Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-09-05
The Daily Short Story
Horizons Escape.

SOME nuggets
Ben had brought with him from the
east an assaying outfit and in a short
time was able to announce that the
nuggets contained nearly 80 per cent of
pure silver.
''It is not for myself l care So much,
Mr.. Trumbull.' Horton said in husky
voice. ITS grand news for the folks
at home. for mother and my little Sis
tiers. And it's good news for you, too.
Mr.. Trumbun. for. as l said, 1 must
have partner. lad.
You see. I'm working here for the
Santa Maria Silver Mining company,
and the mines are just two miles across
the border in Mexico. making them
eight miles from Cactus City. My
business is TO guard the silver ingots
that are cast at the mine and sent over
here to Cactus City every day in
mule wagon, locked up in a big chest.
The silver goes into the Cactus City
bank. and 1 get my receipt for it.
Every evening | guard that chest OF
ingots till il is locked up in the bank,
and every morning l see the chest
taken back to the mine"
Empty" Rem asked.
"No. not empty" Horton replied.
"Filled with chemicals. quicksilver, all
sorts of mine supplies.
well. in going over that eight miles
twice every day have To look around a
bit, and one day, while the mules were
resting, | made my find. That was
nearly two months ago, but I've not
been sure till this day that I'd struck
the real stuff. for | was afraid to- have
my metal assayed here in Cactus City.
Anyhow, / bought the land for a song.
Its just over the border in Mexico. and
l can hardly believe even now that It's
all true"
One day Trumbull said to his friend:
Horton. want you to come up TO my
room before you start in the morning.
Don't fail me, will you: It's very inn
portant for us both"
Horton promised. and shortly after
daylight the next morning he was in
Ben'S room.
I'm going To ask you to do a very
surprising thing for me. old fellow
Ben said. sitting up in bed. There's n
pencil and paper on the table. / want
you TO send "A note to the Cactus City
bank people saying that You are not
able to 20 To- the mines today, and that
they must send somebody else in your
place
Not able to 20 to the Mines Horton
exclaimed. why. lad. you know
Hold on" Ben interrupted again.
'.I'H put It another way. You think n
great deal Of your mother and sisters. 1
know. For their sakes sit down and
write the note"
Wonderingly Horton obeyed. and in a
few minutes the note was written and
sent. Ben carefully closed the door and
unfolded his important business.
Il am going To give you plan, Hor-
ton" said he, that will put money into
both of our pockets. l suppose you
know that, although the present value
Of silver is very low. still a silver dollar
Is worth 100 cents. If you sell the
silver from your projected mine by
weight, you will get. say, 60 cents an
ounce for it. If you coin it into dollars
yourself. you get 81 an ounce"
but that would be- Horton inter
rupted.
Hold on, Hear me out" Ben con-
tinued. THAT would he countCrfciting.
as you were about To say. even Il opIgh
we made the dollars with pure silver.
1t would be i'm this country. where
there is a law against 1t. But your
silver lies just across the border in
Mexico. where American dollars could
he made with comparative safety. We
could make them at the mine, and then
every day YOU could bring over q chest
lof your own silver dollars instead of
lsomebody elsc's silver ingots. Just
think how we could heap up the money!
Think of it. man
For more than n minute Horton did
not answer. Then he raised his head
and replied:
mo. Mr.. Trumbull. l couldn't do it.
and you mustn't either"
Horton. old fellow, you're as good as
gold. 1 was sure of il before, but since
I've tried you l am doubly sure"
Ben went to the window and looked
out.
NOW, / don't have to he mysterious
any longer lie said. Look at this
crowd in the street They are following
the Cactus City bank people, who have
just been arrested. All the people on
this side the border who had anything
to do with the Santa Maria mine are
wearing handouts except yourself. L
couldn't let you go out and be arrested.
Horton, old fellow"
Arrested" Horton exclaimed.
Its for counterfeiting. There is no
Santa Maria mine. Horton. Your en-
tire company is nothing but gang OF
counterfeiters. The old mine was ex-
hausted centuries ago, and all they
mine there now is rock. just for appear
ances. l ought to know, for L have
worked in the mine three days this
week. And the Cactus City bank is
only blind. All its officers are mem
bers of the gang. What you just now
Indignantly refused to do with your
eyes open you have been doing blindly
for the last year.
But. come. 1t is safe for us to go