Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1914-06-19

:, "en' ne said, turning coldIy unon
me tawning Mendez, who was 81
curves in his desire to please "whera
Is your prospecto?"
"Aqui, senor!" replied the Mox,o.n
pointing to the disrupted rocl snsa
mere 1t was that the 'Americano
Crooka mad bis mine-rich with gold
much gold!" -~- eo'u
ne snrilled his voice emphaticallv
ana lie Lancey shrilled his in renlv
mere" he exclaimed. gazing
olankly at the hillside. and +ben ho
oroke into a laugh. All right nv
ir1end'' he said, giving Bud face.
slous wink; "how much do you want
Tor this prospect?"
-Four hundred dollars" answarod
Mendez in tone at once honeful and
apologeuc. 1T is very rich Senior
Crooka shipped some ore that was full
or gold. | packed it out for him on
my burros; but, I am sorry. I have
no piece of it,"
1es' responded De Lancey, 81 am
sorry, too. So, Of course. we cannot
ooS tne prospecto since you have no
orc 70 SHOW; but l am glad for this.
senior Mendez," he continued with a
Ainoiy smile; 1T shows that you are
an honest man. or you would have
s'oien piece of ore from the sacks.
30 snow us now where the gold was
1ound' the nearest that you can re-
MEMBER, and perhaps, If we think we
can md 1t, we will pay you to de-
nounce the claim for u.s."
AT this the one good eye of Cruz
Mendez lighted up with a great hope
and; skipping lightly over the rock
pies with his sandaled feet, he ran
TO certain spot. locating it by look
ing across the canyon and up and
down the creek.
Here, senores," he pronounced, lis
where the mouth of the old tunnel
came out. Standing inside it I could
see that tree over there, and looking
down the river l could Just see the
smelter around the point So, then,
the gold must be in there He point
ed toward the hill.
Surely said De Lancey: but
where?"
The old Mexican shrugged his shout
ders deprecatingly.
i do not know, senor," he answered.:
but II you wish to dig Will denounce
the claim for YOU"
For how much?" inquired De Ian
cey guardedly.
For one hundred dollars" an
swered Mendez, and to his delight the
American seemed to be considering it.
He walked back and forth across the
slide, picking up rocks and looking at
them, dropping down into the futile
trenches of Aragon, and frowning
with studious thought His pardner,
however, sat listlessly on a boulder
and tested the action of his six
shooter.
Listen. my friend" said De Lancey,
coming back and poising his finger i'm
pressively. If l should find the ledge
the one hundred dollars would be moth
ing to me, sabe? And If should spend
all my money for nothing it would
be but one hundred dollars more But
listen! l have known some false Mex
leans who, when an American paid
tnem to denounce mine, took ad-
| vantage Of his kindness and refused to
give 1t over. Or, If 1t turned out to
be rich, they pulled a long face and
claimed that they ought to be paid
| more. Now if"
All. no, senor!" clamored MendeA
hNl6ino hic In
a poor man, but I am honest Only
give me the hundred dollars"
mot dollar do you get!" cried De
Lancey sternly: mot dollar-until
you turn over the concession to the
! mine. And If you play US false"-he
paused impressively-" cuidado, hon.
| bre-look out!"
Once more Cruz Mendez protested
| his honesty and his fidelity to any
trust, but De Lancey silenced him i'm
patiently.
Enough, hombre!" he said. words
are nothing to us. Do you see my
friend over there?" He pointed to
Bud, who, huge and dominating
against the sky line, sat toying with
his pistol. "Buen'! He Is a cowboy,
sabe? A Texan! You know the Te-
janos, eh? They do not like Mexi-
cans. But my friend there. he likes
Mexicans-when they are honest II
| not-no! Hey, Bud" he called in
English, what would you do to this
fellow If he beat us out of the mine?"
Z Bud turned upon them with a slow,