The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-07

! at Bud. There ain't a man I'm town
that wouldn't have jumped at the
! chance. IL | was where | could talk
| about 1t, but that's just what couldn't
do. had to find some stranger that
wouldn't sense what mine l was talk
Ing about and then git him to 80 in on
| 1t blind
Now 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 tho big Mexican down at old
Fortuna-and Morales. the mineral
| agent. had buncoed me out OF the title.
$50, according to law. blowed up
their mine. and II / ever showed up
down there ! reckon they'd throw mo
into Jail. And If ut any time they find
out that you're working for me, why.
we're tlitched-thnt's all. They'll put
you out OF business. SO. after we've
| mado our agreement and I've told you
what to do. don't want to hear I.
| word out OF you'll don't want you to
come near me. nor even write mo q
letter-just go ahead the best you can
until you win out or 60 broke.
ut amt n hard proposition" he
continued. III you keep your mouth
shut. but II they tumble. it'll be a fight
to finish. I'm not saying this for
you. Hooker. because 1 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 ye!"
"All right broke in Hooker good
naturediy. II reckon wo understand.
mine Is and who there is down there
to look out for
THE man to look out for" an.
ewered Kruger with venom. "is Cipr-
ano Arngon. He's the man that bllked
me out OF the mine once, and he'll do
1t again II he can. When went down
therc-it WAS ten years and more ago
Il wasn't on to those Spanish ways of
his. and he wac so dog-gUncd polite
and friendly l thought l could trust
him anywhere.
He owns big ranch and mescnl
still. runs cattle. works few pIacers,
sends out pack.trains. and has every
Mexican and Indian in tile country in
debt to him through his store. 30 IL he
happens to want any rough work done
there's always somebody to do it,
well. just to show you how he did
me, | got to nosing round those old
Spanish workings east Of Fortuna and
finally run across the ledge that I'm
telling you about. not fur from an
abandoned s.:aft. But the Mexican
mining laws are different from ours.
and an American has, lots OF trouble
anyway. SO made trade with old
Aragon that he should locate the claim
for me under q power Of attorney.
Didn't know him then like / do now.
The papers had TO be sent TO Niocte.
yuma and Hermosillo. and to the City
OF Mexico and back. and while l was
waiting around dug In on this lead
and opened up the prettiest vein OF
quartz you ever saw in your life.
Here's sample Of 1t. and it's sure
rich"
He handed De Lancey the familiar
pieca Of quartz and proceeded witt, i:1
story.
Tint orc looked 80 good to mo that
] couldn't wait-I shipped 1t before
got my title. And right there l made
my mistake. When Aragon saw the
gold In that rock he just quietly re-
corded the concession in his own namo
and told me to go to bazes. That's
the greaser OF 1t! So blew the whole
mine up and hit for the border. That's
the Dutch OF 1t. ! reckon" no added
grimly. Anyway, my old man was
Dutch"
He paused. smiling over tho mem.
ory OF his misplaced credulity. and
Hooker and De Lancey Joined in
hearty laugh. From tho town bum
that he had first seemed this shabby
little man had changed In their eyes
until now, he was a border Croesus,
the mere recital of whose adventures
conjured up In their minds visions of
gold and hidden treasure.
The rugged face OF Bud Hooker,
which had been set In grim lines from
the first. relaxed az the tale proceeded
and his honest eyes glowed with ad-
miraiion as he heard the well-planned
scheme. As for Dc Lancey. he could
hardly restrain his enthusiasm. and,
drawn on by the contagion, Henry
Kruger made maps and answered ques-
lions until every detail was settled. 1
After the location had been marked,
and the lost tunnel charted from the
corner monuments. he bade them re-
member It we'll and destroyed every
vestige OF paper. Then. as final ad.
monition. he said:
Now go In there quietly. boys
don't hurry. Prospect around little
and the Mextcans will all come to you
and try to sell you lost mines Cruz