The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

102 less stream of iron wheelbarrows rolled up one ineline and down the other, then away to the great brown heaps where “pick and shovel ” men filled them and started them back. While some tanks were being loaded, others were being unloaded—sweating Mexicans tossing the damp, useless tail- ings to the ground between the rows, where it was shoveled up and carted off to the refuse piles, far from the camp. This part of the work was monoto- nous In its sameness; but in the labora- tory the routine was subject to con- stant change. Before the day’s labor began the solution tank was almost de- pleted of its contents. From the sump tank all that was left of the solution was pumped back to the elevated vat, which was thereupon filled with fresh water from the pipe-line. Then came Amy, and with a weighted can attached to a length of wire drew from the depths of the vat a sample of the solution. The sample was taken to the laboratory and there tested to find the amount of cyanide it held. Next Amy unlocked the closet where the “White Death” was stored, weighed out the necessary amount to ‘bring the solution up to “ standard,” and with her own hands carried the shining white lumps by the pailful and threw them into the solution tank. After that the flow was again set to percolating through the great recepta- cles and the wonder work was resumed. In addition to this, Amy was obliged _to make frequent assays of the tailings in order to be at all times informed of the necessary amount of cyanide to be used: and there were a thousand and one little things to be constantly watched. On “clean-up” days her duties and responsibilities were more than doubled. The zine boxes were constantly kept under lock and key, for the zine shav- ings are to the cvaniding process what amalvam is to the stamp-mill method of gold recovery and represent a rich alloy of the precious metal. When the flow of solution was turned off from Box No. 1, she unlocked it and went to work at the shavings with her gloved hands. THE ARGOSY. In the barrels sulphuric acid reduced the metal shavings to a black, pulpy mass; this mass was dried, put imto crucibles with certain fluxes, melted, poured into molds, and finally turned out in bars of base bullion, ready to be taken to the bank. All shipments were made through the bank, and the Cyanide Company was credited with the net face of the bullion certificates as returned from the San Francisco refining works. In this process, as m may other de- partments of human labor’ where science plays a prominent part, eterna! vigilance was the price of success. There were innumerable details, and if even one was neglected or overlooked, the result might easily have proved disastrous, It was unfortunate that so much work should devolve upon Amy on this particular Saturday. She had less than three days in which to procure evidence that would convince Whipple of her brother’s innocence. How could she ae- complish it? She must proceed in the matter with- out ‘l'om’s help, for she dared not ap- proach him on the subject. She dread- ed to arouse him, not knowing what he might do. Besides, although Whipple had not talked with her under the seal of se- crecy, yet she had tacitly understood that she was in honor bound not to communicate the manager’s mtentions to her brother. It was imperative that she should do something to save Tom, yet what could she do? She asked herself this question again and again as she went about her work, and steadily and remorselessly she felt the ground slipping away from beneath her feet. At last, realizing how hope- less it was to divide her energies, she banished the matter from. her mind. Her trying duties connected with the clean-up would be finished that eve- ning: after that she could give her en- tire attention to Tom and his affairs. and the following day she hoped te ac- complish much. In the afternoon Whipple came to the office. She was sitting before the furnace, waiting for the contents of GORMIGOOO (COL