Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-04-01


q his post. 1t was financial rea-
sons rather than inclination that kept
him there. Indeed, had the financial
part Of the equation been less imper-
alive, he would have packed up his
few belongings, said goodbye to Poti-
phar-the sole person on the coast, by
the way, to whom he would have
cared to say good-bye-and embarked
In one Of the fruit steamers for Gods
country
From a purely consular standpoint,
Antigua was not an exciting post,
From the standpoint of nature, It was
quite the reverse. In the years he had
dwelt in the tumbledown, wormeaten
shack which served as consulate, he
had passed through two earthquakes
volcanic eruption. several epidemics of
yellow fever and hurricanes so numer-
Gus that he had long since lost count
of them. If he had grown somewhat
skeptical of Antigua as a place of
abode, it must be admitted that he had
some reason on his side.
But on the particular afternoon An
tlgula was displaying her best side.
Potiphar's dinner had been excellent,
and with black cigar between his
teeth, the consu. lolled on the veranda,
enjoying the cool. sweet breeze that
came in from the water. The palm
trees rhythmicaly swayed their tufted
heads to and fro; the blue sky was
fecked with feecy white clouds; the
bluer water of the bay sparkled irri-
descently in the sun and tinkled pleas
antly on the pebbly beach.
The consul, with his feet elevated tc
the eranda rail, succumbed to all tbs
soothing influences about him and
nodded somnolently. Occasionally he
reused himself to puff the black cigar
but the intervals between his puffings
grew longer and longer. until the spark
on the cigar had died to crisp white
ash. The consul slept.
When he opened his eyes it was late
afternoon, for the shadows of the
palms were stretching out toward the
water. He blinked his heavy eyes, and
suddenly became conscious of being
watched. He turned. In a chair drawn
close beside him was a man-such
figure of mani The face-evidentlS
young-had long been stranger to
razor; the hair was long and matted
torn felt hat perched jauntily on on'
side of the head; for clothes there wa!
a soiled shirt and faded, tatteret
trousers; and the feet were encased IL
the remnants of pair of canvas shoes
This was the sorriest specimen o
beachcomber he had ever encountered
thought the consul drowsily as b
rubbed his eyes.
When he rubbed his eyes he full,
expected the fantastic apparation t
disappear, but when he looked agar
1t was still there. SO he straightene'
himself In his chair and said: Hello!
How do you do?" said the man.
The consul sat up.
where the thunder did you com
from" he said. II didn't know ther
was an English-speaking white ma
nearer than the ation-that is, nc
one that would want to come here I
the consulate" he amended.
The man grlnned his appreciation q
the consul's last clause.
"Oh, l guess I'm on the Deacn'
right" he said easily.
The consul looked him over again
and found no cause to dispute III
statement.
.'Wellv he said in a tone whic
clearly implied that if the other ha
any business with him he had bette
come to it at once.
Whatever the business that ha
brought him thither, the man was ev
IDENTIFY at loss how to begin. He
moved the disreputable hat, and ra
his hand thoughtfully several time
through the tangled mat of hair. FL
brows were drawn into a perplexe
frown. Finally. he leaned toward Il
consul, coughed and said;
"My name is Robert Brant"
"Ah! That is important" said Il
tonsul dryly. -,
yours is Grayson, believe" II
man pursued.
The consul nodded indolently.
81 believe. Mr.. Grayson," the ms
went on, that, as consul here. "