The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-07

place, I probably couldn't afford the wages Gordon is paying you" '"That's the dickens of itr' gloomily agreed Happy Tom. Where are your grips? I'll begin by carrying them.'
 q haven't any. I've been shipwreck- ed. Seriously, Tom, I have no place for you" The repetition of this statement made ! not the smallest impression upon the nearer.
 replied; then with a touch of spirit, Do you think I'd work for this four ausher if you were in the countfy?"
 ErHushr' O'Nei1 cast a glance over his shoulder. By the way, how do you happen to be here? I thought you were in Dawson"
 q finished that job. I was working back toward ma and the children. l haven't seen them for two years" .eYou think Gordon is a false arm P
 Happy Tom spat with .unerring ac- curacy at a crack, then said: Hes talking railroads! Railroads! Why, I've got a boy back in the state of Maine fourteen years old''- "WillieT'
 "Yes. My son Willie could skin Cur tis Gordon at railroad building, and Willie is the sickly one of the outfit. But I'll hand it to Gordon for one i thing-he's money getter and mon ey spender. He knows where the loose stone in the hearth is laid, and he knows just which lilac bush. the fam l fly savings are buried under. Those penurious pilgrim fathers in my part 1 of the country come up and drop their | bankbooks through the slot in his door every morning. He's the first easy money I ever had. I'd get rich off of him, but''-S1ater sighed-''of course you had to come along and wrench me away from the, till"
 Don't quit on my account" urged his former chief sIm up here on coal matters. I can't take time to explain now, but I'll see you later."
 ''Suit yourself, only don't keep me loafng on full time. I'm an expensive man. I'll be packed and waiting for you"
 < O'Nen went on his way, somewhat amused, yet undeniably pleased at find ing his boss packer here instead of far inland, for Slaters presence might, aft CT all fit well enough into his plans. CHAPTER V.
 
 'ST HE Irish prince" had gained something of a reputation for
 extra vagance, but he acknow1-
 edged himself completely out shone by the luxury with which Curtis Gordon had surrounded himself at Hope. The promoter had, spoken of his modest living quarters. In reality they consisted of a handsome twenty room house, furnished with the ele- gance of a Newport cottage. ''You wonder, perhaps, why have been so exravagant with my living quarters said Gordon as they walked into the library, 'Ebut it is not alone for myself. You see, I have people as sociated with me who are accustomed i to every comfort and luxury, and I | built this house for them. Mrs. Ge- rard has been kind. enough to grace the establishment with hers presence, l and I expect others of my stockholders to do likewise. You see, work in the 1 light, MT. O'NeiI. I insist upon the broadest publicity in all my operations, l and to that end I strive to bring my clients into contact with the under taking itself. For instance, I am bring ing party of my stockholders all the way from New York at my own expense | just to show them how their interests I are being administered. I have char tered a special train and a ship for them, and of course they must be properly entertained while here.'' Quite scheme said O'NeiI. q wanted to show them this marvel ous country, Gods wonderland of op- portunity. They will return impressed by the solidity and permanence of | their investment
 | "I judge from what you say that the mine gives encoura agement,' O'Nel ventured, cycling his host curiously through cloud of tobacco smoke.
 Encouragement is not the word. Before many years Hope Consolidated will be listed on the exchanges of the world along with Amalgamated and the other great producers. We have here, MT. O'Neil, tremendous noun tain of ore, located at tidewater on one of the worlds finest harbors. The climate is superb. We have coal near 1 at hand for our smelter. The mine | only requires systematic development under competent hands,
 "I was in Cortez when Lars Ander- son made his first discovery here, and I had an option on all this property. I believe the price was $1 200. At any rate, it was I who drove those tunnels you found when you bought him out" Gordon's eyes wavered briefly, then 1 he laughed.
 "My dear sir, you have my sincere sympathy. Your poison, my meat, as it were, eh? You became discouraged too soon. Another hundred feet of work and you would have been justi- fled in paying $1,2O0,O GOO. This Eldora- do which the copper trust has bought has a greater surface showing than Hope, grant, built lies 200 miles in- land, and there is the all important question of transportation to be solved. The ore will have to be hauled or smelted on the ground. while we have the Kyak coal fields at our door. The