The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-03-17

the sweetest mining proposition on
earth-Only. like all high-class goods,
1t has n flaw when you examine II
closely"
You're crazy" Billy challenged
"Name the flawI"
"SarrOs!" Webster replied smiling.
ly. THAT scOundrel makes a gamble
out Of an otherwise sure thing. How
ever" he added, recalling the note re-
ceived from Ricardo Ruey just before
his departure from Buenaventura and
rejecting that to be forewarned is to
be forearmed, "well accept the gam.
BILE. That rascal can't live forever,
and he may be eliminated before ne
auses us any trouble"
"What will 1t cost us to get this
mine on a paying basis, johnny"
"Well, back home, I'd figure on
spending at least 100000; but l dare
say, taking into consideration the low
cost Of labor in Sobrante and the raw,
natural resources Of power and tim
Der right on the ground, we ought TO
put this deal over for $4,000 at the
outside. Praise be, l have cash
enough to do the trick without calling
In any help, and such being the case,
We'll not waste any time but hop 10
the job In II hurry and make the fur
fly"
Fright, Jack. What's the program
"Well, first off, son. I'm not going
to stay In this country and lose my
self managing this mine. That's your
job, because you're young and unlm-
portant In your profession and have
the ability TO get away with the Job.
You can afford to spend the mex 10
years here, but cannot. l a only
afford to come down here every cou-
pie Of years and relieve you for a va
cation"
"That's the way l figured 1t, Jack"
"All right then, Bill, let us start In
by giving you your first vacation. If
you're going to dig In here and make
the fur fly, you've got to be In tip-top
physical conditlon-and you are thin
and gaunted and full Of chills and fe-
yer. Just before | left Buenaventura
/ cashed a draft for $1,000 on my let
ter Of credit at the Banco Nacional,
and placed it to the credit Of your
account there.
Tomorrow morning you will take
your horse, one pack mule, and one
mozo and ride for San Miguel de Pad
ua, where you will take the train for
"Buenaventura. In B~uenaventura you
do trhot Won hInnna nlnocn b,t
If l were you, boy, I'd try to get mar
ried and go back to the q. s. A. for
my honeymoon. And when | finally
hit a town that contained some reg
ular doctors I'd let them paw me over
and rebabbitt me and overhaul my
bearings and put me In such nice run
ming order I'd be firing on all II CYL
inders at once.
"And when l was feeling tip-top
once more I'd wire old John Stuart
Webster and tell him so, after which
I'd stand by for a cable from the said
take up my iabOrs."
Billy's wan yellow face lighted up
like a sunrise on the desert. II guess
that plans kind Of poor" he an
nounced feelingly. you're right,
Jack. I'm in rotten condition and l
ought to be right before / start. Still,
If I should orange to get married be-
fore l leave, I'd like mighty well to
have a good man and true see me
safely over the hurdles"
That's nice, son, but l haven't time
to be your best man. Arranging the
honeymoon lets me out, Bill. I'm In
a hurry to finish here and get back,
so the sooner we both start our pros
pective jobs the sooner well finish.
Have a quiet little marriage, Bill,
without any fuss OF feathers or voices
breathing DER Eden. What are the
odds, provided you get hitched prop
erly? Besides, I'm In mortal dread OF
that town of Buenaventura. The sew
err system is bad it's rotten with fe-
yer; and you'd better get that girl
out of it p. d. O., and the quicker the
better. Myself, l prefer to stay up
here In these mountains In a tenn
perate climate where there are no
mosquitoes"
Billy saw that Webster was serious
and would resent any interference In
his plans. "All right. Jack" he as
scented. You're the boss"
Fine. Now. Bill, you listen tn IA
ther and be guided accordingly. When
you get to "Buenaventura, wire the
Bingham Engineering company OF
Denver, using my name, and tell them
to add to my order given them last
month and held for shipping direc-
tons, ~ dozen picks. II dozen shov
els. II dozen mattOcks, say six dozen
axes, brush knives. a big road plow,
and whatever other things you happen
to think of and which would come In
handy when building our road. Also
when you get to New Orleans buy q
stanch three-tOn motor truck. Wen
need 1t for getting in supplies from
San Miguel de Padia. Pay for the
truck also, and II you go broke and
cannot reach me by cable, wire Ned
DIV Jerome at the Engineers club iI
Denver and kick his eye out In my
honOred name.