The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-02-09


chair on the opposite side of the
hearth, and began to make me vel
come In mild-mannered way, saying
that they didn't have much company,
and were always master" glad to see
new face. He did not ask me any
troublesome questions; and beyond
telling me his name, which was Hiram
Twombly, did not volunteer any in
formation about himself or his daughr
ter, nor did he explain how they came
to be living I'm so much comparative
comfort I'm such an .6ut-of-the-way
place.
A little later the girl returned to
set the table, and presently we had
supper. 1t was an amazingly good
meal; crisp bacon, fried potatoes hot
biscuits. and honey. and coffee thnt
| was most delicious I'm spite OF tho
condemned milk which was made to
serve as cream.
After we left the table the blue
eyed maiden got housewifely busy. and
the old man and l sat before the fire
and smoked. I don't remember inst
how 1t was. that we finally drifted
around to automobiles and motor boats
and sutc things, but we did, and may
he I may have Dragged bit about
having driven and tinkered pretty
nearly all the breeds OF go-car. on land
and water-as I really had.
know about machinery, do your"
SAID my hearth-mate; and then. with
humorous CLINT I'm his mild eyes
shouldn't wonder If you could be
sort of Godsend to me, IL you want
ed to. To-morruh, If you amt in too
Dig hurry to be leavin' us, I'll get
you to show me few things that l
don't know, long them lines. maybe"
of course, / acquiesced, cheerfully.
BY and by the girl came In and sat
down to knit, just as her grandmother
might have done, and at that her faith
er got up, and, lighting lantern,
went out. i was fairly perishing By
this time to know vast number of
things, but hardly knew how to begin
asking about them. So, as the old man
ciapped on his hat and left the cabin,
! blew out the first foolish remark
that came uppermost.
All dressed up, and nowhere to go;
isn't that about the way of 1t for you
two up OH this mountainF
Meaning Daddy, and now, particu-
larlyE she said, smiling across at me.
he has gone to make his regular
round of the mine buildings and cab
ins. Not that there is the slightest use
of 1t; only he likes to feel that he is
at least pretending to earn his pay"
"The mine?" I queried.
YES; this is the old Cinnabar, you
know; and Daddy is the-weIl. l sup
pose you might call us the caretakers,
though thefe isn't much to take care
of. The mine has been shut down
for year and more"
us it gold mne"
at was"
"Why the past tense?"
"Wnter." she said. briefly. "It's
drowned mine. That is why 1t was
shut down."
or course, this was exactly what 1
was expecting to hear, and yet this
plain unvarnished confirmation of
things gave me damp and soggy feel
ing Of dependency. Percy had wired,
you remember, that his letter was no
joke; but 1t seemed that 1t really was
one, and that the joke-which was
q mighty grim One--was on me.
Cant the water be pumped Out3"
l asked.
ut seems not. l understand the
company spent thousands of dollars
trying to pump 1t out It's-it's rather
pitiful."
you mean the cOmpany's lossF
NO; the company didn't lose any
thing. 1t was just one old man."
Now we were coming to the real
meat of the thing and l looked my
hand of cards over carefully to the
end that | should not everyday it.
"I'm fond of stories," / ventured;
Especially mining stories" and there
upon she told me the story of the Gin
nabar. 1t was u fair repetition of
Bullerton's tale, with II few more OF
the particulars thrown in.
AS my 0lue-eyed little ScheheraZade
understood it, my grandfather had
been minority stOckholder in the
company during Its prosperous period.
When the water debacle came, the fact
Of 1t was carefully concealed from
him and he was generously permitted
to come to the rescue-which he did
by paying a fabulous sum (Schehera-
Zade did not know how much) for his
ellOw-stockE olders' holdings. In other
words, they had sold him gold brick
soaked him for final cleanup on a
doomed mine. That was about all
there was to it.
Did my-did the old gentleman you
speak of ever come out here himself?"
She nodded.
"Once that we know Off; that was
after it was all over and the place was
deserted. At that time Daddy had
taken up claim just west of here In
the next gulch and we were living in
this cabin; squatters, | guess you'd
call us. SO we camped down."
That was quite right and proper.
And this Mr.. Jasper Dudley he didn't
turn you out when he came, did hep"
"Dh no ipUpp1 no wnS worry kiub