Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-09-26

Il ESCAPE

Z eoIie 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 10 per cent OF
pure silver.
ut is not for myself l care so much,
Mr.. Trumbull." Horton said in a 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.. Trumbull. for as l said, l must
4 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
tight 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 a
mule wagon, locked up in a big chest.
The silver goes into the Cactus City
bank. and | get my receipt for it.
Every evening l guard that chest of
lngots till it is locked up in the bank,
and every morning l see the chest
taken back to the mine"
Empty" Ben asked.
mo. not empty" Horton replied.
"Filled with chemicals, quicksilver, all
sorts of mine supplies.
We'll. in going over that eight miles
twice every day have to look around a
bit, and one day, while the mules We're
resting, l 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 l was afraid to have
my metal assayed here in Cactus City.
Anyhow. 1 bought the land for a song.
I 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 very
surprising thing for me, old fellow"
Ben said. sitting up in bed. There's
pencil and paper on the table. Y want
you to send a note to the Cactus City
bank people saying that you are not
able to go to the mines today, and that
they must send somebody else in your
place"
Not able to go to the minesr Horton
exclaimed. ''Why, lad, you know
Hold on" Ben interrupted again.
"Ill put it another way. You think
great deal of your mother and sisters,
know. For their sakes sit down ana
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
} y
But that would be- Horton inter
rupted
Hold on. Hear me out" Ben con-
tinued THAT would be counterfeiting,
as you were about to say, even though
we made the dollars with pure silver.
1t would be in this country, where
there is a law against it. But your
silver lies just across the border in
Mexico, where American dollars could
be made with comparative safety. We
could make them at the mine, and then
every day you could bring over a chest
Of your own silver dollars instead of
somebody elses silver ingots. Just
think how we could heap up the money.
Think of it, mani"
For more than a minute Horton dtd
not answer. Then he raised his head
and replied:
NO, Mr.. Trumbul, l couldn't do it,
and you mustn't either"
Horton, old fellow. you're as good as
gold. | was sure of it before, but since
I've tried you l am doubly sure"
Ben went to the window and looked
out
Now l don't have 10 be mysterious
any longer" he 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 VINO had anything
to do with the Santa Maria mine are
wearing handouts except yourself. l
couldn't let you 90 out and be arrested,
Horton, old fellow"
Arrested Horton exclaimed.
ITS for oounterfeiting. There is no
Santa Maria mine, Horton. Your err
tire company is nothing but a gang q
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 a blind. All its officers are mem
I -. NN-h,r 49,. s,.-~