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HE FOLLOWING [133] morning Vance took the stage for Gold Bluff. As
he neared that little mining town, he found himself experiencing an
impatience once more to see Louise Bonifield that was strangely at
variance with any former sensation of his life. It seemed to him
the stage coach was traveling at a snail’s pace, and even the good
natured, “honest intentioned” Steve Gibbons, with all his droll talk
of frontier adventure, failed to interest him. Arriving at the hotel, he
found the old miner, Ben Bonifield, waiting for him.
“Am delighted to see yo’, Mr. Gilder; I am indeed, suh. I presume
yo’r almost famished; pow’ful tiresome ridin’ in a stage coach all
day, suh. After yo’ have refreshed yo’self, I shall be pleased to
join yo’ in yo’r room. I have a matteh of vehy great impo’tance to
discuss with yo’, suh.”
“All right,” said Vance, in his cheeriest tones. “I trust Miss
Louise is well?”
“Quite well, suh; quite well, thank yo’.”
As Vance ate his supper a satisfied feeling of contentment with the
whole world intruded itself upon him. His advancement in his profession
was certainly gratifying. He had received several valuable hints while
in [134] Butte City in regard to a new silver mining company that was
about to be organized, in which he was thinking seriously of investing
a little money. The price was only ten cents a share, which he had been
assured, on what seemed to him very excellent authority, would be
worth a dollar a share before twelve months’ time. His investment
at Waterville was certainly a good one, and he heartily believed Col.
Bonifield had good news to tell him about Gray Rocks. In addition to
this, he was once more near Louise, that fair vision of loveliness,
whose tender blue eyes seemed ever near him. He dropped a coin into the
hand of the waiter as he rose from the table, and stopped in the hallway
to caress a lovely little child which he found playing hide-and-seek
with an older companion, and then made each a present of money with
which to buy bon-bons. He hummed softly to himself the air of an old
love song as he went leisurely to his room.
Soon after, he was enjoying a choice Havana with Col. Bonifield sitting
in a chair opposite him, smoking his briar-root, blowing blue rings
of smoke leisurely toward the ceiling. Vance was animated, and spoke
glowingly of the prospects of Waterville. Presently Col. Bonifield said:
“Mr. Gilder, we have reached the 300 foot level, suh,” and then
lapsed into silence.
“Have you cross-cut into the vein yet?” asked Vance.
“Mr. Gilder,” said the old miner, as he rose from his chair and
walked back and forth in a stately manner, “we have cross-cut, suh,
into where the vein ought to have been, but it is not there, suh. I
must confess to yo’, suh, that I am greatly disappointed, but the
disappoint [135] ment, I am sure, suh, is only tempoary. Of course it is
much richer, suh, than it was at the 200 foot level, but it is not rich
enough, suh, to work, by a pow’ful sight.”
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This information was a great disappointment to Vance, for he had fully
shared the old miner’s belief that they would strike the rich ore at
the 300 foot level.
“I will admit, Col. Bonifield, that I am somewhat disappointed, and of
course you are. Under the circumstances, what do you advise?”
[136] “Yo’ honor me, suh, indeed yo’ do, Mr. Gilder, to ask my
advice, because, suh, I know my advice is good. Whether yo’, Mr.
Gilder, will so regard it, remains to be seen. If yo’ can furnish
about four thousand dollars mo’ money, I will start to-morrow
mornin’ fo’ the 400 foot level, and we will then cross-cut, suh,
into a vein of pow’ful rich ore. I assure yo’, suh, I never was
mo’ sincere in my life than I am in makin’ this statement, suh.”
Vance possessed the confidence of youth, and his belief in Gray Rocks
was not to be shaken at the first disappointment, while before him rose
up, as from a mist, the pleading face of Louise, and he fancied she was
asking him to still believe in her father.
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He took his check book from his pocket and wrote a check for $4,000, and
signing it, handed it to the old miner, saying: “How long, with the
present force of men, will it take to reach the 400 foot level?”
“My dear Mr. Gilder,” said the colonel, accepting his check, and
clasping his hand, “yo’ quite ovehpow’r me, yo’ do indeed, suh.
Yo’ may have been bawn in the nawth but yo’ are a Virginian still
at heart, with the warm blood cou’sin’through yo’r veins I
think, suh, that within three or fou’ mouths we can reach the fou’
hund’ed foot level. I told yo’r father that Gray Rocks was a sure
winner, and I am proud, suh, to repeat the statement to you.”
“I don’t know,” [137] said Vance, “whether you will strike it at
the four hundred foot level or not, but I assure you, Colonel Bonifield,
that I have every faith in your sincerity, and I am anxious to develop
the mine as rapidly as possible. If my investment should prove a total
loss, I assure you I would never hold you responsible.”
“I am gettin’ along in years, Mr. Gilder,” said the Colonel,
“and while I have not struck it yet, I have every confidence, suh,
that we will if we stay by Gray Rocks. My little Louise, of cou’se,
was disappointed like myself. We both feared, suh, yo’ would be veihy
much disappointed; and I assure yo’, suh, we cared a great deal mo’
about yo’r disappointment than we did about our own. To tell yo’ the
truth, suh, that little girl of mine had mo’ faith in yo’r looking
at this matteh philosophically than I did; but,” continued the
Colonel, pressing Vance’s hand, “I misjudged yo’, Mr. Gilder, I
did indeed, suh, and I apologize fo’ it.”
After Colonel Bonifield had taken his departure, Vance commenced looking
over his accumulated mail. The first thing that claimed his attention
was a copy of the Banner containing his article, “Two Honorable
Exceptions.” He read it carefully through again with evident pride.
Not a word or a single sentence had been cut out. This was gratifying
to him, and seemed proof that the managing editor had confidence in his
ability to select the wheat from the chaff. He laid down the paper and
began opening his letters. Presently the song he was humming died on his
lips. He sat upright and stared at a letter which he held in his hand.
It read as follows:
Banner Office, New York City.
DEAR SIR:—
I am directed by the managing editor to advise you that your services
are no longer required. Enclosed find check in payment of your salary to
date.
J Respectfully,
J. M. M.,
Ass’t Managing Editor.
To Vance Gilder, Esq.
[138] He arose from his chair and rapidly paced the room, while great
beads of perspiration stood on his forehead. What had he done to merit
such humiliation? The idea that it might be a practical joke for a
moment found lodgment in his thoughts, but he quickly dismissed the
hallucination. Again he took up the paper and re-read the article,
“Two Honorable Exceptions.” He endeavored logically to think out a
solution of his dismissal.
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The more earnestly he thought over the situation, the more distinctly he
remembered the prejudiced views the chief seemed to entertain in regard
to western enterprises and investments. “He certainly wants the
truth,” soliloquized Vance, “and I will stake my life there is not a
sentence in this article,” and he struck the paper vigorously with his
hand, “but what is true. The article might almost be regarded as an
advertisement for the great mining camp of Butte City, yet it was news,
and not nearly so strong as it might be and still keep within the bounds
of truth. The same is equally true as to what I have said in regard to
the agricultural and other resources of Waterville.”
He sat far into the night, discussing with himself this unlooked for
calamity. Once, and only once, did the idea occur to him that possibly
the chief had sent him into the northwest to systematically destroy
confidence concerning western investments. He was too honorable,
however, to harbor the thought, and quickly dismissed it as too
contemptible to be entertained. The only consolation he could find—and
that was certainly a very [139] meager one—was that in all probability
a letter of explanation would soon come, that would clear away the
misunderstanding. In the meantime he would patiently wait, keeping his
own counsel.
He looked over his check book, and found he had, all told, some six
thousand dollars to his credit, besides the four thousand dollars he
had that evening given to Colonel Bonifield. He sat by his window
and considered the advisability of returning at once to New York and
demanding an explanation. Such a course would take him away from Gold
Bluff, from Gray Rocks, and from Louise.