Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-07-22
THE MINE EXPERT
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However. there's rumor Of a big
syndicate's buyer approaching, and
any of us will sell If we can get our
price. Say, two, sharp, and will be
there to go through with you"
Very well. You may look for me-"
AS the runabout whiried away, Clara
Faxon's eyes flashed him a kindly
glance over her shoulder. or late he
had thought her manner a shade more
friendly. Perhaps even Battlesea and
Mr.. Selee-. But pshaw! and he turned
abruptly and went back into the office.
At the desk he stood for fully min
ute, gazing down at the roll, the fine
wrinkles again coming between his
brows. Then with an impatient move
ment he swept the roll into his desk
and turned the key. Some chance Wis
itor might come in and notice 1t lying
there.
The next day his examination of
Battlesea's mine turned out as he
feared. The property was absolutely
worthless IS an investment And Fax
on's was no better. The only differ
ence was that old Faxon believed i'm
plicitly in his mine, while Battlesea
did not. So in selling, at whatever
price, one would be honest and the
other a self-conscious swindler.
From Faxon's mine Clint went
straight to Seele's, a quarter of a mile
away, expecting the same result. But
when he left it, late in the afternoon,
there was a strange look on his face.
He had examined many mines, some
of them very rich, but none had been
like Seele's. If he made a conscien-
tious report, this would be the mine
sold, at a fabulous price, and Seele,
from being merely prosperous man,
would become an immensely rich one.
Moreover, it would make Battlesea his
bitter enemy, and practically would
mean his ruin in this place. And ruin,
of course, meant the loss of whatever
chance he had of winning Cara
Faxon.
The wrinkles were deep in his fore
head when he entered the office and
dropped down at his desk, his head
upon his arms.
1t was a long. bitter fight lasting
through the night and into the gray
dawn Of the next day; but in the end
he made the small roll into a secure
package and returned it to Battlesea
by his office boy, stating it was some
thing that had been left In his office
by mistake. Then from his notes he
made out the reports for the three
mines.
One afternoon a week later, while
writing to the management of min
ing company In another State in re-
gard to a position, he heard some one
enter but, thinking it the office boy,
did not turn: Then:
IL beg your pardon, Mr.. Bly,
land. Can 1 speak with you a mo-
mentW
He whirled in his chair, to find
Clara Faxon standing before him, her
face a little pale, but her eyes glow
ing.
"Oh, Mr.. Bayland." she cried, i'm
petuously, before he could speak,
papa and Mr.. Battlesea are so angry
with you. 1 thought you must have
done something dreadful, the way
way they have been talking; but this
morning learned just how 1t was, and
hurried here, thinking you might
feel badly over their being angry. You
did nobly, and Everybody ought to
be proud Of you. IL"
She stopped suddenly, confusedly,
for he had caught her with both hands
and was gazing into her eyes in a
way that could not be misunderstood.
Her breath quickened little, then the
eyes met squarely, and the hands
were not withdraw n-IJtice GIohe