The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-09-10
CHAPTER vI-continued-

~ous buscar' the one-eyed one
finally inquired: what are you look
ing fort"
And when phil oraculariy answered.
~Gold!" the old man made q motion
20 the boy to go on and sat down on |
q neighboring rock
DO you want to buy q prospectr |
ne asked, and Bud glanced up at him |
grimly.
we fnd our own prospects.- an
svered Phil
But | know OF n very rich pros
pect," protested Mendez; very richF"
He shrilled his voice 10 express how
rich 1t was.
-YesT" observed Phil; then why
don't you dig the gold out? But. rs
for US, we find our own mines. That
is our business"
"Seguro!" nodded Mendez. glancing
at their OUTFIT approvingly. But ! am
o poor man-yery poor-I cannot de
nounce the mine. So wait for some
rich Americana to come and buy it
have a friend-a very rich MANN
Gadsden, but he will not come; 30
viii sell 1t TO you"
did you get that, Budr TESTED Phil
In English "The old man here thinks
we're rich Americans and he wants
to sell ue q mine"
Bud laughed silently at this. and
Mr. Mendez, his hopes somewhat blast
cd by their levity. began to boast OF
his find, giving the history OF the
Eagle Tail with much circumstantial-
fly and explaining that 1t was a lost
padre mine.
Sure" observed Phil. going back to
his horse and picking up the bride.
that's what they all say. They're
all lost padre mines, and you can see
them from the door of the church.
Come on. Bud. let's goi"
And so you could this!" cried Men
der. running along after them as they
rode slowly up the canyon, from the
old church that was washed away by
the flood! This Is the very mine
where the padres dug out all their
gold Are you going up this wayi
Come, then, and will show you--the
very place, except that the Americana
ruined II with a blast!"
He tagged along after them. whee
ding and protesting while they ban
tered him about his mine. until they
finally came to the place-the ruins
Nof the Eagle Tail
II lay spraddled out along the hill
side. series OF gopher-holes. dumps
and abandoned workings. looking
more like a badly managed ston'
quarry than a relic OF padre days
Kruger's magazine of giant powder
exploded in one big blast. had de
gtroyed all traces OF his mine, besidei
starting an avalanche OF loose shall,
that had poured down and filled tn
pocket.
Added to this, Aragon and his mel
had rooted around In the debris II
search Of the vein. and the story o
their inefficient work was told b,
great piles OF loose rock stacked u
beside cayed-in trenches and a serie
OF timid tunnels driven into the neigt
boring ridges.
Under the circumstances II woul
certainly cali for a mining enginee
to locate the lost lead, and De Lance
looked II over thoughtfully as he b.
gan to figure on the work to be don'
Undoubtedly there was a mine there
and the remains of an old SPANS
smeiter down the creek showed ths
the ground had once been very rich
but IL Kruger had not told him !
advance he would have passed up tn
Job in a minute
Well" he said. turning coldly upo
the fawning Mendez, who was q
curves in his desire to please. "wher
Is your prospectof
"Aqui. senorl" replied the Mexical
pointing TO the disrupted rock Gid
Here 1t was that the American
Crooka had his mine-rfch with gold
much gold!"
He shrilled his voice emphaticall
and De Laneey shrilIed his In repl
Here?" he exclaimed. gazir
bIsnkiy at the hillside, and then
broke into q laugh. IAN right. n
friend" he said. giving Bud u fac
tious wink: how much do you va
for this prospectf"
-Four hundred dollars" Answsr'
Apologize. "It 10 very rich. Sen
Crooka shipped some ore that was n
OF gold. packed Il out for him
my burros: but I am sorry. ! hA
no piece Of III"
Yes" responded DE LAncey. 4 a
sorry, too. So. of course. we cam
buy the Hrospeeto since you have
ore To show; but ! am glad for III
Senior Nendez." he continued with
indy smile: st shows that you a
an honest man. or you would ha
stolen q piece OF ore from the sac
50 show a. now where the gold y
found. the nearest that you can
member. and perhaps. II Ss think
can Ind II. We Stli pay you 10
nounGs the claim for Us"
Al this the one good eye % Ct
Aendez lighted up ~ith a great hs
and. skipping lightly over the T,
Piles nth his sandaled feet he
70 > certain spot. locating il BY 10
t4a