The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-01

Copyright, 1907. by w. e. Chapran.)
The twelfth OF August saw up, as
raual ut Seldom Castle, Ross shire. It
is part OF Charles's restless, rowing
temperament that, on the morning Of
the eleventh. wet or fine, he must set
IS sitting or not. in defiance Of the
most urgent three line whips: and at
work on his moors. shooting down the
young birds with might and main, at
the. earliest possible legal moment
ms sSss or on ks e p ssa Ia s tens s
thousands. with all the guns In the
llousc to help. him. till the Keepers warn
lin he has killed as many grouse as
they consider desirable; and then. hay
respect, he retires precipitately Will,
lying colors to Brighton. Nice, Monte
Carlo. or elsewhere. He must be al
led, I believe. he win not be able to
walk the world to terrify old ladies'.
"At Seldom, ut least" he said to me.
Pullman, Il shall be safel gpo that that I ms
postor!'
And. indeed. MS soon as he had be-
gun to tire little OF counting up
found a triaing piece Of financial work
cut ready to his hand, which amply
distracted his mind for the moment
from Colonel Clay. his accomplices, and
Sir Charles, I ought to say. had re-
cured during that summer a very nd
Nantagenus option In part of Africa
On the ne, Iransvaal frontier. rumored to
fact that Charles a had nsi0r Secured ,s so spe
calm on It naturally made it so: for
touch TO greater degree than Charles
Nandrift; whatever he handles turns
It once to gold. II not to diamonds.
,l !, u. e as son as my, brother-in-
native vendor "a most respected chief.
BY name Montsioa), and promoted n
company OF his own to develop It, his
Great Ere at, rival II, that region. Lord Craig
der Granton). Immediately secured
similar option of an adjacent track.
me larger part OF which had pretty
mnch the same geological conditions
OF pre-emption. -
We were not wholly disappointed, as
~ turned out. In the result. a month,
Seldom. we received long and en-
couraging letter from our prospectors
on the spot, who had been hunting over
bIOuuQ III SSdTClH OF SOl1-repIS.
They reported that they had found a
good auriferous vein in u corner OF
the tract approachable by adit-levels
but, unfort9nately only a few yards
charles's area. The remainder ran on
Mt once into what was locally known
as Craig Ellachie's section.
However. our. .prospectors had been
canny. they said: though young Mr..
Granton was prospecting at the same
time. In the self-same ridge, not very
far from them. his miners had failed
to discover the auriferous quartz so
our men had held their tongues about
1T. wisely leaving It for Charles Il
govern himself accordingly.
can you dispute the boundary"
'Imnossibie.. Z, Charter answered. .-Yop
see. the limit Is a merriam Of lonsi-
tude; There's no getting over. that.
ments! Besides. we drew the line our
sey: Amalgamatci Amalgamate".
very voice in which he mnrmured that
blessed word. "amalgamate," was In 1T
"capitai!' answered. "say nothing
about 1t. and join forces with Craig.
lcIlachie." Charles closed one eye pen
sively.
That very same evening came tel
gram In cipher from our chief engineer
on the territory of the option: Young
Granton has somehow given us the slip
and gone home. We suspect he knows
oil. But we have not divulged the
secret to ANYBODY"
There st ne fs to sa ID
lost. must write this evening to Sir
David mean to my lord. Do you
happen to know where he is stopping att
''The Morning Post announced two or
three days ago that he was at Glen
Ellachie," / answered.
Then II ask him a to Gene over and md
brother-in-law went on. "A very rich
reef. they say. / must have my finger
init"
Sir Charles drafted. must admit, a
most judicious letter to the rival CAPT.
talist. He pointed out that the mineral
resources OF the country We're pr, probapt Ply
expense Of crushing and milling might
lie almost prohibitive. That access to
fuel was costly and its conveyance diff
ificult.
That water was scarce. and COM
rnanded by our section. That two
rival companies. II they happened to
hit upon ore. might cut one anothers
threats by erecting two sets I, OF q, fur, fnr-
two separate streams to the spot, Where
one would answer. In short, to ems
ploy The golden word. that amalgama-
lion might prove DelLeTN III Fllle emu hl1!dH
competitions, and that he advised, ut
.lei,st. conference on the subject: .
I wrote 1t out fair to him and Sir
Charles: with the air Of Cromwell,
signed 1t.
''''This is important, sey," he said.
|"lr had better be registered, for fear
OF failing into improper hands. Don't
give 1t to Dobson; let Cesarine take 1t
over to Fowls in the dog-cart."
1t is the drawback OF Seldom that
W.. arc twelve miles from q. railway
station. though we lookout on one Of
the loveliest firths In Scotland.
Cesarine took 1t as directed--an In
valuable servant, that girl! Meanwhile
we learned from the Morning Post next
day that young Mr.. Granton had stolen
a march upon us. Tte had arrived from
Africa by the same mail with our
agents letter, and had Joined his faith
ert at once at Glen Elllchie.
Two days later we received a most
polite reply from the, opposing inter-
est. It ran after this fashion: . ,s1
Craig Ellachie Lodge, Glen p lachie.
eEness-shire,--Dear Sir Charles
Vanarift: Thanks for yours OF the
10th. In reply.8I can only say 4 fullyi
10 or, ,faE In