The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-02-11
DIAMOND CUT
DIAMOND
By RUTH GRAHAM I

both gold hunters. met in California
years ago, when the country was wild.
and after a life of hardship owned to-
gether hole in the ground that prom
Used to make them rich. Within Il mile
of them a man named Barker kept \
store. Barker had some money. and
the partners told him Of their find and
asked him to put in capital to develop
it, offering him an eighth interest.
Barker learned all he wished from
them about their mine. then said that
mining was too risky business for
him; he wouldn't invest. In talking
matters over Treat let Barker into a
secret concerning his past life. He
had become indebted in the east and
so involved that he had taken French
leave and gone to California to make
a fresh start. If his mine PANIED out
well he would pay his debts.
One day Treat went to Barker's
store for some provisions and on the
way back to his mine was kidnapped,
taken to San Francisco and thence to
Philadelphia. There his creditors,
who had captured him, kept him in
Jail on various charges, because it had
been reported to them that he had
made money which he was concealing.
But Treat finally convinced them that
all he had in the world was an unde-
veloped mine in California. If they
would give him chance to develop
1t they would get their money. They
freed him, and he succeeded in get
ting some capital from a relative.
Then he returned to California after
an absence Of five months.
There he found his partner in Jail
charged with his (Treats) murder.
Dickinson was released at once, and
the two held conference When their
stories were put together it came out
that Barker had laid out a plan to get
possession of their mine. He wrote
Treats creditors that he had made
money, and they arranged for his kid
naping, getting him away so secretly
that no one knew what had become of
him. Then Barker through paid stool
pigeons manufactured evidence to
show that Dickinson had murdered his
partner.
The first impulse of the partners on
seeing through Il scheme by which
both had suffered and Dickinson had
been sentenced to be hanged was to
punish Barker legally. But after in
vestigation they found that he had
covered his tracks so adroitly that he
would have every advantage. Besides.
the law was not well administered.
and even If they could convict Barker
they would find it difficult to get him
punished.
They therefore decided to fight him
in the way he had fought them. Treat
had brought money with him to devel-
op the mine, but this they concealed
from Barker. They pretended to be
discouraged and begged Barker to visit
their mine. see for himself what it was
worth and invest on his own terms.
They had no difficulty in convincing
him of the mines value, and after
much haggling he agreed to let them
have $1,000 if they would cede to him
Il half interest.
They ut once engaged Il lawyer to
draw UP an agreement and submitted
it to Barker He was satisfied with
it. and Dickinson copied it. Then all
signed it. and one of the copies was
delivered to Barker on payment of the
money.
For time after that the mine did
WELL but the partners soon told Bar
ker that they must have more money,
He grumbled. but agreed to give them
$4,000 more for half their interest.
making his own three-quarters. The
transaction was completed. and Bar
ker. who knew what the ore was pay
ing was well pleased. But the part
pers soon wanted more money and got
it from Barker for half of their quar-
ter interest. giving him all the mine ex-
:rei,t an eighth. The partners begged
him not to be so hard on them. but he
WAS relentless.
When the partners once more called
on Barker for more money he denied
them but offered to buy their rem;lin-
OlSl III lilttlcSN.r iC on
scented. Int with great apparent re-
luctance. The money WAS paid and Il
bill Of sale made out and signed by
Dickinson and Treat. who We're given
a month to settle ul their affairs and
turn over the property.
y The month passed. but the partners.
instead of settling up their affairs.
seemed to be developing the mine. On
the thirtieth day Barker got out all the
bills of sale they had given him and
went to the mine to demand posses
sion.
f I'VE own this NINE said Dickinson.
"and we propose to keep it"
"Nye'll see about that" was Bankers
reply and he opened his documents.
What was his surprise to see nothing
but blank paper.
When the miners had laid their
scheme to circumvent Barker. Treat.
who before coming to California had
been manufacturer Of ink. knew Of
that would look like ink. but
would fade entirely out within few