The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-11-02

the various Weights and values or the
ores as the samples were brought to
him from the dirty, dusty, bin-flled
rooms Of the Sampler proper. A queer
light came into-the old fellows eyes
as he. looked into those Of Robert
Fairchild.
'Don't get 'em too high" he adj
monished. Fairchild stared.
"What?"
Hopes. I've seen many a fellow
come in just like you. I've been here
thirty year. They call me Old Under
taker Chastine!" ~
Fairchild laughed.
"But I'm hoping"
"Yep, Son." Undertaken Chastlne
looked over his glasses. you're just
like all the rest. You're hoping. Trot
Ter out and let the old Undertaken
have a look at 'er."
Sobered now, Fairchild reached for
his tobacco can, which had been
stuffed full of every scrap of slime
that he and AIRY had been able to
drag from the powder hole. Evident
~ly, his drill had been in the ore, what
ever it was, for some time before he
realized it; the can was heavy, e K
%ceedingly heavy, giving evidence Of
purity Of something at least. But On
dertaker Chastine shook his head.
"Can't tell" he announced. "Feels
heavy, looks black and all that. But
it might not, be anything but straight
lead with a sprinkling of silver. And
then again"
He began to tinker about with his
pottery. He dragged out a scoop from
somewhere and prepared various
white powders. Then he turned to
the furnace, with it's high-chimneyed
draft, and filed a c%ontainer with the
contents of the tobacco can.
"Let 'er roast, Son." he announced.
"That's the only way. Let 'er roast
and while it's getting hot, well, you
just cool your heels"
Long waiting-while the eccentric
old assayer told doleful tales of other
days, tales of other men who had
rushed in, just like Fairchild, with
their sample of ore, only to depart
with the knowledge that they were
no richer than before. days when the
news of the decentralization of silver
swooped down upon the little town
like some black tornado, closing dowu
the mines, shutting up the gambling
halls and great saloons, mailing up the
doors, even of the Sampler, for years
to come.
He turned to the furnace and took
out the pottery dish in which. the
sample had been smelling white-hot
now. He cooled 1t and tinkered with
his chemicals. He fused with his
scales, he adjusted his glasses. he
coughed once or twice In an embar.
raised manner; finally to. turn to
Fairchild. .
"Young man." he queried, sit amt
any of my business, but where'd you
get this oreT" =
"Outa of my mine, the Blue Poppyp
Sure you amt been visitingT"
+ 'sWhat do you meanY Fairchild
was staring at him in wonderment.
Old Undertaken Chastine rubbed his
hands on his big apron and continued
to look over his glasses
"WhatM you take for the Blue
/. Poppy mine, SOM"
"Why-it's not for sale"
"Sure 1t amt going to be--soon7'
Absolutely not. Then Fairchild
caught the queer look In the mans
eyes. What do You mean by all
these questions? is that good ore
or Isn't lit. L. IL
s"Son, just one more question-and ]
hope you won't get mad at me. I'm
a funny old fellow, and / do q lot
OF things that don't seem right at
the beginning. But I've saved q few
young bloods like you from trouble
more than once. You amt been high
grading7
you mean
s.Just exactly what / said--warder-
ing around somebody else's property
and picking up a few samples, as It
were, Il mix In with your own prod
net? Or planting them where they
can be found easily By q prospective
buyers
Fairchild's chin set, and hts arms
moved slowly. Then he laughed. "No
TIL give you my word I haven't
been h~igh-grading. he said. My
partner and drilled hole In the
foot wan Of the stope where we were
working, hoping TO find the rest of d
vein that was pinching out on us.
And we got this stuff. Is II any good9'
It's It good?' Again Old Under
taker Chastine locked over his glasses
That's Just the trouble. IT'S too
goodies Sol good that 1t seems there's
something funny about Il. Son. that
stun assays within gram. almost.
of the ore they're taking ont of the
Silver Queen a a
Whats that3.s FAirchIId had ieaped
forward and grasped he other man
bys the shoulders. His eyes aglean. his
whole being trembling with Sexclte
ment. You're MOI Kidding ~ abont
M You're. sure-yonfre sureG
B you've at abohanxa. X THU
holds out ~ almesf MentcalsI nessr
saH two samples N 0re th4k uerse
more alfka. Lets the HI
Hoppys rialst ~ Keatneky guleh, ~
ssp VERY AK1s frcu thA 61aper
oneeA mKttf Ihen there ~
616ndooe hg a1eln ceaee
pnldah enexsk
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