Gilpin observer., 1914-08-20

NO" grumbled Hooker, "if / go III
stay with it." He glanced at his pard-
ner at this, but he. for one, did not
seem to be worried.
III try anything-once!" he OBJ
served with q sprighty air, and Bud
grinned sardonically at the well-worn
| phrase.
Well" said Kruger. gazing inQuir-
ingly from one to the other. "is 1t q
got Will you shake hands on itf''
whats the proposition?" broke in
De Lancey eagerly.
THE deal is between me and
Hooker" corrected Kruger. "I1l give
him three hundred a month, or an
equal share in the mine, expenses to
be shared between u.s.
Make 1t equal shares" said Hook
er, holding out his hand. "and I'll give
half of mine to Phil"
"All right, my boy!" cried the old
man, suddenly clapping him on the
shoulder. I'll go you-and you'll never
regret It," he added significantly.
Then, throwing of the air of guarded
secrecy which had characterized his
actions so far. he sat down and began
to talk.
Boys" he said. Pm feeling lucky
today or I'd never have closed this
deal I'm letting you in on one of the
biggest things that's ever been found
In Sonora. Just to show you how good
it is. here's my smelter receipts for
eight hundred pounds of picked ore
one thousand and twenty-five dollars!
That's the first and last ore that's ever
been shipped from the old Eagle Tail.
dug 1t out myself, and sacked 1t
and shipped 1t; and then some of them
crooked Mexican officials tried to beat
me out Of my title and blowed up the
whole works with dynamite!
Yes, sir, clean as a WHISTLE! had
my powder stored away in the drift,
and the minute found out was
euchged I laid fuse to 1t and brought
the whole mountain down. That was
ten years ago, and old Aragon and
the agente mineral have had the land
located ever since.
Il bet they've spent five thousand
pesos trying to find that lead. but be-
ing nothing but bunch of ignorant
Mexicans. of course they never found
nothing. Then Francisco Madero
comes in and fires the agente mineral
of his job and old Aragon lets the land
revert for taxes. I've got a Mexican
that keeps me posted. and ever since
he sent me word that the title had
lapsed I've been crazy to relocate that
claim.
We'll, now. that don't look SO bad.
does it?" he asked. beaming paternally
at Bud. There amt man In town
that wouldn't have jumped at the
chance. If was where could talk
about 1t, but that's Just what couldn't
do. I had to find some stranger that
wouldn't sense what mine was talk
ing about and then git him to go in on
It blind.
Nov here's the way I'm fixed.
boys" he exclaimed. brushing his un-
kempt beard and smiling craftily.
When dynamited the Eagle Tail it
was mine by rights. but Cipriano Ara
gon-he's the big Mexican down at old
Fortuna-and Morales, the mineral
agent. had buncoed me out of the title.
so. according to law. blowed up
their mine. and II l ever showed up
down there l reckon they'd throw me
into jail And II at any time they find
out that you're working for me. Why.
we're ditched-thats all! They'll put
you out of business. So, after we've
made Gus agreement and I've told you
what to do. don't want to hear a
word out of you--l don't want you to
come near me. nor even write me a
letter-just go ahead the best you can
until you win out or go broke.
1T amt hard proposition" he
continued. III you keep your mouth
shut, but II they tumble. it'll be fight
to finish. I'm not saying this for
you. Hooker. because | know you're
safe; I'm saying 1t for your pardner
here. You talk too much, Mr.. De Ian
cey." he chided. eying him with sud
den severity. I'm afraid of vel"
"All right broke in Hooker good
naturedly, II reckon we understand.
Now go ahead and tell us where this
mine is and who there is down there
to look out for"
The man to look out for" an
swered Kruger with venom. rs Cipri-
ano Aragon. He's the man that bilked
me out OF the mine once. and he'll do
II again II he can. When | went down
thers-it was ten years and more ago
Il wasn't on to those Spanish ways OF
his. and he was 80 dog-goned polite
und friendly | thought could trust
him anywhere.
HE owns big ranch and mescal
still, runs cattle, works a few placers,
sends out pack-trains. and has every
Mexican and Indian in the country In
debt to him through his store, 90 II he
happens to want any rough work done
there's always somebody to do IT,
well. Just 70 show you how he did
me. got to nosing round those old