The Argosy, November 1908 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

AN ELUSIVE LEGACY. months ago he landed in Ravenswood with a satchel full of quartz specimens, a book of handsomely lithographed stock certificates, and a glittering story of a gold mine at Verdee, British Columbia, which only needed development to prove a second Comstock. “T don’t suppose that you, being a New Yorker,” the lawyer proceeded, “can realize how easy it is to work one of these rural burgs. Not that you, or I, or any other decent man could do it; they wouldn’t listen to us, if we offered them ten-dollar gold pieces for one dollar and ninety-eight cents. But let some fellow they never heard of before come along with a scheme they know nothing about, and if he has a silk tile, gray mut- ton-chops, and a plausible tongue, they will flock to him as though he were an inspired oracle. “To cut the story short, Ravenswood has contributed not less than a million dollars to Colonel Jones, and in that contribution is every dollar of your Uncle John’s fortune.” “ Every dollar?” gasped Dick. At the worst, he had not supposed the estate was more than impaired. “Ves, sir; every blamed cent. Mr. Behan seemed to go fairly daft over the enterprise, I tell you. Nothing that I or any of his other usual advisers could say had the slightest effect. Stocks, bonds, securities of every sort, he turned into cash, and dumped into this precious scheme.” “ But the real estate? Surely that big house must be worth considerable, and there is a farm besides, is there not? ”’ ‘“Mortgaged up to the hilt, every last stiver of it, and the money gone to Colo- nel Jones. “Tn brief,” the other finished, ‘ you. might as well know at the start, Mr. Be- han, that your inheritance consists solely and entirely of stock in the Verdee and what that may be worth, But Dick stopped him with a wave of the hand. He had drawn his own con- clusions from what he had heard, and from the appearance of the man across the street. To his mind, “shark” was written in every line of Colonel Jones’s bland and smiling personality. An ominous scowl upon his brow, he 619 rose to his feet and started impetuously for the door. But Weatherby, with sur- prising agility, sprang out of his chair, and managed to head him off. “What would you do?” he demanded. ‘“Get my money back from that old fraud,”’ stormed Dick, “or else take it out of his hide!” “Nonsense,” the lawyer cut in with cool, dispassionate argument. ‘ This is a case for craft, not for violence. In the present state of public sentiment here, you would accomplish nothing ex- cept to get locked up on a charge of as- sault and battery. There is a better way than that to get satisfaction.” 6 How? ”? ‘Well, a million dollars can hardly be so cunningly diverted but that some clue will be left as to where it has gone. So, if I were in your shoes, I would waste no time here, but would go out to Ver- dee and find out for myself just how the land lies, and what Colonel Jones is doing with all this money.” “But,” questioned Behan, “ surely some of the folks here have made an investigation of the property, have they not? You don’t mean to tell me they are quite such gillies as to have swallowed all that was told them without at least attempting to look it up for themselves? ” “Oh, yes, they investigated it,’ as- sented Weatherby with an ironic smile. “ That is, they clubbed together and sent George Prentice, the bank president, out there to look into things for them, with the result that he brought back the most glowing report that one could wish. Prentice is a good, honest fellow, you see, square as a die, and a first-rate banker; but,” again the lawyer smiled, ‘what he doesn’t know about mining would probably fill several books.’’, “Still,” broke in Dick eagerly, ‘he has been on the ground, and ought to be able to tell me something of the real conditions. Where can I find him, pray?” “You can’t find him; not unless you go to Verdee. Prentice, you must un- derstand, has been made president of the company, and has gone out there to take personal charge of its affairs.” Dick looked frankly puzzled. “But,” he questioned, “if that is so, what need is there for me to go to Ver- comiclooks.corn