The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 22 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE ARGOSY ‘Yes, my dear,” said. Paul meekly. ‘We're in luck, Grant,” said Tom. we shall live like Christians.” ‘* 1 hope you won't be offended, Tom, but I like Mrs. Crambo’s cook- ing better than yours.” ‘‘That’s where you show your good taste. I wasn’t intended by nature for a cook, and I can say-the same for you.” The next morning the two friends set out after breakfast for the de- serted claim. They opened it up, and soon found traces of past workings. They had been there for about a couple of hours when Paul Crambo came along. ‘* What’s up ?” he asked in surprise. ‘* We've gone to work,” answered Tom. ‘** That must be the claim the old man used to run.” ‘* Very likeiy. I thought some one must have been at work here before.” ‘* Likely you'll get discouraged and go off, as he did.” ‘We'll try to make enough to pay our board. That'll keep us here, even if we don't succeed very weil." ‘* T never liked digging for gold,” said Crambo. ache.” ‘*Grant and I will try it awhile.” Mr. Crambo looked on awhile and then sauntered away. It made him uncomfortable to see others work hard. He became fatigued him- self out of sympathy. ‘‘ For the first time in months ‘* It made my back CHAPTER XXVIII. THE BEGINNING OF SUCCESS, OM and Grant met with little success during the first two days, and were correspondingly disappointed. After all the high hopes with which they had entered upon this new enterprise it was certainly discouraging to realize scarcely more than at Howe's Gulch. But on the third day they struck a ‘* pocket,” and in the next two days took out five hundred dollars. ‘* That’s the way to do it, Grant,” said Tom, his face fairly radiant. ‘‘ It pays to dig for gold at this rate.” ‘*Soitdoes, Tom. I felt sure the old gentleman wouldn't deceive us,” ** Tf jt will only last, we shall make our fortunes.” ‘*This pocket won’t last, of course, but we may strikeanother. You know Mr. Gibbi-n told us he took out ten thousand dollars in six months.” ‘* That is true, so we may hope for a, good streak of luck.” ‘*There is one thing I have been thinking of, Tom. Where shall we keep our gold dust ?” Tom looked doubtful. ‘““If we could send it away,” he said, ‘‘it would be better. Of course, 1f we keep it under our own charge we may b2 robbed.” ‘*To begin with, we must not let any one know how well we are doing.” ‘‘That is important. thieves.” Finally it was decided to keep the dust for the present in a box at tneir boarding place. In the room the two partners found a sailor's chest which had been left by a former boarder, who had left the house in arrears. Grant bought it of Mr. Crambo for a couple of dollars, and Paul seemed glad to get rid of it at that price. There was a good lock upon it, and into this chest their daily findings were put, till at the end of a fortnight, they had, according to Tom Cooper’s estimate, about one thousand dollars. Of theig good luck neither Mr. nor Mrs, Crambo had the slightest idea. ‘* How are you making out at the mines, Mr. Cooper ?” asked Mrs. Crambo one evening. ‘*So, so!” answered Tom indifferently. ‘© You'll never make your fortune at that there mine,” said Paul. ‘Oh, well, we are not ambitious,” rejoined Grant. ‘‘If we make enough to pay our board and a little more, we shall not complain.” ‘*T hope you'll do that,” said Mrs. Crambo. ‘‘I- have got used to having you here, and should be sorry to have you go. If you should find yourself short at any time, just put off paving your board. 1 am not afraid to trust you.” ‘* You are very kind,” said Tom warmly ; ‘‘ but we had a little money with us when we came, and we are doing enough to make it pretty cer- tain that we can pay our board.” The news would attract adventurers and 344 ** You wouldn't if you didn’t work harder than my husband.” ‘‘My dear,” interposed Mr. Crambo, shrugging his shoulders, ‘I work as hard as I can. I wasn’t made for hard work.” ‘“I don’t believe you were,” said his wife. ‘‘ You never have made a success yet.” ‘‘ Except in marrying you,” responded Paul. Mrs, Crambo smiled. ‘It may have been good luck for you,” she replied, ‘‘but I am afraid that in becoming Mrs. Crambo I made a serious mistake,” ‘* [ suppose you regret not marrying Silverthorn,” said Paul. ‘*Silverthorn {"’ exclaimed Grant and Tom Cooper in unison. “Yes; his name was Dionysius Silverthorn, and he looked like a preacher. Do you know him ?” ‘*'We have met him.” ‘‘He taught a dancing school in Wisconsin—that’s where my wife and I came from—and was rather sweet on her. I think she gave him some encouragement.” ‘* You know I never did, Paul.” ‘ T sometimes think vou hanker after him yet, Rebecca.” ‘Well, between you and him I am not sure that there is much choice,” retorted Mrs. Crambo. ‘*T can assure you there is,” said Grant. fraud I ever came across.” ‘* IT say the same,” chimed in Tom. ‘* What do you know of him? My wife will be interested to hear,” said Mr. Crambo, Upon this the two partners gave an account of their personal expe- rience with Silverthorn, and what they had learned of him through Nahum Stockton, ‘* Paul,” said Mrs, Crambo, ‘‘ that settles it. You needn't be jealous of Mr. Silverthorn. I wouldn't marry him if 1 were left a vidow to- morrow. For the first time I begin to see that I might Fave done worse. ‘* By the way,” resumed Mrs. Crambo, ‘‘I have had an application for board from another party.” ‘* A gentleman ?” ‘“Humph! I can’t say astothat. It's a man at any rate.” “What did you say ?" asked Tom, a little uneasy. The presence of another boarder would render the discovery of their secret more likely. ‘‘T said I would take him for a few days on trial,” answered Mrs. Crambo. ‘* Is he in any business ?” ‘* He says he is prospecting.” ** What is his name ?” ‘*T can’t remember, come this evening.” In fact, just at this moment there was a knock at the door, and Mr. Crambo, answering it, ushered in a person familiar to Grant, at least. ‘* Albert Benton !"" he exclaimed. “What, Grant, you here ?" exclaimed Benton in surprise. ‘* Why, are you gentlemen acquainted >” asked Mrs. Crambo. ** Yes,” answered Grant briefly; ‘‘we knew each other in mento.” Grant was by no means pleased to see his old associate in the restau- rant. ‘And what are you doing here, Grant ?” asked Benton curiously, ‘‘Silverthorn is the worst However, we shall soon know, for he is to Siacra- ‘* Mr. Cooper and I are working a claim,” answered Grant unwill- ingly. | | ‘Is it rich 2? Don’t you want a partner 2?" inquired Benton briskly. ‘“No; wecan do ail the work that is required. But what are vou : q ) doing ?” ‘‘ Oh, I've been drifting around,” said Benton evasively. digging for gold a part of the time.” ‘* Did you meet with any success ?" ‘*Not much. I tell you, Grant, this mining business is played out. I don’t know what I shall take up next. If I had capital, 1 would set up a restaurant of my own.” **You may be right about mining,” said Grant. little at Howe’s Gulch.” ‘* T suppose you are doing better here ?” ‘* We are not ready to retire yet.” ‘*T am glad I happened to come here. the same house with an old frieud.”’ Grant was truthful, and did not respond tothe compliment. *T was ** We made very It will he pleasant to be in ecoOMmlceoooks (SO wf