Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-07-04
TONY'S SACRIFICE.
A DEAL IN OIL LANDS THAT
PROVED DISASTROUS.

and living for all these long months.
Veterinary daffodil inks" it read, and.
translated by his private cypher code, it
meant he was to go ahead buy the whole
tract and draw on the company for the
first payment.
The burning sun beat relentessly up
on his unaccustomed head, his collar
took on the hue of the road, his face was
blistered and his eyeballs scorched by
the heat but so absorbed was he in the
schemes that unrolled themselves before
him that he forgot to fume because of
his discomfort He chuckled gleefully to
himself, notwithstanding the act involved
the breating of a mouthful of Kern
County dust, for this was the climax
he had almost despaired of reaching.
Although he had never for a moment
lost faith in the richness of this little
strip of foot-hil country, the company
had never until now been willing to raise
the money for the first payment and the
y erection of the works necessary for its
development, and he had come to. realize
that, of verify, faith without works
is dead"
His company was not rich; Lambert
its heaviest stakeholder, was worse than
poor, being heels over head in debt
There were plenty of people he did not
dare to meet because of over-d due notes,
several clubs he could not go near on ac-
count of delinquent dues, and nunberless
underlined tradesmen who made his life
a burden But in the success of this deal
Il 1 Z III +
The loungers around the little hotel
eyed him curiously as he drove up, and
followed at his heels as he made his
way into the office, for such a turnout
was not often seen in that part of the
country. Lambert pushed his way
through the crowd without seeing them.
The name of Johnson, of the Mammoth
Mineral Monopoly, on the register made
him open his eyes a trifle wider. OF
course there was no reason why Johnson
should not be there if he chose, but there
was GOODNESS between the members of
the two companies, especially between
Johnson and himself.
The county records showed the title
Of the land to be vested in one Antonio
Maria Lopez, so, early the next morn
ing Lambert started off to find her
But once out on the county roads, III the
wastes of brown stubble-helds, the dlrec-
ton he had received at the hotel became
j confused No one seemed to know any
thing definite about the distance, and it
had been variously estimated from
bout fifteen mile to twenty. After
following for several hours a road that
seemed to have no turning, he looked
about for some one of whom he might
inquire the way, and the first sign of life
that came in sight was the figure of a
woman walking toward him. But when
he was almost near enough to address
her she stopped, drew her sun-bonnet
over her eyes, tucked her skirts into
one hand and scaled the four-raied fence
as neatly as a boy might have done
Then, looking over her shoulder toward
NE duSt-cloud down the road, she slip
PED behind bowder and waited for the
wheels to pass. AS the dust enveloped
ner IN binding cloud the smart trap
was brought up short with clanking
CHAINS and silver mountings.
could YOU tell me whether or not this
the road TO the Lopez placer" Lambert
asked.
The sun-bonnet jerked forward in an
affirmative nod
linen perhaps you will be so good as
erect NE to it, Lambert continued
here"
ii y pause followed, while the man in
~ S cart looked over the girls head at
ON %' S0omrnatlon of desolation epitomized
q Tie prospect before him-the tumble
N b"1o fences, the Imprinted, half-fnished
nd + 1S1SS' The rlckety buildings, then at
ma ~. ''I,oTn little figure beside the bowl
olI 49, MS eyes sought hers for further
led 5o ,o,'''a'on but the bonnet had closed
Ill - avn over her features like the shell of
ind he r rnyn perhaps, you are Miss Lopez"
hid 'V,.''ya' the heiress to the estate"
ed To,.IF returned the bonnet, I'm
: ba-. Npez; my folks are dead. and this
p, tb,t, '~ ,I'i won't be mine till I'm of age
., II was evident. Lambert told himself
that II, ,oII'Wed the girl to the house,
u" ter f,r purchase would be an easy mat
he yaIns - ,Is Certainly had no idea of the
tel re0nt,,;.- ,'s' scrawny acres. Lan1bert's
worne,, w.. G"> mat he had a way with
hieN certa;9 :. whatever that may mean; but
:, booked s,r, :, mat when his gray eyes
iieN hshes tho ,,'@ a2. ont from their black
ee rdi1g ',' oolect they rested upon, pro-
u felt be-sa,t was "a. OF the feminine gender,
the rr; .,s-' 'of the moment the centre of
y To,y ,'' .s,I I$e and many wiser girl than
81 vas ,b asn' tell You so. Perhaps that
Id nnsb ne reason she stammered and
' ,bs slipping her chineIo on and off