Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1907-06-15
CHAPTER XII

Bile, keeping loving hand on them.
You fully understand my position,
Colonel?" l said This thing is no use
to me unless l receive at least $4,000
to pay back principal to meet interest,
and to replace another small debt to the
bank. If do that, l shall be left with
net profit of $1,000, not an extravagant
reward. If don't get that sum l shall
be a defaulter, revolution or no revolu-
ton
II can't make money If IT'S not there"
he said, but without his usual brusque-
ness of tone "But to this we agree. You
are to have first turn at anything we find,
up to the sum you name. It's to be hand
ed over solid to you. The Signorina and
l take the leavings. You don't claim to
share them, too, do you?"
NO." / said "I'm content to be
preference shareholder. If the moneys
found at the Golden House, it's mine. If
not, che new government, whatever it may
do as to the rest of the debt, will pay
me that sum-"
Wit hthat pushed my money over to
the Colonel
II expect the new government to be
very considerable to the bondholders all
round" said the Colonel, as he pocketed
1t with a chuckle. Anyhow, your terms
are agreed, Ell, Signorina ?"
"Agreed !" said she. And I'm to have
the country seat?"
"Agreedw said I. "And the Colonel's
to be President and to have the Golden
House and all that therein is"
agreed agreed agreed p chanted the
Signorina land that's quite enough bust
70 fba
l had risen to go, when a sudden
thought struck me.
where's Johnny Carr? say, Colo
mel, how indiscreet was he last night Do
you think he remembers telling you about
it?"
YES" said the Colonel, II expect he
does by now. He didn't when l left him
this morning."
"Will he confess to the President2
III he does, 1t might make the old man
keep an unpleasantly sharp eye on you.
He knows you don't love him."
well, Carr hasn't seen the President
yet He was to stay at my house over
to-day. He was uncommon seedy this
morning, aud l persuaded the doctor to
give him composing draught- Fact is, l
wanted him quiet till I'd had time to
think. You know don't believe he would
own up-the President would drop on
him so; but he might, and it's better they
shouldn't meet"
There's somebody else he oughtn't to
meet" said the Signorina.
who's that?" l asked
Donna Antonia," she replied. Hes
getting very fond of her, and depend upon
1t, If he's in trouble he'll 60 and tell her
the first thing. Mr.. Carr is very conf
Dental to his friends"
We recognized the value of this sug-
gestion. If Donna Antonio knew, the
President would soon know.
Quite right" said the Colonel. 1T
won't do to have him rushing about let
ting out that we know all about it. He's
all right up to now"
Yes, but IL he gets FESTIVE tomorrow
morning. said 1. And then you don't
want him at the Golden House on Friday
evening, and don't want him at the bar
racks"
mo. he'd show fight Carr would"
said the Colonel. Look here. we're in
for this thing, and I'm going through
with 1t. l shall keep Carr at my house
till It's all over, even IL l have to use
force. Master Johnny Is better quiet"
Suppose he turns uglyT l suggested
again.
He may turn as ugly as he Hikes"
said the Colonel. HE don't leave nv
house unless he puts a buRet into me
first. That's settled. Leave 1t to me. If
he behaves nicely, he'll be all right. If
not"
"What shall you do to himl" asked the
Signorina.
"Oh, leave 1t to the Colonel: he'll man.
age all right" l suggested.
Nov I'm off, said the latter. '.back
to my friend Johnny. Goodnight, Sig
norma. Write to the President to-mor-
row. Goodnight, Martin. Make that
speech OF yours pretty long. Au revoir
till next Friday"
l prepared to 60, for the Colonel lin
gered till came with him. Even then
we so distrusted one another that neither
would leave the other alone with the Sig
norma
We parted at the door, he going Of up
the road to get his horse to ride to his
RANCH" l turning down toward the
Piazza.
We left the Signorina at the door, look
Ing pale and weary, and for once bereft
of her high spirits. Poor girl She
found conspiracy rather trying work.
was little troubled myself. l began
to see more clearly that it doesn't do for
man of scruples to dabble in politics.
l had great regard for poor Johnny.
and l felt no confidence In the Colonel
treating him with any consideration. In
fact | would not have insured Johnnv,s
life for the next week at any conceivable
premium. Again l thought it unlikely
that, If we succeeded, the President would
IL. L. Ill