At the Time Appointed

Dar

and foot-hills were blackened by smouldering fires among the timber, while a dense pall of smoke entirely hid the distant ranges from view. Patches of sage-brush and bunch grass, burned sere and brown, alternated with barren stretches of sand from which piles of rubble rose here and there, telling of worked-out and abandoned

own the street, followed by a slight stir within the apparently deserted station. Whirling at breakneck pace arou

his superb form, seemed at last to pull himself together. Having secured his belongings from out the pile of miscellaneous luggage thrown from the stage upon the platform, he advanced towards the slouching fi

rather shortly, but despite the curtness of his acce

sufficiently for reply, two distant

thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the sound; "s

being in no mood for conversation with any one. Every bone in his body ached and his head throbbed with a dull pain, but these physical discomforts, which he attributed to his long and wearisome stage

might happen to be on the market. A promoter, whose acquaintance he had formed soon after leaving St. Paul, had poured into his ear such fabulous tales of a mine of untold wealth which needed but the expenditure of a few thousands to place it upon a divide

telegram handed him just before his departure from St.

for M. and M. on tr

t only by name. Li

ossi

rna

al syndicate of enormous wealth, and the fact that its expert was also on his

f little importance. "I have lost my start and am now likely to meet this Parkinson at any stage of the game. However, he has never

he appearance of the "double-header" rounding a curve and rapidly approaching-a

eir energies for the task before them, they were slowly ascending the steadily increasing grade, moment by moment with accelerated speed plunging into the very heart of t

granite pressed close and closer, seeming for one instant a threatening, impenetrable barrier, the next, opening to reveal glimpses of distant billowy ranges, their summits white with perpetual snow. The train had now reached a higher altitude, and breezes redolent of pine and fir fanned his throbbing brow, their fragrance thronging his mind with memories of other and far-distant scenes, until gradually the bold outlines of cliff and crag grew dim, and in their place appeared a cool, dark fores

indicated there; an indomitable will that would bend the most adverse conditions to serve its own masterful purpose and make of obstacles the paving-stones to success; a mind gifted with keen perceptive faculties, but which hitherto had dealt mostly with externals and knew little of itself or of its own powers. Young, with splendid health and superabundant vitality, t

him, confused at first, but growing more distinct as he gradually recalled his sur

an get their price, but they don't want less than a cold million for it, and it's my o

he mine is all right. They can hand over a million-or two, for that matter-as easily as a thousand, if th

out two-and-twenty, whose self-assurance and assumption of worldly wisdom, combined with a boyish impetuosity, he found vastly amusing, while at the same time his frank, ingenuous eyes and winning smile of genuine friendliness, revealing a nature as unsuspecting and confiding as a child's, appealed to him strangely and drew him irresistibly to

be Parkinson inquired the quick

runs between there and Ophir twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Let's see, this is Wednesday; we'll get into Ophir to-morrow, and you'll

s I care to go on any jaunts over your mountain roads when there's

e,-"had better wait over till Saturday, and in the mean time I'll take you people out to Camp Bird, as we call it, and show you the Bird Mine; that's our mi

this remarkable mine, Mr. Whitcomb?" Parkins

rs' experience, and what he doesn't know about mines and mining isn't worth knowing. He's interested in a dozen or so of the best mines in the State, but I don't think he would exchange his half-interest in the Bird Mine for all his other holdings put together. She's a comparativel

Assay Office, back here at Galena, that will show you the returns

ell, but the latter heard a long, low whistl

, "but if you don't believe those figures, I've got the cash right he

r, then leaned back in his seat, g

lars! I think I would like to take a look at the Bird Mine!

f you'll stop over," he said; "and don't you forget that my uncle can g

some severity, gazing fixedly at Whitcomb through his eye-glasses, "do you mean t

omb replied, evidently

he commented. "You are running a tremendous r

money there at Galena, but he couldn't very well leave this time, so he sent me, and as he was going to use considerable money paying for a lot of improveme

rest you; the results of some assays made by the United States Assay Office on some samples

unning his eye over the returns. "You

n you see it," Whitcomb answered

ward, they began an inspection of the samples, commenting on their respective values, while Whitcomb, unfolding a tracing of the workings of the mi

ading, but listening intently to the conversation of the men seated behind him, and particularly to young Whitcomb's share in it. Upon hearing the latter's statement that he had with him the cash returns for the shipment of bullion, Darrell saw the muscles of his face suddenly grow tense and rigid, while his hands involuntarily tightened their hold upon the paper. He grew uncomfortable under Darrell's scrutiny,

ning to Whitcomb's outline of their plans for the future development of the mine, "

got it down any finer than my uncle. He may not be able to talk so glibly or use such high-sounding names for things as you fellows, but he ca

business," said Parkinson; he added: "You

better not let him know that I said so. He'll be more

his Ajax business; whether he's ahead of me I don't know. I'll make inquiries when we reach Ophir, and if he hasn't come on the scene yet I c

at present," said Parkinson, rising from his se

son had left, sat idly turning over the specimens of ore, unti

ested in this

you call a mining man; that is, I've never owned or operated a mine, but I take a great interest in

careful not to show too great familiarity with the subject, or too thorough a knowledge of ores in genera

with us; we would make a mining man of you in less than

present, though it is uncert

l acquainted, I hope. Going into

the country over

, Darrell, by a judicious question or t

mploy them, who want to invest their money and wouldn't know a mine if they saw one; but when they undertake to air their knowledge among these old fellows who have spent a lifetime in the business, why, they'r

with the Ajax?" Darrell

Ajax has been a bonanza in its day, but within the last year or so the bottom has d

a pretty good pri

that there is some good ore in sight, and this is their chance to sell, but there are no indications of any permanence. One of our own men

unter an e

as a friend of his, just tak

be a member of the syndicate employing Par

etween two natures utterly diverse. Whitcomb was unaccountably drawn towards the dark-eyed, courteous, but rather reticent stranger, while his own frank friendliness and ch

ble, facing Whitcomb. "My head seems to have a small-sized stamp-mill inside of it; e

e you just from the East, or ha

a few days, bac

mountain

es

here this season, and this is just the worst time of year for an easterner to come o

plied, inwardly resolved, upon reaching Ophir, to push on to the Ajax as quick

the platform. A dense, bluish-gray haze hung low over the country, rendering the outlines of even the nearest objects obscure and

ve the telegraph office and jump hastily aboard. Calling Whitcomb's attention as he passed them, he related

id," he said, "but it can't be helped now. However, I gu

to Hunter and Parkinson. In a short time, however, he foun

e me. I'm rather off my base this evening, an

away his cigar and linking his arm within Darrell's, he insisted

" he called, cheerily;

ng shadows deepened, he confided to this acquaintance of only a few hours the outlines of his past life and much regarding his hopes and plans for the future. He spoke of his orphaned boyhood; of the uncle who had

ondest hope of all I hardly dare admit even to myself, and I don't know why I am speaking of it to you, except that I already l

t to Darrell than words; the latter grasped

l that you hop

You had better turn in and get all the rest you can, and when we reach Ophir to-morrow, just remember, my dear fellow, that no hotels 'go.' You'll g

med creeping through his veins. Not until long past midnight did he fall into a fitful sleep. Strange fancies surged through his fevered brain, tortu