The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-08
CHAPTER HI

V gtk 0Akh tAiCAG Ott bitC pbFVh way, and I bet tourists will be glad to pay for visit to our ghost town don't you see9"
 "Swell" he exclaimed. He was still sitting on his heels beside i, the bag of money.
 N We had to do something, Christine put in. "Just had to We're out of school. We couldn't just sit and loaf, and jobs are scarce"
 You're telling mep" he an- gwered. Then he pointed at Rose lee. But you've got something Sa-a-ay, you can contact the travellers agencies in Los Angeles and San Francisco and Denver and everywhere - you know, the bus people and tourist bureaus and they'll help. They're always anx. ious to advertise road attractions and"
 T hadn't thought of thatl" Rose. lee spoke happily.
 "Yeah, and with worlds faii on both seacoasts this year tho summer travel will be the heav. fest ever, east and west, both. A ghost town is ideal for attracting people who have read about tho West and"
 All at once he halted as if sud. denly remembering something. He swallowed, looking first at ont girl then at the other, his young face very serious. Then he stared oil at blank wall of the old bank vault.
 "Yes," Roselee picked up the conversation. You've given u some grand ideas"
 "Um," he sighed. T guess it washes up my own plans, though I--well Franklin and I had 1t all doped out for keen summer to- gether. You know what I mean. We thought the mining corpora tten still owned the place."
 "Were you - you - you expected te work here for them2"
 well, no. Not at first, Frank lin goes in for books, He's smart. He's a swell guy, he is; under stands all about English and American literature and all that sAd he was going to read a lot this summer here, while plug along in dirt"
 "You plug in dirt" Roselee echoed, wonderingly.
 I'm . mining engineer. I was just graduated from the Texas School of Mines"
 T know it." Roselee said.
 How'd you know2"
 play football. Your team beat ours. You're famous. Tiny Ban. croft. Richard Bancroft"
 "Yes. No. I mean; I'm not fa- nous. Just 6 fullback, forgotten now. I want to be a mining man"
 You expected to to mine around 0oldcrest?" Roselee was in the glow of the fiashlight Christine held. She looked little and lovely there.
 "Yes. No, mean. But I was going to run lot of tests on the old ore dumps here. You see there have been a lot of advances in mining methods. Low grade gold ore can now be worked profitably. Used to be that ore had to produce $25 6 ton or bet- ter, to be profitable. A lot of this old Goldcrest stuff has money in it again under modern scientific standards. Miss Dale. sec? was going to run some tests and try to sell myself & job with the mining corporation that owns 0oldcrest. Did own 1t, mean"
 "Um," Roselee was thinking.
 "Yeah. Well say, it's dark. You girls better come eat supper with with me and"
 we've got to gol" exclaimed Christine.
 Listen, Mir. Bancroft" Roselee put in, impulsively, Ignoring the other talk. You spoke about a job well, would you like job at once? Couldn't you start helping Christine and me with our ghost detour? You have the grandest Ideas about 1t. You you're a man, and I guess we'd need a man 0NVtAgA VI ihttAg
 "Sa-a-ayp he beamed at her,
 "--and when we got it run ming smoothly you. could go on with your ore tests and maybe 1t would"
 "I'd have to see Franklin first. He and I are close friends. We thought about hoboing to China on e tramp steamer, then we de- cided to come here. I-Id have to stick by him, and"
 What's he hke7" Christine asked that.
 sTIunh?"
 ssWhat is he like2 What sort of animal is he?"
 "He's swell. tell youl Frank lin would loan you the last dollar he had and fight for you and help you with your studies and he was editor of the yearbook and he can make grand speeches and dance like nobody's business and"
 wrap him up," Christine com manded, dryly. "T1 take him" "Iunh?"
 ~sign him up. We need two men, Roselee, with a ghost town and sack of money on our hands. I'm getting interested in this projcctI"
 70 that's how the deal was made The two girls and Dick Ban croft, who was handsome and huge and vibrant with youths en- lhusiasms and confidence. con- ferred for another half hour. hap- piIy and seriously. and agreed to meet there again bright and early next day.
 They talked, too. about the money Talked excitedly again after having already discussed it ak length They agreed that the si2Oo0 was doubtless r0bbert Ioof. But what robbers? And