Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-12-08

new counter1eiting dodge. How easily
most persons could be induced to
make the transient
A counterfeiter, however, would
hardly work by so picturesque and
noticeable a method, unless he were
carefully disguised-hardly even then.
Was Senior Poritol disguised? Orme
looked at him more closely. No. he
could see where the roots of the
coarse black hair joined the scalp.
And there was not the least evidence
Of makeup on the face. Nevertheless,
Orme did not feel warranted In giving
up the marked bill without a definite
explanation. The little man was a
comic figure, but his bizarre exterior
might conceal a dangerous plot. He
might be a thief, an anarchist, any
thing.
please, my dear sir, please do not
add to my already very great anxi-
ety." pleaded the visitor.
Orme spoke more decisively. "You
are a stranger, Senior Poritol. l don't
know what all this mystery conceals,
but l can't give out that bill unless l
know more about it-and I won't" he
added, as he saw Senior Poritol open
his mouth for further pleading.
Very WE'LL" sighed the little man.
He hesitated for an instant, then add
ed: Il do not blame you for insisting
and I suppose l must say to you every
thing that you demand. No, / do not
smoke the cigar, please. But If you
do not object He produced a
square of cigarette paper and some
tobacco from a silver-mounted pouch,
and deity rolled a cigarette with one
hand, accepting a match from Orme
with the other. Closing his eyes, he
inhaled the smoke deeply, breathing 1t
out through his nostrils.
well" he hesitated, his eyes
rowing about the room as If in search
of something-"Well, l will explain to
you why I want the bill"
Orme lighted a fresh cigar and set
tied himself to hear the story. Sc.
nor Poritol drew a second handker-
chief from his pocket and mopped his
damp brow.
"You must know. my very dear SIR
he began, that l come from a country
which is very rich in the OF
nature. In the unsettled interior are
very great mineral deposits which are
little known, and since the day when
the great Vega made the first explora,
ton there has been the belief that the
Urinaba mountains hide a great
wealth in gold. Many men for three
hundred years have risked their most
precious lives to 60 look for It. But
they have not found it. No, my deaf
sir, they have not found it until-But
have patience, and you shall hear
everything.
"A few days ago a countryman o.
mine sent word that he was about tt
die. He asked that l, his early friend
should come to him Immediately ant
receive news Of utmost Importance
He was lying sick in the hotel of &
small city in Wisconsin. He was {
tobacco agent and he had been at
tackled by death while he was on {
business trip.
"F1lled with the h~eartbroken hopt
to see him once more before he died
I went even as I was, to a train ant
made all haste to his bedside"
What was his manner" asked Orme
Lopez" replied Senior Porto
promptly; and Orme knew that thu
answer might as well have beef
Smith. But the little man returned
quickly to his story.
my friend had no strength left. HI
was, oh, SO weak that / wept to see him
But he sent the doctor and the prizes
out OF the room, and then-and thel
he whispered In my ear a secret. H,
had discovered rich gold In the Uri
naba country. He had been trying t
earn money to go back and dig up tn
gold. But, alas! now he was dying
and he wished to give the secret t
me, his old friend.
1GdTS Ou lily CuO6h. OS
nor Poritol's eyes filed, seemingly a
the remembrance. But I took out m,
fountain pen to write down the direc
lions he wished to give. See-this wa
the pen" He produced a gold-mount
ed tube from his waistcoat.
Il searched my pockets for a piec
of paper. None could / discover
There was no time to be lost, for m
J friend was growing weaker, oh, yer
fast. In desperation look a 1ve-do
, lar bill, and wrote upon 1t the diret
lions he gave me for finding the golt
Even as l finished 1t, dear Lope
J breathed his last breath"
Orme pulled at his cigar. $50 tn
bill carries directions for finding
rich deposit in the Urinaba mour
tains?"
"Yes, my dear sir. But you woul
not rob me of it. You could not III
derstand the directions"
ooh, no." Orme laughed. Il hSv
I no interestpin South American gol
mines"
Then accept this fresh BILL" in
. plored Senior Poritol, land give m
l back the one | yearn for"
Orme hesitated. "A moment more,
he said. "Tsll me, how did you los
possession of the marked bill?"
The South American writhed in hi
oLair and leaned forward eagerl,
That is the most distressing part q
all" he exclaimed. II had left Oh
| cago at a time when my presence 1
!, this great city was very important IL
deed. Nothing but tho call from a d.
ing friend would have induced me \