Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-06

L nS OpOItSC
Continued +
substitute for the frank admission he was GER
tain Red would make
I've been kinder shy on capital Red de-
clared.
Lost his money when that bank in Toronto
busted last winter" Peloo explained.
This was just trte sudden for Reds equa-
nimty. He laughed.
You take your losses good naturally. like
that" Fonsby remarked.
Il was jus thinlin' of the Teller l hired to
locate that vein," Red explained, fancying he
had detected drawl of suspicion in the others
remark. He was one of them fclers that's got
kind of crotched switch fer locatin' wells an
things. He tramped purity nigh all over that
forty acres, an all of student he stopped still
as though he'd been paraly wed in his ints. his
face all twisted up, and the switch that he was
grippin' with both hands commenced to dip.
Only I'm kinder mixed. 1t was an electric
patent kind of crotch he had-that's the 1dee.
Then he says to me It's down there! Then
me an a man trenched fer two days, an TN lily
we come a groundhogs nest
Fonsby sat back in his chair and laughed.
What did the man say" he asked finally.
IL never herd guess he's runnn' yet.
Red got hot under the collar an kinder
went fer that feller Peloo eucidated.
EONSBY suddenly Strengthened up in his
chair and said, Look herel | don't mind
saying that I've got deuced interested IN your
mine, Mr. Meekins, and in yourself too, to be
candid"
Red had to suppress another yelp of pain.
Beneath the table Peloo's toe was cautioning
him to be wary.
You said something about lack of capital,
Fonsbv continued Now, I've come here to
invest few pounds if find somethlng-well,
something, you know"
Reds got it-he's got somethin big!" and
Peloo wagged his bushy head sagaciously.
IN tell you what you do Red offered.
You come down an bunk with me in the
shack, an when I've found the big vein Il give
YOU first chance to buy the mine.
by Jove! that might cost a pretty penny!
You'd want million. Surprising | buy in
now, and take a chance"
'Taint for sale, Peloo declared, wagglng
his head despondently.
q ulster say that afore / see this dog of
YOURS" Red declared; but if you want to
come down an prospect, anil bring this pup
to the shack, ain sayin' we mlghtn't make
deal"
Whats half interest WORTH"
Peloo held his breath, fearing Meekns would
be too modest in his demands.
You best come down with me tomorrow
an look the mine over" Red answered, . an if
it looks good Ill trade half interest for this
pup an ten thousand dollars to boot"
Laughing over Reds unique proposal, the
Englishman agreed at least to inspect the mine.
When the two men had parted from Fonsby.
on the way out they met Tom. What do
get out of it," the latter asked.
"Out of what!' Peloo queried.
"Out of the sale. You don't mean to say
you let English get away from you? When
see you go in there together | knowed what was
dom, an thought I'd boost things by springin
that yarn about Teller wantin' to buy. Didn't
it help nonee"
You JUS leave that to Red" Peloo advised
Guess he'll make it right with you, Tom"
That's good enough for me-" Tom an
swered. Goodnight, feers. Make your
check payable at par, Red"
THE result of Fonsby's visit to the Spotted
Dog mine was deal through which he be-
came a half owner. Strangely enough, the IL
lusiveness of the big vein appealed to him as a
matter of exciting interest. Unknown to the
partners and quite beyond the value they
placed upon his intelligence, Fonsby had inter-
viewed the recording officer. With boyish en-
thusiasm discardng the triple-roled trousers
for pair of heavy overalls he rolled up his
sleeves and went to work, perhaps with more
energy than aptitude.
Such little idiosyncrasies as trying to clean
!; lamp chimney with stick of dynamite, its
end twisted in handkerchief, caused Red to
exercise a wise supervision which prevented
actual disaster-at least up to the time Achilles
brought on the end of all things.
There always remained in Nipissing mat
ter of discussion the question of which dog
would have licked the other the night they
hooked up if Pilkins hadn't interfered. The