The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 22 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

THE ARGOSY sixty dollais a week, net profit, from it. derstand the business.” | ‘“* Yes, you ought to understand it.” ‘*T understand it better than digging for gold. ‘* It is tiresome work,” admitted Grant. ‘* And doesn’t pay much.” ‘‘ It used to pay better—in the early days, I should think.” ‘* Well, Grant, what do you say ? I can give you the restaurant as security, and pay you back at the rate of twenty dollars a week. I'll pay you one per cent a month interest.” ‘* How much of the sum are you going to furnish yourself ?” ‘* Why,’ said Benton, embarrassed, ‘‘1 am not so fixed that I can pay anything at present, I've got an old uncle, over seventy years old, who is sure to leave me five thousand dollars, so that is additional security.” ‘* T haven’t five hundred dollars to lend.” ‘*T didn't suppose you had, but your friend Cooper could chip in with you on the loan, and just draw his one per cent a month regular. If that isn’t enough, I would pay fifteen percent. It would pay me, for it would put me into a good business,” ‘*T don't know how Cooper will feel about it, Mr. Benton, but I pre- fer to keep what little money I have in my own hands,” ‘ST think you might oblige a friend,” said Benton crossly. ‘¢ There’s a limit to friendship. I shall need my money for my own use.” Cooper said the same, and Benton saw that he must get the money in some other way. He dropped the subject, in order to avert suspi- cion, and began to consider the scheme which all the time he had in view to fall back upon. The next day, when the coast was clear, he went up stairs, and en- tered Grant’s room. There was no lock on the door, for in California people were not suspicious. ‘*Now I wonder where they keep their gold dust ?” Benton asked himself. ‘* It must be somewhere in this room, for they have no other place.” He looked about him. -The room was very simply furnished. There was a bureau, with three drawers, which Benton was able to un- lock, for he had a key that would fit it. There were only articles of underclothing inside, as indeed Benton anticipated. ‘*T think it must be in the chest,” he decided, as he fixed his glance upon it. ‘* Let me lift it.” He raised it, and found that it was quite heavy. ‘* That's the weight of the gold dust,” he reflected. open it.” He tried the different keys he had in his pocket, but none of them would answer,” ‘‘T must hunt up some more keys,” he said to himself. ‘* It will pay.” You know yourself that un- I soon tired of that.” “Tf IT could only CHAPTER XXX. BENTON LAYS HIS PLANS. S BENTON left the room, Paul Crambo, who was just coming up stairs, caught sight of him. Observing lis landlord’s surprised look, Benton, who was not easily disconcerted, said, ‘' I was looking fora clothes brush, I thought Grant might have one in his room.” ‘© Did you find one ?” asked Crambo. 6 No.” ‘¢T thought he had one.” Paul Crambo entered the chamber, and pointed out a whisk broom lying on the bureau. ‘‘ There is one,” he said significantly. ‘* So there is!" said Benton, for once looking confused. conkd my eyes have been ?” ‘* It is strange you didn't see it. It was in plain sight.” ‘© So it was. I am very absent minded.” Paul Crambo made no answer, but when he went down stairs he said to his wife, ‘‘ I begin to mistrust that Benton.” &4 Why 2°? Then Paul told what he had seen. ‘‘ You are right, Paul. He wasn't in there for any good purpose. I can’t say I am very much surprised. I didn’t take any fancy to him.” ‘¢Nor I. I wouldn't like to have him rob our two friends. They are fine fellows.” ‘¢ Where 847 ‘* We had better tell them tonight.” ‘Til do it before that. [I'll go out to their claims at once. The sooner they know it the better.” ‘* Do so.” Paul Crambo didn’t often call on the two miners, and they were a little surprised to see him approaching the claim. ‘‘ How are you, Mr. Crambo? Are you out for a walk?” asked Grant. ‘* Partly ; but I came partly on business,” ‘* Do you want to buy us out ?” ‘* Well, not at present. I ain’t in love with gold digging. Benton a friend of yours, Mr. Colburn ?” ‘* He isn’t a friend. He is an acquaintance.” ‘* Do you like him 2?” ‘* Not over much,” ** You had better look out for him.” ‘* What do you mean ?” asked Grant quickly. ‘*T don’t think he’s honest.” ‘** You have some reason for saying that, Mr. Crambo,” said Tom Cooper. ‘* Just before I left the house [ saw him coming out of your room.” ‘* Did he see you ?” ‘* Yes.” ‘* What did he say ?” ‘* He made a blind excuse ; said he went in there for a clothes brush, but couldn’t find one.” ‘Why, there was one on the bureau.” ‘*So I found out when I went into the room. I called his attention to it, and asked how it happened that he didn’t see it.”’ Well 2?” ‘* He said he was very absent minded. room for any good purpose.” ‘*T am sure of it,’ said Grant, and then hetold of Benton's experi ence in Sactamento. ‘* Tf you have anything of value in your chamber,” continued Paul, “T think you aad better remove it, or make sure that it can't be taken away by your old friend.” ‘* The fact is, Mr. Crambo,” said Tom Cooper, ** we have consider- able dust in the chest which we bought of you. We have kept it secret hitherto, but I know I can rely upon you, and I want your advice as tu what todo. You don’t think Benton opened the chest ?” ‘* No; he didn’t have time. Besides, he had nothing with him.” “It won't be safe to keep it there any longer; but the problem is, what shall we do with 10?) We can't find a hiding place for it here.” ‘* Tf you will see Mrs. Crambo about it, I think that she has a trunk that you can use for the purpose.” ‘* But wouldn't that be just as risky ?” ‘* Not if the trunk is kept in our chamber. on whether you have any confidence in us.” “The strongest, Mr. Crambo,” said Tom cordially. ‘' Vhe plan seems a good one. But the transfer must be made when Benton is out of the way.” ‘“ We must pick out the righttime. Tonight you can consult with Mrs. C. Thenif Mr. Benton carries out his plan and opens the chest, no harm will be done.” ‘* LT hope he will,” said Tom. ‘I should like to watch the fellow’s face and see how disappointed he will look.” When Tom and Grant met Benton in the evening it wassdifficult for them to treat him as usual. Tom had a strong desire, as he afterward told Grant, to seize Benton and shake the life out of him, ‘*Did you have a good day, gentlemen ?” asked Benton noncha- lantly. “Oh, so, so! We didn’t come across a bonanza.” ‘*T have, but I can't avail myself of it.” “You refer to the restaurant 2?” ‘Yes ; Iam afraid it will slip out of my hands if I don’t raise five hundred dollars within a week.” ‘* Have you any scheme for raising it ?”? asked Tom Cooper. ‘* Well, no, not exactly. I hope to find some one who will lend me the money. If you and Grant now " ‘*We need the little money we have for other purposes,” interrupted Cooper. ‘* Oh, that’sall right! I guess I’H raise it somewhere.” ‘* [ suppose he means in our chest,” thought Grant, ‘(To be continued.) Is that I think he didn’t visit the Of course that depends ecoMmieoooks COU