Arizona republican., 1907-12-29

his roll-top desk, which was open. ana
watched Dane with apprehensive eyes.
Gentlemen. the chair will ask the
Injecting to come to order" Dane said.
His voice was grave, deliberate and
Unconditional The circumstances are
such that the chair will dispense with
the usual formalities. You are wait
ing for my report on the Valdez Mine.
lGentlemen. there is no Valdez Mine.
The ohtre four directors looked AT
him in stupefied silence.
The property that we had thought
| So promising proves now quite valu
less. In all my mining experience
have never known OF a parallel case.
| We have uncovered, as you know. a
considerable quantity or ore; but. gen.
tlemen, that ore which we have uncov-
cred IS absolutely all there is. Instead
lof striking a vein. we have struck what
seems to be merely an isolated deposit.
The money we have spent on develop
ment work has been thrown away. Il
would hardly paw us to transport the
ore We have blocked out to a smelter-
so remote as we are from railroad. In
short, our mine is worth literally Moth
ing
But Mr.. Dane" cried Paul HerrIck.
rising and pointing to the chart Of the
mine that hung on the wall. how is it
possible? Here is the main lode"
He stepped up to the chart and with
his finger traced the markings. As he
Ibid SO he talked rapidly, appealingly,
stating what they all had believed
what was so at variance with Danes
astounding news.
Dane rose and stood behind him.
Yes he said. We thought so. But
we were mistaken. | can only repeat
that the case, so far as know. is with
out parallel" He went patiently into
a technical explanation, describing the
dwindling and failure of the ore. The
superintendent report" he added,
covering the matter fully. is on the
way. We made every possible explor-
Iation-and the superintendent will give
YOU all the details. / hurried home to
| lay the matter before you
| "But-but you assured us, Dane"
cried Shinn with helpless pathos. His
face had turned a dangerous purple
he stretched gentlemanly, little
white hand along the table with en-
treaty toward Dane.
Il assured YOU" the chairman an
lswered. And | am chagrined-like
the lawyer who loses his case, or the
doctor who loses his patient. No more
| than other men are mining engineers
infalIible.
"Chagrined." Good Cod" exclaimed
Tweed, passionately. Then he stop
ped. the great vein in his forehead was
lswollen, and in his flushed face all
the lines of age and care seemed To
have frightened. He bent himself for
ward, clutching his hands together be-
tween his knees. thrusting his sleeves
Iup from his bony wrists
WEIGH. sitting at his desk, had PEN
ciled line on slip of paper. and
now. while the others waited in strick-
en- silence. he opened and the office
boy appeared.
/ Stop" cried Dane in his big voice,
leaping up; the violence Of sudden
anger swept over the gravity of his
face. He sprang between Welch and
the boy. You are not wanted, boy:
that bell was mistake" he said. and
the boy, open-mouthed and frightened.
withdrew.
l1dilt lDOhtu uoN d. the lawyer.
The chair rules that no one in this
room shall hold communication with
any one outside till after this meeting
is adjourned" he stated emphatically.
That note in your hand, Mr.. Welch.
might be an order to sell stock: /
should advise you to destroy it,
You jump at conclusions" replied
the lawyer flushing and pocketing the
note. Il wonder if one so shrewd has
not already profited by his advance
Information
Dane drew packet of papers from
his pocket and tossed il on Welch's
desk. Il expected the question. You
will find those are the certificates of
my five thousand shares of Valdez
stock"
I'VE have no assurance that your
broker may not call for them tomor-
row." speered WEIGH.
Dane laughed toIerantIy. II will
leave them with you. my dear sir, for
safe keeping. Come, gentlemen. come;
we may not trust one another, but we
must make up our minds not To be
tray one another. Let us discuss the
situation calmly.
he returned 10 MS place at the head
of the table. The two old men. Shinn
and Tweed, with anxious faces were
figuring now on the backs of enve-
.lopes: across from the Paul Herrick
sat low in his chair with his arms
folded and his eyes starring gloomily
at the table before him.
THE thing for US to consider" said
Dane, lis what now to do. Is II your
pleasure, gentlemen, that we should at
once publish the failure of the mine?"
Tweed threw up both hands in a
gesture Of despair and imploring dis
sent
And the stock selling today at forty
fivei" groaned Shinn. Selling now, at
this moment, ar forty-five,"
Welch sat at his desk lingering
Danes certificates of stock. The flush
had left his face; of the four men who
had heard the announcement he SEEM
ed to have most thoroughly recovered
himself. He began to speak now. with
the persuasive art of the lawyer who
had won some reputation through his
cleverness in refining upon the truth
ans investigating a specious argument
with FEASIBILITY
I'VE seem, gentlemen" he said. Ito
no GnIAanltr