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"Mr. Kelby," Trevallion said, "In the course of a week there are several hundred men come in here. All of them are friendly. I venture to say that Melissa has had at least fifty proposals since she has been in town. Naturally, she could not tell her business affairs to every one of them. "Melissa has done all the hard work. The business is moving, growing, but it is the future that holds promise. She has handled her business very, very well. I would suggest to you, sir, that Melissa is an uncommonly practical young lady, with a good business sense." "The winters here are cruel," he protested. "She's not strong enough. I simply do not want her to have to go through all that." Trevallion smiled. "Mr. Kelby, you are right. The winters are tough, but I think you underestimate Melissa. When spring comes she will be here, and all the stronger for it. I know very little about women, but I have observed that there's often a lot of steel in some of those fragile-seeming girls." Kelby glanced at her. "I doubt if I shall stay. I want to be where there are lights and music and some sunshine." Kelby left, and Trevallion turned to Melissa. "Have you heard from Jim?" "No, I haven't. The weather has been bad over the mountains, and I guess he's waiting for a break." Trevallion finished his coffee and went up the street to Lyman Jones's saloon. There was a sheet-iron stove inside, and men were clustered about it, almost as many as were at the bar. Trevallion ordered a beer and listened, for this was the surest way to pick up the news. Jones himself brought him his beer, and Trevallion asked, "Seen Jim Ledbetter around?" Jones shook his head. "No, can't say I have." Tapley came in and he beckoned to the Arkansawyer. "Seen Jim?" "No, I ain't, and that there is a worrisome thing. Knowin' Jim, I'd say he'd push to get at least one more trip in before the passes closed. He's got good stock, and if anybody could make it, he could. Besides, he'd have plenty of folks to take back with him." A big man in a red blanket coat turned around, asking, "You fellers stayin'?" "I reckon," Tapley replied. Page 79 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html "Got me a good claim I'd sell cheap," Trevallion noticed the callouses on the man's hands, "and this here's no pipe dream." "Why don't you work it your own self, then?" Tapley asked. "Wife's sick. Got to get her outside to a doctor. I been minin' ten year, and this here's the best I've seen. Silver, with a showin' of gold. It ain't showin' much right now, but she's there, I know it is." "Where's it lie?" Trevallion asked. "Up the hill a way. If you're interested, I'll show you." He gestured around. "This bunch is on their uppers as much as I am. I'll need cash on the barrelhead, no deals." "Let's have a look," Trevallion suggested. As they went out into the cold, the man said, "My name's MacNeale. You're Trevallion, aren't you? Seen you over to Rough an' Ready a time or two, and on the Yuba. "Remember John Mackay? Quiet sort, an Irishman with a mite of a stutter? He's here, he and O'Brien have a place on the mountain above the Ophir." "I remember him. A good, steady man." The claim was at the top ofUnion Street , and the location did not look too good. MacNeale had put a shaft down fifteen feet and started a drift following a lead that looked promising. MacNeale showed him several samples from a sack near the shaft. Samples were, of course, usually carefully chosen from the best ore. "Look," MacNeale said, "I'm in a bind. This here's all I've got, and all the men with cash money have gone out toCalifornia . I've got to get my wife out of here right now, and I don't have more'n twenty bucks to my name. You name it and I'll take it." "I haven't much, myself," Trevallion said, "and there's a long winter ahead. I'll give you two hundred in gold." "I'll take it." MacNeale held out his hand and they shook hands. Trevallion stood for a moment, looking around him, studying the lay of the land. The ore bodies on the Ophir, Central, and Mexican claims had been exposed for some three hundred odd feet and the indications were good. Something in excess of thirty tons had just been shipped to the coast for refining. Descending into the shaft again, he walked along the drift. He held his lamp so the light could shine to the best effect, and he studied the vein. It was very thin but seemed to widen toward the tunnel's face. What lay beyond? It was anybody's guess, but he had a good feeling about it. "Come on, we'll weigh out the gold." He paused for a moment and said, "MacNeale, I think you're right. I think the claim is a good one, and I'm not one to take advantage. I'm paying you the two hundred, but I'm going to give you five percent on top of that." Page 80 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html MacNeale flushed. "Now that's mighty straight, but I " "It was your discovery. You get five percent of whatever we get, which may be nothing at all." When he had paid out the gold, his sack was somewhat lighter. He hefted it thoughtfully. He might have enough for another buy, and now was the time. In the spring the Californians would be coming in with money and know-how, and they would start things moving. He tucked away the bill of sale in his pocket and said, "Now, Tap, we'll go see what happened to Jim." "I'll be goin' west m'self," MacNeale said, "and I'll have a look about." "We will go now," Trevallion said, "you will have no time for looking about, and you with a sick wife." "Nonetheless, I'll have my eyes open," MacNeale said, "but you'd better look alive yourselves. There's those about who would kill a man for a two-bit piece." They rode down the trail in the evening with a gray sky overhead and a wind behind them. They rode down to the trading post first, but they saw no mules nor had they word of a pack train. "Woodford's," Tapley said. "Might be he stopped there, with the wind and all." The hoofs of their mules clattered on the frozen road. There was a sifting of snow in the air. "If he's caught in the passes " "He's a canny man, Jim is. He knows that trail better than either of us, and he knows places to hole up that we do not." "There will be tracks then," Tapley said. They pushed on into the growing storm, with snow falling thick about them. Darkness came and the thick snow falling. "Tap," Trevaflion said, "we'd best camp or there'll be somebody out looking for us. We'll find nothing in this." "Aye," Tapley drew up, peering about. Trevallion started to turn from the trail, but the mule would have none of it. He tugged at the bit, wanting to go on. "Tap," Trevallion loosened the rein, "the mule knows something. I'm going to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |