The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-06-08
Sat Toying With His Pistol.

kruger's magazine OF giant powder.
exploded in one big blast. had Dr.
stroyed all traces Of his mine. besides
starting an avalanche OF loose shErs
that had poured down and filled me
pocket.
Added to this. Aragon and his men
had rooted around In the debris In
search OF the vein. and the story OF
their inefficient work was told by
great piles OF loose rock stacked UP
beside caved-in trenches and a series
Of timid tunnels driven into the neigh.
boring ridges.
Under the circumstances Il would
certainly call for a mining engineer
10 locate the lost lead. and DE Lancey
looked Il over though;fully as he be.
gan TO figure on the work to be done.
Undoubtedly there was a mine there
and the remains OF an old Spanish
6melter down the creek showed that
the ground had onco been very rich
but II Kruger had not told him In
advance he would have passed up the
Job IN a minute.
Well. he said, turning coldly upon
the fawning Mendez. who "a all
curyes In his desire TO please. where
Is your %prospecto?'
"Aqui. senorl" replied the Mexican.
pointing to the disrupted rock slide.
Here II was hat the Americana
Crooka had his mine-rich with gold
much gold!"
lie shrilled his voice emphatically,
and DE Lancey shrilled his In reply.
"Here?- he exclaimed. gazing
blankly az the hillside. and then no
broke into a laugh. "All right, my
friend" he said. giving Bud a face
tious wink; how much do you want
for this prospect
-Four hundred dollars" answered
Mendex In a tone at once hopeful and
a~pologetic- -lt is very rich. Senior
Crooka shipped some ore that was fun
of gold. l packed Il out for him on
my burros; but / am sorry. ! have
no piece OF IT,
yes, responded De Iancey. 4 am
sorry. too. So, OF course, we cannot
buy the prospeoto since you have no
ore to show but l am glad for this,
Senior Mondez." he continued with a
kindly smile. 1t shows that you are
an honest man, or you would have
stolen a piece OF ore from the sacks.
SO show us now where the gold was
found. the nearest that you can re-
member. and perhaps. n we think we
a md Il, We Will pay you 20 de.
M the claim for U.S.
Al this the one good eye ~ Cruz
Alendoz lighted up with a great hope
and. skip ing lightly over the rock
piles with his Handaled feet. he ran
% a certain spot. locating Il by look.
ing across the canyon and up aud
down the creek.
Here. s~enores." ne pronounced, rs
where the mouth OF the old tunnel
cam out. Standing inside II l could
zee that tree over there. and looking
down the river ! could just see the
smelter around tho point so, then.
the gold must bs IN there" lie point
ed toward the hill
surely" said De Lancey: "buI
where3"
Tho old Mexican shrugged his Shout
ders 4~eprocatlngly
Il do not know, senior, be answered
"but if you wish 90 dig will denouncs
the claim for you"
For how muchG' inquired De Ian
oey %guardedly.
"For one hundred dollars" an
swered Mendez, and 10 bis delight the
American seemed 20 be considering d.
lie walked back sud forth across the
slide. picking up rocks and looking al
them. dropping down into the futile
trenches OF Aragon. and frowning
with studi0us thought His pardner
however. sat listlossiy on a boulder
and tested the action OF his six.
shooter