Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-06-28
COPYRIGHT 's's. sr FRANK H spsAatAn

The snerif led him from the room.
Helen, with Rhinelander and Storm.
silently followed, leaving Seagrue, as
he turned again to his window, to his
| own reflections. Nor were the loss
of the records and his excoriation BY
Helen the only misfortunes that were
to come to him that cay.
He had long had control of a valua-
BILE gold mine in the Superstition
range, and to his hackers he had en-
larged more than once with enthusi-
asm on the probability that their in
vestment in this mine would make
all of them more money than ever had
been taken out of the Superstition
mountains. But the day before, drill
ers working in the main tunnel had
stopped suddenly before the rock wall
they were penetrating. One Of them,
after consulting in some excitement
with his fellows, called the foreman.
What's up?' demanded the latter
gruffiy. when he reached the drill bat
terry.
'Everything's up" responded the
man bluntly. It's all up with the
mine and this outfit, and you and me,
boss, right here"
What do you mean?" snorted the
foreman. taken aback.
Look herel" said the driller, point
ing; shes pinched out on us, she
has"
Tho forap,an ebouad bis xvorrv &C
he stood contemplating the fault. He
drew from his pocket book and, hur-
riedly scratching a note on a blank
leaf, handed it to a man, and bidding
him hurry with it, turned again to the
drillers to investigate. Seagrue was
returning from the bank when the
mine messenger stopped him in the
street of Las Vegas. This Mr.. Sea
grue?" he demanded
Seagrue nodded CURLY. What do
you want?"
For answer the man handed him a
soiled letter. Seagrue, tearing open
the envelope, read:
Dear Sir:
Can you come to the mine at onee7
Vein has pnched out in main work
Ines. S. ROE.
Seagrue, startled at the last sen
tence, volleyed questions at the mes
senger. The man could confirm the
intelligence of what he himself had
seen before leaving the mine, and Sea
grue. telling him to hunt up Bill and
bring him to the assay Office in Main
street, hurried back TO the bank.
Bill reached the assay Office almost
as soon as his employer. Seagrue d.
rected him to go get the car. and as
Bill left Seagrue's assay expert, an old
chum of his in Oceanside. came out Of
the inner office.
To him Seagrue explained as hur-
riedly as possible what had happened
will you go right out with me to the
mine?"
While the mining man was getting
his hat and coat, Bill and Lug ap-
peared with the car The next mo-
ment the four drove rapidly away.
At the mine the foreman was still
examining the walls. He showed Sea-
grue the lost seam. The latter exam
ined the spot carefully and turned to
question the head driller. This man
pointed to the last spot at which they
had got high-grade quartz.
The expert stopped and took up a
handful of rock from the ground. An
swering Seagrue. in reply to a hopeful
question. he shook his head Il doubt
very much" said he. after the two had
canvassed the matter from all sides,
IF It is possible to recover the vein"
AT the entrance to the shaft Sea
grue dismissed his own two men and
turned to the expert. They talked to-
gether a few moments. The mining
ran saw what was in Seagrue's mind
and was not surprised a moment later
to hear him say, without further beat
ing about the bush: IF can get bid
der for the mine. I'll pay five thousand
dollars for good report on 1t.
Each understood the other as they
left the scene together. And summon
ing his men. Bill and Lug, and getting
into his motor car with the expert.