Miss Dividends Part 27

"Which we won't travel in a hurry, when we're enjoined," jeers Ralph.

With this, he explains to his daughter the methods of mining that are employed, showing her the air as it rushes out of the tin air-pipe, to give life and vitality to the miners employed below.

This inspection doesn't take long, and, a few minutes after, they return to the station, followed by Lot.

Just here, however, Travenion says: "I haven't had a look at this other drift for a good while. I think I'll make a little examination of it now," and goes into the unused level.

When he reaches the fourth set of timbers from the shaft, by the light of his candle, Erma sees him put his hands on them, and lean against them, as he examines the face of the drift.

"Would you like to come in, Kruger?" he asks. "I find nothing."

"Seein's believin'!" cries Kruger, and makes an examination also. Then the two men come back to the station.

Erma notices that Lot has left his genial spirits in the bottom of the mine, for when they are hoisted to the surface he turns round and says: "Tranyon, unless we get the Mineral Hill, we don't get anything."

"And for that we have got to fight them," answers Ralph. Then he continues: "By the bye, you know Captain Lawrence has engaged Parshall & Garter. We have got a big fight on our hands, and I suspect I'll have to a.s.sess you."

"How much?" gasps Kruger.

"Well, I guess about twenty-five hundred dollars will do for your share, as a starter."

"As a starter!" screams Lot, who, though comfortably off for a Mormon, is not rich like Travenion.

"Yes, for just a little bit of a starter. It's going to cost me one hundred thousand dollars, perhaps more, to fight this case, and you don't suppose I'm going to spend _all_ the money, do you, bishop?"

"Great Zion! You talk of money as if it was water!" groans Kruger. Then he mutters to himself: "I wish I could get out of this thing!"

Leaving him to digest this unpleasant communication, Travenion takes his daughter's arm, and they walk to the end of the dump pile. Here he points out to her various mining locations and things of interest on the scene.

Up to the right, about a mile, is the big ledge of the Eureka Mining Company, then in litigation also. Across the West Tintic Valley, over thirty miles of sage brush, is the Scotia Mine. To the left, Silver City and Diamond.

"But where is Captain Lawrence's mine, the Mineral Hill?" asks the young lady eagerly.

"Just up a little and further to our right--about three hundred feet;"

and Travenion pointing out the spot, Erma places such anxious eyes upon it that her father whispers: "No hope of seeing your young man now! He doesn't know yet his injunction is discontinued. He'll be down in a day or two!" and pats her cheek, and laughs as if he had hopes himself from this enterprising young Gentile Philistine.

Just here they are interrupted by Kruger, who comes up suddenly and mumbles: "Bishop, I'd like to sell out!"

"Who to?" jeers Ralph. "Law-suits are too plenty around here for most people to want to buy them."

"To you!" says Lot. "You're the only man can handle this thing properly.

Then you'll have the whole of it."

"I think I have enough now, considering I've rather an expensive family," returns Travenion, and his eyes regard his daughter laughingly but lovingly.

"You won't buy my stock?" appeals Kruger again.

"Not unless you name a _very_ low figure, bishop."

"So I will," cries Lot. "I ain't no good at mining, nohow. If 'twas cattle, or farmin', I'd stand any man off!"

Then he names so low a sum that Travenion says: "All right! We'll draw up a deed this afternoon," and with that gives the foreman the necessary orders for closing the mine.

They all start down the hill together, though before leaving, Ralph gets a very grateful glance from his daughter, who, coming close to him, whispers: "You bought Kruger's stock so as to make the deed to Captain Lawrence. G.o.d bless you, father, for doing him justice!"

So they come down the trail, towards the main road, all apparently happy--Erma because she thinks Travenion's justice may make Harry Lawrence forget she is Tranyon's daughter; Kruger because he has got out of what he thinks a bad speculation with some little money; Ralph because his daughter's eyes are brighter and her step is lighter than at any time since she has known he was a Mormon.

As they are pa.s.sing a pile of rocks that borders the trail, a sudden sound, like that of a dozen locusts, comes to them. Erma, with a little cry, gathers her skirts about her, and springs upon a near-by boulder.

Travenion looks hurriedly about for a stick.

The next instant, Lot, who has lived all his life in wild places, has guessed the matter, and coming up, cries: "Why, it's a pesky rattler!"

and with a handy rock smashes the head of a serpent that has coiled itself upon the trail, a little ahead of them.

"A rattlesnake! Oh, mercy!" screams Miss Travenion, scrambling higher up on her boulder of safety.

"You can come down, now, Erma," says her father. But she stands poised on her eyrie, and discusses the matter, making a picture that causes Lot's st.u.r.dy heart to beat harder than it did when climbing the mountain.

"Not yet--I have read of them. They travel in pairs!" she gasps.

"Wall, this critter is dead, any way," suggests Kruger. "He has bitten himself twice since I 'rocked' him. It's all-fired queer how these varmints commit suicide when wounded."

"There's no danger," says Travenion.

"I'll toss him out of the path; then you'll come down, Sissy!" remarks the gallant Lot. For somehow the beauty of this young lady--so different from the other women this man has met--makes him wish to soothe fears he would be indifferent to, perhaps condemn, even in one of the many wives of his bosom.

"Oh, please do. I'll thank you so much, Mr. Kruger," answers Erma.

Then she e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.es: "Do it _quick_! I don't like to look at it!" For the Mormon bishop seems to be awkward over his work, perchance because Miss Travenion, in her agitated pose, displays an ankle that might daze any lover of the beautiful.

A moment after, he has flung the reptile away, and Erma descends, a little nervous yet, as she falters: "Are there many of them about?" and manifests a disposition to run down the hill.

"This is the first I have seen this year," says Ralph, rea.s.suringly.

"Yes, these critters are scarce round here," adds Lot; "but over thar in Provo Canon, fifty miles away"--he points northeast--"ye can't go one hundred yards without hearing 'em. And up at the head of it, there war thousands of 'em, but we all turned out, couple o' years ago, and burnt 'em up in a cave they 'denned' in. It's a marvellous place, the top of Provo Canon," he continues. "There's springs of writing-ink up there, and green and red colored water, and ice-cold fountains and b'iling hot fountains, all coming out of pot-shaped domes."

"It must be very curious, Mr. Kruger," returns Erma, who thinks she must appear grateful to him for killing the snake.

"Perhaps ye'll see it some time, yerself, Sissy," remarks Lot. "I have got as pretty a ranch as is seen in Utah, up the Kammas Prairie on the head-waters of Provo River. I have got as fine cattle and sheep, and four as likely----"

He checks himself suddenly here, but Ralph sarcastically adds: "Wives--why don't you say it at once, bishop? Four as likely _wives_ as there is in Utah, as well as a fifth at Provo, and a sixth in Cache Valley." Then he chuckles: "You're too bashful, Kruger!"

For that gentleman has suddenly grown red, and guffaws: "Git out! Bishop Tranyon! Yer givin' me away to your darter!"

"Pis.h.!.+" cries Ralph. "You were never diffident about it before. I have heard you brag about your women folks and big family to a dozen girls, at a dance in Provo."

"Stop, bishop!" interjects Kruger, interrupting him. "You have scared Ermie plump off!"

Which is true, for Miss Travenion has suddenly displayed a desire for rapid movement that has carried her well ahead of the gentlemen, down the trail.