The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-01-19

rooms or 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 hight" he ad-
monished. Fairchild stared.
"What?"
Hopes. I've seer many a fellow
come In just'llke you. I've been here
thirty year. They call me Old Under
taker Chastine"
Fairchild laughed.
"But I'm hoping"
"Yep, Son." Undertaken Chastine
looked over his glasses. you're just
like all the rest. You're hoping. Trot
'er 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 II was, for some time before he
realized it; the can was heavy, ex-
ceedingly heavy, giving evidence OF
purity of something at least. But Un-
dertaker Chastlne shook his head.
Cant tell," he announced. Feels
heavy, looks black and all that. But
it might not be anything but straight
lead with a sprlnkling 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 container 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 lad
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 demonstration Of silver
swooped down upon the little town
like some black tornado, closing down
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
nau- 10 nnnIaH a. ond ttnYor0d with
his chemicals. He fused with his
scales, he adjusted his glasses, he
coughed once or twice in al embar-
raised manner; finally to turn to
Fairchild.
"Young man." he queried, at amt
any Of my business, but where'd you
get this ore?"
"Out of my mine, the Blue Poppyw
"Sure you amt been visiting?"
"What do you mean?' Fairchild
was staring at him in wonderment.
Old Undertaken Chastine rubbed his
hands on his big apron and continued
tc look we his glasses.
"Whatll you take for the Blue
Poppy mine, Son."
"Why--it's not for SALE"
"Sure it amt going to be-soon?'
absolutely not" Then Fairchild
caught the queer look In the mans
eyes. what do you mean by al
these questions? Is that good ore
or isn't it?'
"Son, just n more question-and
hope you won't get mad at me. Tn
a funny old fellow, and 1 do a lot
of things that don't seem right al
the beginning. But I've saved a few
!, young bloods like you from trouble
: more than once. You amt been high
; grading7"
you
"Just exactly what I sald-wander
ing around somebody else's propert!
and picking up a few samples, as !
: were, to mix III with your own prod
: uct? Or planting them where the!
. can be found easily by q prospective
!, buyer?"
! Fairchild's chin set, and his arm'
:. moved slowly. Then he laughed. "N'
!, I'll give you my word I haven
: been high-grading," he said. m.
partner and / drilled a hole In tn
foot wall Of the stope where we wcr'
working, hopingsto find the rest OF
! vein that was pinching out on us
: And we got this stuff. Is 1t any good?
: "Is II goodT" Again Old Under
: taker Chastine looked over his glasses
. That's just the trouble. It's toe
: good-it's so good that 1t seems there
" something funny about 1t. Son, thu
stuff assays within a gram. almost
. Of the ore they're taking out OF tn
Silver Queen! ~
X "What's that?" Fairchild had leape
forward and grasped the otht- ma
t by the shoulders, his eyes agleam. hi
whole being trembling with excite
( ment. you're not kidding me abou
n 1t? You're sure-you're sure?"
e "Boy. you've got a bonanza, IL TIL
|. holds out. It's almost identical. l neve
It saw two samples Of ore that wer
more alike. Let's see, the Blu