THE FINAL TOUCH OF TRAGEDY
On the day announced, at about eleven in the morning, two automobiles
reached Don Luis's home. Besides the mine owner the cars contained
nine other travelers, all Americans.
These were the investors who were expected to buy _El Sombrero_
at a price of two and a half million dollars.
Over at the camp Tom and Harry saw the party arrive. They could
see the travelers being served with refreshments on the veranda.
"There's the crowd, Harry. And here's a car, coming this way,
undoubtedly for us. Now, we've got to go over there for our first
practice as bunco men."
Harry Hazelton made an unpleasant grimace. "I feel like a scoundrel
of the worst sort, but it can't be helped," he muttered.
The car was soon at hand. Tom and Harry were dressed and ready.
Though their clothing suggested the field engineer, they were
none the less dressed with a good deal of care. They entered
the tonneau of the automobile and started on their way to help
put the mine swindle through.
"Here are my engineers, gentlemen," smiled Don Luis, "and at least
three of your number, I believe, are well acquainted with Messrs.
Reade and Hazelton."
Tom ascended the steps, feeling rather weak in the knees. Then
the young engineers received one of the severest jolts of their
lives.
Three of the gentlemen in that group, both young men knew well.
They were President Haynes, General Manager Ellsworth and Director
Hippen of the A.G.& N.M. Railroad. These gentlemen Tom and Harry
had served in railroad work in Arizona, as told in "_The Young
Engineers in Arizona_."
Now, in a flash, it was plain to both young Americans why Don
Luis had wanted them, especially, to report favorably concerning
_El Sombrero_ Mine. President Haynes and his associates in the
A.G.& N.M. R.R. had every reason in the world to trust the young
engineers, who had served them so faithfully on another occasion.
These gentlemen would believe in anything that Reade and Hazelton
backed with their judgment.
"You?" cried Tom, with a start, as President Haynes held out his
hand. Then, by a mighty effort, Reade recovered himself and laughed
easily.
"This is a pleasant surprise, Mr. Haynes! And you, Mr. Ellsworth,
and you, Mr. Hippen."
"And we're equally surprised to find you here, Reade, and you,
Hazelton," rejoined President Haynes. "But we feel more at home,
already. You know, Reade, we're quite accustomed to looking upon
anything as an assured success when you're connected with it."
"And, in its way, this mine is the biggest success we've backed
yet," Tom declared readily.
Don Luis Montez, though he was keenly watchful, was delighted so far.
"What do you really think of this mine, Reade?" broke in Mr. Ellsworth.
"Is it all that a careful investor would want?"
"If you're getting what I think you are," Tom answered, "you're
getting a lot more, even, than you might be led to expect. _El
Sombrero_, if it includes the limits that I suppose the tract
does, will be worth a great deal more than you are paying for it."
"The limits?" asked Mr. Ellsworth, keenly. "Don't you really
know, Reade, what the limits of the property are?"
"Why, that is a matter to which I haven't given much attention,
so far," answered Tom, with disarming candor. "But, if we can
have a map of this part of the country, I'll quickly mark off the
limits on which I think you should insist."
Don Luis caught at this readily.
"My good Carlos," Don Luis directed, turning to his secretary,
"place in Senor Reade's hands a map of this part of the country."
"A map of your possessions only, Don Luis?" asked Dr. Tisco.
"A map of my possessions, of course," agreed Don Luis.
The map was brought, a large one, and spread on the table.
"Now, perhaps," suggested Tom, "the tract I am about to mark off
on this map is a larger one than Don Luis had intended to include
in the sale, but let us see what Don Luis will have to say."
With Harry's help Reade marked off on the map a tract containing
about forty-four hundred acres. This was fully twice as large
as the tract Don Luis had planned to deed with _El Sombrero_.
However, as Don Luis reckoned all this wild mountain land to
be worth not more than twenty-five cents an acre, he did not care
about Tom's liberality in the matter of real estate.
"We will have these limits ruled in with red ink," Montez proposed,
"and the deed shall cover the limits so indicated. Yes; I will
sell that whole tract of rich mineral land to you, gentlemen,
for two million and a half of dollars."
"Then," declared Tom Reade, "you will find that you will not regret
your purchase, gentlemen."
"You are confident of that, Reade?" asked President Haynes, anxiously.
"I am more than confident," Tom declared, promptly. "I am as
certain of what I state as ever an engineer can be of anything."
"If we were alone," thought Don Luis Montez, exultantly, "I would
take off my hat to this young Gringo, Reade. He is a far more
accomplished liar than I can ever hope to be. And these Americanos
are becoming convinced all ready."
"Do you agree with your associate, Hazelton?" inquired Mr. Ellsworth.
"Absolutely," Harry proposed. "I have been watching Tom Reade to see
if he was making the statement emphatic enough to suit my ideas.
Gentlemen, the property we have staked off on this map is a good
investment one that will soon make the American financial markets ring."
"I'm satisfied, on Reade and Hazelton's report," declared Mr. Haynes.
"I know these young men, and I'd trust my life or my fortune to their
honesty or their judgment alike."
"I'm satisfied, too," nodded Ellsworth.
"I can say the same," nodded Mr. Hippen.
"Then we hardly need to look or inquire further," laughed another
of the intending investors, pleasantly.
From this will be seen how much frequently depends upon the reputation
of an engineering firm for honor and judgment. In New York City,
downtown, is an almost dingy suite of offices. It is the business
headquarters of a firm of mining engineers known and trusted the
world over. Probably the entire equipment of these offices, including
the laboratories and assay rooms, could be purchased for seven
or eight thousand dollars. The real asset of this firm is its
reputation for splendid judgment and unfailing honor. Let this
firm of engineers indorse a new mine sufficiently, and Wall Street
will promptly raise twenty million dollars to finance the scheme.
This firm of engineers, despite its rather dingy quarters, often
earns a yearly income running into hundreds of thousands of dollars.
These men of the A.G.& N.M. R.R. knew Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton
as well and favorably as the mining world at large knows the New
York firm which has been referred to above.
"It all looks good to me," declared President Haynes, speaking again.
"And to me," nodded several others of the visitors.
"In the mine, this afternoon," Tom proposed, "we can show you much
more that you will like."
Now, as by magic, Don Luis's servants appeared with tables which
they set and spread on the porch and luncheon was served.
"Now, we will go see _El Sombrero_ itself," Don Luis proposed.
"I shall not have much to say to-day. I understand that you are
willing to have Senor Tomaso Reade do the explaining."
"More than willing--anxious," replied General Manager Ellsworth.
That night Tom and Harry returned to their tent. As they went
at a late hour their absence from the house was barely noted.
All through the afternoon the visitors had been busy inspecting
ore supposed to have been blasted in the tunnels of _El Sombrero_
Mine. As the reader will understand, every bit of this ore had
been brought from a profitable mine further up in the mountains.
"How does it seem to be a rascal, Tom?" inquired Harry, as he blew
out the candle in their tent.
"Great!" muttered Tom Reade.
The day following was given somewhat to sight-seeing in and around
the mine, but still more to a discussion of the intended purchase.
As Don Luis would not hear to reducing his price, the visitors
were finally satisfied to pay the money demanded.
"When will you be ready to turn the money over, gentlemen?" inquired
Montez.
"As soon as we can reach a town where there is both a bank and
a telegraph office," replied Mr. Haynes. "The whole amount of
money is on deposit in New York City, subject to sight draft.
If you are well enough known at the bank, Don Luis, to introduce
us, the draft may be drawn at that bank, and accepted from New
York on telegraphic inquiry."
"The speed of you American business men is marvelous!" cried Don
Luis Montez, delightedly.
The next morning Don Luis, Mr. Haynes and a New York capitalist
in the party departed in an automobile, going back to the railway
town. Two days later they returned. The entire deal had been
put through. The mine had become the property of this group of
American capitalists. Don Luis's home was included in the sale.
The money had been paid over on telegraphic advice from New York.
Don Luis, in turn, had transferred his huge credit to Mexico
City by wire, and this fortune now awaited his orders at the capital
of the republic.
Soon after Don Luis had returned he called the young engineers aside.
"_Caballeros_," he murmured, "I am delighted with the loyal service
you have rendered me. Before to-day is over I shall hand you
drafts on my bank at the capital for twenty thousand dollars each,
gold. Then the transaction will be closed. Again I thank you.
Be good enough to remain about, for I shall soon want you."
Over the hills a white-clad figure rode on horseback. As he came
nearer, still at a gallop, the man was seen to be a soldier.
"I wonder if there is any treachery in this?" muttered Harry,
in Tom's ear. "Does Don Luis intend to have us arrested, after
all, and sent to prison to be held _incommunicado_, and so make
sure of keeping us out of the way?"
"I don't believe so," Tom replied. "It wouldn't be a wise move
on his part. He'd be afraid that we'd denounce him even as we
were being led away."
"Then why the soldier?"
"Let's wait and see."
No one else appeared to have paid any heed to the horseman. A few
minutes later the soldier rode up the driveway.
"Senor--Haynes?" called the soldier, holding up an envelope.
Tom passed the word. Messrs, Haynes and Ellsworth were absent,
it seemed, on a walk.
"If it's a telegram," said Mr. Hippen, "I'm a director in the same
road. It may be on railroad business. I'll take the telegram."
It was turned over to him. Mr. Hippen broke the seal of the envelope,
took out the enclosure and read it. Then he read it aloud, as
follows:
"Train thirteen wrecked this forenoon." It was signed by President
Haynes's secretary.
"Humph!" said Mr. Hippen. "I don't see the need of wasting the
railroad's money to send that despatch here."
He folded it and placed it in his pocket, against Mr. Haynes's
return.
"I shall want to talk with you two for a few minutes," Don Luis
presently whispered to Tom. "I shall have my car here soon.
When you see it, both of you come forward and be ready to take
a short ride with me."
In the background stood Dr. Tisco, looking on with cynical eyes.
"Of course, the poor American fools haven't any idea that they
will set out on the ride, but will never return," murmured Don
Luis's secretary, to himself. "Pedro Gato, turned loose on the
same day he was arrested, has waited a long time for his revenge.
He and the dozen bandits he has gathered around him will shoot
the American engineers full of holes out on the road, and Don
Luis, when he returns, deluged in his own tears, will tell the
awful story of the encounter with the bandits. What a clever
scoundrel Don Luis is!"
Fifteen minutes later the automobile stood before the steps to
the big porch.
"You two, my friends," called Don Luis, resting a hand on Tom's
shoulder and beckoning to Harry. "You will take one last ride
with me, will you not? And, while we are gone, I shall discuss
a few more of my plans with you."
Wholly unsuspicious of this final tragic touch to the drama, Tom
Reade and Harry Hazelton went down the steps, following Don Luis
Montez into the car.