Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-10-20
he took out less than $1,000. He told

he took out less than $1,000. He told
me that you were up there yourselves
only a short time ago trying to induce
him to release the mine for $25. 900, be-
lieving it to be exhausted. Now
"As Temple has rediscovered the
vein, richer than ever,' finished Graw
coolly, I'VE propose to operate it our
selves. But you may tell him that if
he will turn the mine over to us at
daylight tomorrow we will pay him
back one-half the years lease, $685.
OOO."
''And let him lose the other $75, OO0,"
flashed back Joyce. mo, thank you.
We will hold the mine until the very
last moment of the lease.'
But once outside she wondered if she
had done the best she could. He was
down in the mine working fiercely
with his men at the almost pure vein
which the explosives had uncovered
and believing that she would return
with the new lease. Only ten more
days, and he did not know it. What
could she do?
Before she had gone hundred yards
she knew, and instead of keeping on
toward tine stores she hurried to the
only printing office Bedrock contained.
An hour later the town was conspicu-
ously posted with: Men wanted at the
Snake Rock mine for ten days. Wages
$15 day, pack mules So"
Ordinary wages for good laborers
was four or five. Bosses and superin-
tendents did not average fifteen. In
an hour men were leaving regular jobs
of work and ruthlessly breaking con-
tracts. When Joyce finished her shop
ping and started for home she found
stragglers and groups with picks and
shovels scattered along the trail for
two miles or more. But she reached
the mouth of the mine first and sent
an imperative summons for Temple to
her half hour later twenty men were
waiting for jobs, with fifty hurrying
up the slope, and between the fifty
and Bedrock came half thousand
more.
The regular force of the mine was
morning a thousand names were on
the payroll, divided into day and night
shifts. A great stream Of ore rolled
up out of the mine to the backs Of the
pack mules and on the smelter at Bed
rock, from whence came certificates of
credit with figures that would have
staggered mine owner Of moderate
p,,%T
them. He was down in the mine
working and watching day and night
to see that the great stream should
not slacken for even an instant.
Joyce insisted on a share in the
work and remained at the mouth Of
the mine with book and pencil, keeping
record Of the stream as it flowed
past, and it was she who took charge
of the credit slips as they came in.
So week went by, eight days, nine
days, and the tenth was nearing it's
close when Temple came up from the
mine and staggered weakly to where
Joyce was standing with her book and
pencil And behind Temple came the
half thousand men Of the day shift,
slipping through the mouth Of the
mine like the coils Of mighty SER
pent The vein had again disappear
ed, and four hours of the lease re-
manned.
When Temple looked over the credit
slips the WEAKNESS left his face. ST
knew it would be something stupen-
dous," he said to Joyce, with long
breath, "but nothing like this. We
will divide two hundred thousand Of it
among the workmen, less than one
| quarter, and then for the east.''