The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1921-10-07
Chapter II Continued

Chapter II Continued
Give a dog a bad name. ana 1t VIII
stick to him." Webster retorted. "Of
course l testified against him. AS en-
gineer for the Mine Owners associa
ton, I had to. The high-grade ore
was found in his assay Office, and the
circumstantial evidence was complete,
and admit Billy was acquitted
merely because and others could not
swear positively that the ore came
from any certain mine. 1t was the
same old story, Neddy. You can be
morally certain that "high-grade ore
has been stolen from your mine. but
unless you catch the ore thief in the
act, how can you prove it? I suppose
you read the newspaper reports and
believed them, just as everybody else
dees."
"Well. forget it, Jack. It's all over
long ago, and forgotten"
ut wasn't all over so long ago MS
you seem to think. suppose you
knew the Holman gang was after
ward sent to the penitentiary for
those same high-grade operations?
Billy Geary's acquittal didn't end my
interest in the caSe-not by a jugful !!
fought the case against the friends
Of the Holman crew among the mine
owners themselves; and it cost me my
good job, my prestige as mining en-
gineer, and thirty thousand dollars Of
money that I'd shaved to get together.
OF course you never knew this, Neddy,
and for that matter. neither does
Geary. I wish he did. We were good
friends once. l certainly was mighty
fond of that boy"
He drew the letter from the en-
velope and slowly opened it.
sand you never heard what became
of Geary?"
mot a word. was too busy won.
dering what was to become Of me.
couldn't get job anywhere in Colo
RADIO, and l moved to Nevada. Made
a million in Goldfield, dropped it in
the panic Of 1907, and had to star
again"
"What have you been doing lately?'
"Borax. Staked a group of claim:
down In Death valley. Bully ground
Neddy, and l was busted when I 10
Gated them. Had TO borrow money II
pay the filing fees and incorporation
and did my own assessment work
Look!" Webster held up his hands
still somewhat grimy and calloused
1.-THE BOrax trust knew ! was busted
but they never could quite get owe
the fear that I'd dig up some backin,
and give them a run--so they bough
me out"
"Somebody told me Geary had gon'
to RhOdeSia," Jerome continued mus
| ingly, "or maybe it was Capetown.
know he was seen somewhere in Soutl
Africa"
"He left the Creek immediately
after the conclusion of his trial. Poo
hoy! That dirty business destroye,
the lad and made tramp of him.
guess. tell you. Neddy. no two me-
ever lived who came nearer to lOvin
each other than Billy Geary and hi
old Jack pardner. We bucked tn
marts of men and went to sleep tC
gether hungry many. a time durin
our fve-year partnership. Why. Bi
was like my own boy. Jerome, ours
the day l took that boy out from IN
derground and put him In the assa
Office to learn the business. How
could | know that the Holman gan
had cached the stuff in his shack?"
swell. it's too bad" Jerome ar
swered duly. He was quite willin
that the subject of conversation shout
be changed. Tin glad to get the RICH
dope on the boy, anyhow. Have al
other drink"
mot until read this letter. Nov
who the dickens knew l was heade
for Denver and the Engineers club
I didn't tell soul. and l only al
rived this morning"
He turned TO the last page to aSce
tain the identity of his correspondent
and his facial expression ran tn
gamut from surprise to joy that wa
good to see.
John Stuart Webster read 1t dell
erately. after which he sat in siler
contemplation of the design of tn
carpet for fully a minute before reacl
ing for the bell. servant respOnde
Immediately.
, Bring me the timetables of a
roads leading to New Orleans" i
ordered, ALSO a cable blank"
: Webster had reread the letter b
fore the servant returned with tn
timetables.
august, you go out to the des
2 like a good fellow, and ask the seer
tary to arrange for a compartment fl
me to New Orleans on the Gulf STATE
limited. leaving at 10 o'clock tomo
row night, He handed the servaI
his card. "Now wait q minute uni
I write something" He seized Il
cable blank, heiped t1fn1tRlf. uni