The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-03-18
By ALEXANDER BRUCE
Copyright, 1901. by Alexander Bruce


AC OAtRub AluSL QC uOuDlcQ OF IQG
mine closes down." repeated Grafton
In higher key.
Cant do 1t. 1t amt in the Evening
Star to twinkle that bright"
but it's in the Busy Bee. Our priv
ate borings show it." whispered Graf
ton.
Jack wasn't surprised at the speech.
He knew Grafton well, had worked
with him for years, so he swung round
on his knees and leered: "GoinQ to
steal? EhY'
The manager flushed crimson.
Were just taking loan. If we
don't, the entire bank of cash we've
thrown into this cursed hole is gone,
and" as parting shot, your loans
go with It,"
The old man was silent. nervous
twitching of the mouth betrayed his
excitement and his hands trembled as
he stretched out to unite the red hand
kerchief in the can beside him. He
pulled out sandwich and began
munching at it. Grafton rose and
stood looking at him sheepishly. Mel
ther spoke for time.
The nine hundred foot level of the
Evening Star had been run hundred
feet westward from the main shaft,
timbered up solid like tunnel all the
way. Beyond was the underground
room where the manager and the drill
hand were working. Then came five
feet of solid rock, yet unexcavated.
inside the boundary line of the mine.
Beyond that every inch Of rock belong
ed to the Widow Baird.
The late owner of the Busy Bee had
sunk shaft and followed the loadstar
lode westward with Indifferent sue
cess, while all unknown to him in the
eastern portion of his mine bounded
by the Evening Star lay tons of the
wealth which makes men mad. Year
after year of heavy expenditure, poor
returns and superabundance Of litiga-
ton had disheartened him, so the
Busy Bee closed down. Shortly after
ward Baird died. 1t was said that dis
appointment had crushed him. Graf
ton had been the deceased's intimate
companion and one of the experts
whose advice Baird had relied upon.
Knowing the widows low financial
state, he assured Haggart, 1--WE can
buy the mine for song"
The Evening Star was completely
played out. No one knew that better
than Grafton. He was drawing a
princely salary for his work, and the
monthly reports to the owner had been
couched in grandiloquent language, but
the latter's eyes We're open at last.
Grafton had approached the widow
with miserly offer and was staggered
at the reply, "The mine is not for
sale" He knew the woman had moth
ing. Her daughters beggarly earn
ings as milliner could not keep them
both and pay rent and taxes besides.
Some one was doing it, and the man.
ager swore roundly at the unknown
benefactor.
When the Cornishman finished his
scanty lunch, he began leisurely oiIing
the drill bearings. Grafton stood su-
perintending.
You're not with us, then, Jack?"
''Pm not saying I'm not" was the
sharp reply.
Grafton grinned. He knew from that
the man would be easily bribed, SO he
let the matter rest.
you'll be on till 6, then?"
''Yes, SIR
VERY good. If Ryan comes down
when I'm gone, don't let him in here.
We don't want him longer. It's as
well not to let him see the position of
the drill"
Aye, aye" muttered Jack.
The manager seized candle and
hurried along the level to the shaft
and entered the cage, which came
swinging up to the surface He had
an uncomfortable task to perform and
made straight for the office. Ryan
saw him coming and crushed the love
letter in his pocket
Morning" said Grafton gloomily.
The bookkeeper cheerfully acknowl-
edged the half hearted salutation. He
had been an exemplary clerk, and the
manager felt it necessary to screw up
his courage under cover of pretended
search. He pulled out letter books,
ledgers, anything he could lay his
hands on, and unlocked a small private
drawer, drew out a file of papers and
began fumbling among them. A small
blue print slipped out and fell unnotic-
ed on the floor. At last he closed the
drawer with bang and turned round
abruptly.
1--WE don't need your services longer,
Ryan. Here's your check. Leave the
Keys on the desk. I'll get them when
l return"
He glanced at his watch, muttered
eleven twenty-five" and walked out.
Ryan, stunned, stood staring at the
check. He had been engaged on
weeks notice, and the extra salary
was included. How was he to help
Mary and her mother now? He had
enable them to hold on to their mine. |
Positions were scarce in this section Of
the country, and his spirits sank low.
What would Mary think of it? Mary
was the "beggarly milliner."
He began slowly to replace the books
which Uttered the floor. The blue
print lay between a tattered ledger and
a letter book. He picked it up and
turned it over.
whats thisY
1t was private chart showing the
borings through the boundary to the |
Busy Bee, and the assays averaged
$500 per ton. Ryan whistled soft
ly, slipped the paper in his pocket,
closed the safe and tossed the keys on
the desk. Grafton had taken the south
road to Ripple. and Pat didn't want .
to meet him. so he climbed the dump
on the north side of the shaft and hur-
ried down the hill. A whistle footed
up the canyon.
THAT must be the 11:45"
He rushed down the rocky pathway,
climbing powders, lodging spruce
stumps, sliding on the dry pine needles,
until he reached the depot.
Going to Dunton, Mr.. Ryan,"
lrawled the station agent
YES" gulped Pat breathlessly.
The man pushed down the signal
lever, and the roar Of the oncoming
train lessened as it swung round the
norH oIoxr,ol