The Marshall republican., 1906-08-17

get an option on the Conquerof mine
Tor anything like a reasonable price1'
well, It hasn't been for saie,' said I,
duly. but II any n can buy il at a
fair figure, l suppose l am he. II the
cash were coming TO pay for it,
MAYBE here's your chance said Osh-
kosh, and, taking up a letter, passed 1t
over to me; then he turned to write,
digging away with his pen at a wonder
ful rate on something that was evidently
juicy to him.
Tho letter wal from a capitalist who
was at the head Of a syndicate that was
offering to buy developed mining prop
erty. II was eviden, that they meant
business and had millions back Of them.
While was reading and Oshkosh
was still writing like fury, a clerk slipped
in with a basket containing the usual
grist Of papers that daily passes through
q bank. all made up ready 10 sisn and
mail, and on the top OF the heap was
the Sultan's Draft. I give you my word
Of honor, DE. ! grew sick again at sight
Of Il.
The old man finished with a final
skate across the paper as the clerk passed
out.
swell, James, son, what do you think
Of iti' he said, wheeling around 10 me.
Tn sure the Conqueror could be sold
IL the price isn't out Of sight. II you
can swing that deal, my boy, you can
snap your fingers at the whole pack of
your debts, and the Sultan's Draft, too.
Your commissions on the sale would
amount 10 FIVE times the sum Of your
present needs. Do you think you can
make IL 20 through IN six weeks5 That's
about the limit Of time I'm giving 10 the
return OF this hoax
"'Oh, my Codi We can't count on
that in such a desperate emergency rs
thisp ! cried, in a panic.
Keep cool, james, Keep cool. Sit
on the safety valve and throw In your
bacon and coal oil. You must beat in
the race with some Of your plans, and
| this offers another very good opportun-
ity 10 win out. Now look here Osh-
kosh continued, taking the paper he had
just been working over, that draft has
10 have something 10 70 with Il, and
this is what ] have made; but N n
soul on earth can tell what Il IL, ifs more
than ! can do. Il did not contain q word
Il ~ tIlhht " HittliklUlts buN W NA1 NIAu@
tiful TO look nj. The pen strokes were
decorative as Chinese characters, and
seemingly as precise as German script.
Any one might have told me Il was San.
serit, or Runic, or Cunelform, or Aztec
or Choetaw. and ! would have believed
it-or. for that matter. q design for an
Oriental rug or an Arabian mural deco
ration; il would have been all the same
TO me. Why. De, what was intended to
convey the idea Of . signature and ended
In that last almighty skate OF Oshkosh's,
beat Spinner's and was master
piece finer than that Of the Sultan him
self that they inlay In mother of- pearl on
the tops OF tabourets. Heaven help the
British Museum 10 u ever meets with
that dummy document Of Osbkosh's;
savants will waste their lives trying 10
desipher IL;
well. that worthless thing the old
man fastened with q big bank pin 10
that worthless draft. and addressed Il 10
his correspondent here in Chicago.
:" There you are. James. my boy; bid
Il good-by, but be ready TO greet Il with
amount on demand when Il comes back.
Now 20 long about your business
u did go about my business-you can
bank on that. ] fairly tore up the earth
70 be ready 10 meet the return OF that
draft. Why. ! couldn't think OF that In
fernal draft that | didn't imagine the
banks Il went through and the stir Il
must have made In some Of them. OIL
the blooming young clerks that handled
ii--and r%eyerently. too. good Lordl-and
OF the old-timers they appealed 10, per-
haps. who were afraid 10 take II seri-
ously and afraid to take il rs a joke.
None OF my schemes positively failed,
but they tantalired me with numberless
delays that ate into my nerves like lye.
Still the return OF the draft was provi-
dentially delayed. Then, when each day
dawned with the dread that Il would
bring the crack Of doom. the consumma-
ton OF the Conqueror mine deal became
assured. The final settlement Of the sale
that would give me money b burn ram
neck and neck with the return OF that
daredevil draft that would bring me
ruin and disgrace.
AT last a bank messenger came down
to the works to tell me Oshkosh wanted
to see me Immediately. II was a Thought
less thing for the old man 10 do--hc
knew my eondition-why, l thought Of
suicide as ] went up town
"Old Oshkosh was waiting for me IN
his private Office. looking as usual, faith
erly and kindly serious. But the door
had hardly closed on us when he few
at me and beat and pounded me on the
back, and shouted an undertone OF some
good news into my ear ! couldn't make |
out what Il
look, look, James, my boyr he
cried. snatching up a bit OF paper. The |
Sultan's Draft. the Sultan's DraftP
The engraved voucher swan before
my eyes, but l siddily saw enough
James Hazleton--hfteen thousand dol |
lars-the Sultan's Draft had been paid"
well. what do you think OF that"
marveled De Loss.
From that on il seemed that every
thing came my way." resumed Hafleton.
More than a hundred thousand came
pouring IN on me In the next few weeks.
But Raudebaugh and l never tired Of
specializing on the reason the Sultan hon
ored the draft. ] spent a good deal try
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