thinking he had not disturbed
the sleeper in the little tent
But before quite reaching the fodder he
ileelIu hufrylng footsteps in his rear and
looked around-tO see the eccentric pros
pector In the act of leveling a long-bar-