The Argosy, November 1908 — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

618 suddenly as it had begun. Again his face assumed its habitual expression of bored indifference. “Vour affairs, eh?’’ and the man stroked his chin. ‘“ Well, what do you want to know about ’em?”’ “ Everything,” succinctly. “H’m! That’s a pretty large order, looking at it in one way; and perhaps not so large, looking at it in another. Maybe, in order to save time, you had better ask me in the form of direct questions exactly what you want to find out.” “Well, then, roughly speaking, what is the value of my inheritance?” The value of your inheritance? That, I should say, is very much as you may see fit to estimate it.” ‘As I may see fit to estimate it?” ‘‘Yes. Six months ago it was easily worth one hundred thousand dollars. Now it may be worth double that, or—”’ Visions of rapidly enhancing wealth danced through the young man’s brain. “Or?” he demanded excitedly. ‘Not one darned cent,” replied Weath- erby. CHAPTER II. “GO WEST, YOUNG MAN.” For a second Dick was bowled com: pletely over. Never doubting for an instant, from all he had heard and ob- served, that his uncle’s death had ren- dered him independently rich, the law- yer’s brusk announcement struck him with all the effect of an umexpected bucket of ice-water dashed suddenly upon his glowing hopes. “Wha—what do you mean?” he stam- mered, recoiling a step. In that moment of surprise the thought came to him that possibly this Weatherby might be attempting some crooked deal- ing, and his brow darkened; but the other speedily dispelled any such suspi- cion. “No,” as an answer to the unspoken suggestion; “‘an investigation will easily convince you that I am in no way con- cerned. The facts are simply that your uncle, a short time before his demise, went rather heavily into a gold-mining proposition which may or may not result in profit. THE ARGOSY. ‘““Now, you will understand,” he added, “why I had to laugh when you spoke of having tumbled into a gold mine, and why I said that the value of your legacy was very much what you might chowse to consider it.” But Dick was paying very little heed to the semi-apology. “A gold-mining proposition, eh?” he muttered. “Of course a large number of such schemes are frauds and swin- dles; but my late uncle, I have been given to understand, was a very careful man of business, a regular—”’ “A regular screw and miser, eh? Well, so John Behan was; but I wouldn't aduise you to bank too strengly on that. Indeed, my experience has taught me that those are the very people who prove the easiest marks for the ‘con’ men and bunko sharks. Why, if it wasn’t for tight-fisted old farmers who will squeeze a dollar until the eagle shrieks, the shell- game and the seductive gold-brick would long since have become relics of the past.” ‘You mean, then,” broke in Dick ex- citedly, “that Uncle John fell for a swindle which has swallowed up a good share of his estate?” ‘““No-o,” returned Weatherby, with the caution of his craft, “that is a little stronger than I would care to be quoted. I simply Yell you that your legacy is at present tied up in shares of the Verdee Mining and Smelting Company. What they may be actually worth, either now or in the future, I am unable to state.” ‘But your opinion,” persisted Dick, “is that the whole affair is a monstrous swindle?” Weatherby hesitated a moment; then seizing his caller by the arm, he drew him over to a window which looked out upon the main street. ‘Do you see that old chap over there on the steps of the bank, with the crowd around him?” he asked. Following the direction of the pointed finger, Behan perceived a portly and prosperous figure, silk-hatted, ruddy- faced, and gray-sidewhiskered, holding forth to a group of men who seemed to hang entranced upon his utterances. That,” said the lawyer, “is Colonel Simeon P. Jones, our local edition of the ‘Pied Piper of Hamelin.’ About six ; ; comicloooks.conrn