The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-05-30
CHAPTER XII
Sans Dance.

stones was negligible This did moi
necessarily augur Ill for the future OF
the claim Only the surface of the
blue ground had been investigated, and
1t required an exposure of the blue
rock to sun and air for weeks in order
to permit of proper disintegration
The crushing of the excavated material
had been makeshift, inspired by
urgency. But stones should have been
found. and only a few small pebbles
had come to light.
Three days before the month ex-
pired Winton received a letter from
Judge Davis, in his capacity as a
shareholder, requesting him to call a
meeting In order to discuss certain
subjects of importance Winton ad-
vertised the meeting in the Chronicle,
set his teeth, and prepared for the In
evitable.
The day arrived. He found himself
at the table with Davis, De Witt. Han
son, and the four small shareholders.
The transfer ha6 been made irrevo-
cable. He held forty-seven shares, and
the syndicate with Hanson. the sarle
number. The local men, with their six
shares, thus controlled the situation,
and their decision was not in doubt.
Winton went to the meeting in the
full expectation of being ousted and
of seeing De Witt reinstalled as purser.
He had steeled himself to bear the
humiliation, but the severance of his
relations with the claim, the end Of the
enterprise so far as he was concerned,
was difficult to face, And there would
be Ned out of employment-Ned, still
in the hospital though physically well,
In the hope that something could be
done for him; Ned, greeting Winton
with his mysterious mods and smiles
and Bible passages, and believing that |
his references were understood.
The hostile atmosphere of the meet |
ing, De Wits expression of triumph, |
and Hanson's vindictive glances con-
WINGED Winton that this move was
about to be made. But Davis never
ends in view.
MIR. Purser," he said. "the PROPOSE
ton to be placed before this meeting
Is as follows: that we go into volun-
tary liquidation for the purpose of an
immediate reorganization, in order -
raise fresh capital to develop our water
supply.
"You have made frequent complaints
that the flow of the company's water is
not adequate to the working Of the
claim can bear you out in this, for
| have investigated the matter, and,
being interested both in the claim and :
In the water company, have naturally
done all that was possible to increase I
the flow.
1.-The Big Malopo promises to be {
come the most profitable claim upon
the fields. The prosperity of all Ma {
opo is closely bound up with the water
supply. BY improving our water re- s
sources we shall not only promote fra
ernity and concord''-here the judges
7oice assumed its quavering intona- v
ion, which In turn gave way to the L
harp business tone-"but shall enter S
nto a very profitable business enter e
rise.
"Our water supply is at present v
Wholly utltnuChl uPOh TIC uhQCi- IL
round storage accumulated during the
preceding rainy season. A succession q
4 two dry years would mean the total
CESSATION of all labor for months. OBJ r
iously we cannot remain at the mercy e,
( the elements when'-he looked ts
bout him for the anticipated approba- L
on-"it Is possible to tap the Groot- b,
prult river and secure an unfailing T.
upply throughout the year." III
A storm of applause greeted him as
e sat down. Winton sprang to his 10
,et M
1.-THE Grootspruit is fifty miles m
way!" he cried. "What is your esti-
ate of the cost of installing a plant ur
nd laying pipes across the desert?" sc
81 have submitted the question to nc
70 competent engineers Mr.. Garrett" la
lswered the judge. "Their estimates re
e practically the same. They place all
e cost at, roughly, ninety thousand mr
funds. This will provide a sufficient W,
wv for the entire mining field" tn
Winton sat down, stunned more at bu
hat lay behind the proposition than
the suggestion itself. If the syndi- nc
te was willing to invest as heavily DO
that, II meant that they were aware, lee
ways unknown to himself that the
& Malopo was not merely a promis- Sc,
: claim, but one of the biggest out tn,
lie the famous Kimberley fields. KIN
For II was hardly likely that the syn ma
,ate was planning TO cut the throat Sa
Its own water company. which could ing
pply 1t with an ample quantity. in put
Ter to bring water for fifty miles SUI
-oss the desert. And the scheme ing
ant, of course, that Winton would bee
frozen out completely. together with ="
) little men, who had doubtless been cou
into the secret and had agreed to sea
|. He would own only an insignlf- ing
It number Of snares in the reorgan-
concern. gin
lven II the proposal failed the syn ] d
ate could install new purser and on
truct him to call for an unlimited con
which Winton would be pou