The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-03-13
I'VE got few thousand dollars with

a good worker, II that's what you want
and Phil, he's mining engineer"
"Um-m," grunted Kruger, tugging at
his beard, but he did not come out
| with his proposal.
Il tell you," he said at last. I'm
| not doing much talking about this
proposition of mine. It's big thing.
and somebody might beat me to it.
You know what / am, l guess. I've
pulled off some of the biggest deals in
| this country for poor man, and
don't make many mistakes-not about
mineral, anyway. And when tell you
that this is rich-you're talking with
man that knows"
He fixed his shrewd, blue eyes on
| the young mans open countenance
| and waited for him to speak.
That's right" he continued, as Bud
finally nodded non-committally; shes
sure rich. I've had an eye on this
proposition for years-just waiting for
the right time to come. And now it's
come! All l need is the man. 1t
amt a dangerous undertaking-leas
wise don't think it is-but l got to
have somebody can trust. I'm willing
to pay you good wages. or I'll let you
In on the deal-but you'll have to go
| down into Mexico"
| "Nothin' doing!" responded Bud
with instant decision. IF it's in Ar!-
IONA I'll talk to you, but no more Mex
leo for me- I've got something pretty
good down there myself, as far as that
goes"
whats the matter?" inquired Kru-
ger, set back by the abrupt refusal;
"scared?"
"Yes, I'm scared" admitted Bud,
and he challenged the old man with
his eyes.
Must have had a little trouble.
then?"
We'll, you might call it that" agreed
Bud. I'VE been on the dodge for
month. A bunch Of revoltosos tried to
get our treasure, and when We skipped
out on 'em they tried to get u.s."
WELL" continued Kruger. this
proposition of mine Is different. You
was over In the Sierra Madres. where
the natives are bad. These Sonora
Mexicans amt like them chihuahua
fellers-they're Americanized. I'll tell
you, If 1t wasn't that the people would
know me I'd go down after this mine
myself. The country's perfectly quiet.
There's lots OF Americans down there
yet. and they don't even know there is
revolution. 1t amt far from the rail-
road, you see, and that makes a lot of
difference"
He lowered his voice to q conf
dental whisper as he revealed the ap-
proximate locality of his bonanza. but
Bud remained unimpressed.
"Yes," he said, I'VE was near rail-
road-the Northwestern-and seemed
like them red-faggers did nothing else
but burn bridges and ditch supply
trains. When they finally whipped 'em
off the whole bunch took to the hills.
That's where we got 1t again."
WELL" argued Kruger, this rail-
road of ours is all right, and they run
train over it every day. The con-
centrator at Fortunate lowered his
voice again-"hasn't been shut down a
day, and you'll be within fifteen miles
of that town. No. he whispered; Il
could get hundred Americans to go
in on this tomorrow, as fairs the revo-
lutions concerned. It amt dangerous.
but l want somebody can trust"
Nope" pronounced Bud, rising pom,
derously to his feet; 'if 1t was this
side the line I'd stay with you till the
hair slipped, on anything. but"
well, let's talk it over again some
time," urged Kruger. following him
along out. ut amt often ! get took
with a young Teller the way was with
you, and believe we can make 1t yet
Where are you staying in town"
up at the Cochise," said Bud
Come on with mel told my pardnel
I'd meet him there"
They turned up the broad main
street and passed in through the pol
ished stone portals of the Cochise. q
hotel so spacious in its interior and &c
richly appointed in its furnishings that
New Yorker, waking up there, might
easily imagine himself on Fifth ave
nue..
It was hardly place to be looked
for in the West. and as Bud led the
way across the echoing lobby to a pail
of stuffed chairs he had a vague feel
ing of being In church. Stained-glass
|, windows above the winding stairways
let in a soft light, and on the tower
ing pillars of marble were emblazonet
prickly-pears as an emblem OF the
, West. From the darkened balconies
above, half-seen women looked dowr