The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-06

bought a partly developed mine for Il
amount he received for it was 42O
pounds Of gold.
It must be remembered that Califor-
mia was still an inaccessible country.
To reach the Atlantic coast by land
the same perilous journey the Grifins
had taken to reach the Pacific must be
taken again. To go by sea mean
something. though less dangerous, at
any rate more tiresome. They desired
to return to their home in New York
state and carry their fortune with
them. but dreaded either of these
routes. After much deliberatiOn it
was decided that they would 60 south
ward by sea to Panama and there at
tempt to find transportation across the
isthmus to Colon and thence by sea
again to New York. They would avoid
the necessity of a journey down the
west coast and up the east coast of
South America.
They made preparations for the
journey, putting their gold in a box
to take with them. 1t was carefully
weighed, showing that there were ex-
actly 42O pounds Of gold, exclusive of
the box. Just before the ship sailed on
which they had taken passage Mrs.
Griffin was taken suddenly i'll. After
elaboration Mr.. Griffin decided to send
Zeb in advance with the treasure that
he might investigate the e of
getting across the isthmus. If he
found it too difficult to warrant their
going by that route he was to write
the fact and they would make other
arrangements. Zeb sailed on the ship
that was to have taken the whole party
and in due time reached Panama. He
had been instructed by Griffin that If
he found it best to turn in the gold at
Panama and take a draft on New
York he was to do so. As 500 as he
arrived he made inquiries as to cross
ing the isthmus and found it practi-
cable, though dangerous, principally
from the liability to contraction of
disease.
He wrote Mr.. Griffin the result of
his inquiries. but the latter did not
receive his letter, for Mrs. Griffin re-
covered as quickly as she had been
taken i'll. and, finding a ship about to
sail that would touch at Panama. her
husband. worrying about his gold, de-
cided to follow Zeb to the isthmus.
When the party reached Panama
they found Zeb in trouble. He had
decided to buy a draft for the gold
and had taken steps to do SO. But OIL
weighing the metal. instead Of it,
weighing 42O pounds. it weighed 416.
This was a sad blow to Zeb. So fear
ful had he been that some one might
purloin some of it that he had had ii
placed in his stateroom on the ship
and kept it there during the whole OF,
the journey. He scrutinized the box
to see If he could find a gimlet hole. a
loose nail or any other evidence Of All
outlet for the gold, but lone appeared.
and his heart sank within him at the
imputation that must necessarily rest
upon him Of having stolen the missin.
four pounds Of gold himself.
When the Griffins arrived Zeb con
fessed the shortage which he was m
able to account for. Loath as was Mr.,
Griffin to believe that Zeb had ap-
prOpriated the missing four pounds OF
metal. he was forced to believe that
the young man had lost the money
gambling or in some other way and
had been obliged to take the gold t.
save himself. Possibly he had hoped
he might replace it. Mr.. Griffin re-
voy.koI tn thu t(uon xr,h1, khnr Ind
taken Zeb in without any n to vouch
for him and admitted that that had
happened which might have been ex
pected. Molly, now a girl Of seventeen.
"a the only one of the three who in
spite of the ~indisputable evidence be
lieved In Zeb's innocence.
After a conference Mr.. and Mrs.
Griffin came to the conclusion that
Zeb had been cornered in some way
and had yielded to temptation. They
cared little for the gold that was miss
ing, but regretted that n they had
grown fond Of should have robbed
them. Mr.. Griffin told Zeb that they
must part and handed him $500 for
immediate use. Zeb declined to take
tne money.
Mr.. Griffin decided to take his gold
to New Orleans and succeeded in get
ting his family across the isthmus
without one Of them coming down
with any Of the fevers then prevalent
in that region. On reaching the Ores
cent City he had the treasure carted
to a bank and asked for a draft for
it's value on New York. The gold
was counted and the draft made out.
When Mr.. Griffin saw it he remarked
that there must be some mistake. He
had figured the amount himself from
the weight and had made it much less.
The amount Of the draft was the same
as it would have been had the gold
missed at Panama not been taken,
whereupon be received the following
statement:
Gold sent from Washington to the
mint at New Orleans has been found
to weigh less at the latter than the
/ o,s~ro .1oa4 NNls~ l. =.