THE ADVENTURES OF RUSSELL HOWARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2556, 17 July 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ADVENTURES OF RUSSELL HOWARD.

(By A. E. Jobson.) (All Rights Reserved.) XII. THE OPEN SHAFT. Russell Howard imagine for one moment that lie had had the last word with Rabone Skinner when he started him on his trip across America. Little inattcrs like these, however, he did not allow i,. trouble him. Rather they added a certain zest to his travels. It was like playing a game of chess with an apponent of equal calibre. As a rule he could pit his wits against his opponent and win easily, because his opponent ; did not know he was in the game; but to know that there were a good many persons around who had excellent reasons for doing him harm, and who did not lose an opportunity of hitting at him, added a certain amount of spice to his trips, and, far from making him anxious, simply added to his enjoyment. Some twelve months after he had been the cause of the temporary absence from Chicago of one of its most prominent millionaires, he again found himself in that city on business. That business does not concern this story, except that it was the cause of his being there. 'lt was of an extremely delicate and confidential nature, and, alter having been engaged upon it for three weeks, he had at last forwarded a final report to his employer, and he felt himself at liberty for the first time to look around him.

He was passionately fond of travel and of seeing men and places, and his original profession of adjusting affairs that -were too tangled for other people provided him'with the means of gratilying his tastes.

Amongst his acquaintances in Chicago was Henry J. Devlin, well knowni in mining circles, and deeply interested in gold mines in the west,- and Howard, in the process of looking round, bumped up against him. ‘Must the man I want,?’- he said. “Come along in here if you can spend half an hour.” “In here” was about six stories up in the lift of a building near by, and was Henry J. Devlin’s private office, where he wove the threads of mining stock in and out to suit his fancies. “I’m a bit bothered,” he said. “Things are not going just as 1 expected with the ‘Golden Bee’ mine out west. I know' I can let you into mining secrets, for you don’t go on mining stock yourself. Well—l’ve bought this mine right out jr. .t lately, and I want to sell the shares for a bit more than I gave, you can imagine, but somehow they don’t go. ‘i lie mine expert’s report is all right, and I’ve boomed the concern well. In fact, I honestly believe it’s as good as any other mine, and that’s all you can expect, isn’t it? Still, shares domt go off, and I’ve come to the conclusion

there’s some monkeying going on. Now, I’m due in New York to-morrow, and for another week on, and I want to know as soon as possible what’s the matter with the ‘Golden Bee.’

I can’t go myself, and I don’t know whom to send unless you’ll take it on. Will you? All ex’s and a mining expert’s fee for your trouble. I’d like you to go, as. you are a stranger liero, and not interested, whereas any other man I picked on might throw me over and make money at my expense.” It did not take Howard long to make up his mind. It was an opportunity to see fresh country, and he closed with the offer. He had been on several gold fields*in Australia, and worked on n couple of them for a week or two merely to gain as much practical experience as he could. Iu other ways he had picked up a lot of general information on mining, and was quite confident that lie would bo able to perform his part of the contract satisfactorily. Delvin entered into long particulars of what ho wished to know, and wrote him a. cheque for his expenses. “Now, have a. look for yourself, he said at parting. “Go down the shaft and get some of the stuff from some place where you are sure it hasn’t been doctored; that’s the main thing. I’ll be satisfied with what you bring me. The place is pretty rough, you know, and nothing much has been-done in the way of improvements yet; still, I don’t suppose you will mind that much, will you?” Golden City, California, was a city some twelve months old, and its total population consisted of a couple of hundren miners who worked in mines around, of which the “Golden Bee”, was

one. ' ~ , Work was at present suspended at this mine while its stock was being man ipulated by Henry J. Delvin, but the whole country for a couple of miles around was pitted with shafts. It seemed almost incredible that so many holes could have been dug in a year ; but at times there had been a. considerable number of men working. Just at present the population was at its lowest. Outside • the town it was not .good to wander about at night. Open, unprotected shafts were on all sides, ranging from thirty to- three or four hundred.feet in depth. Some of them were still being worked, but the mn.joritv had been.:abandoned.

Russell Howard arrived hero four days after he had agreed with Devlin to come, and although he had been prepared to find the place somewhat rough, ho quic’kly came to the conclusion that it was not a spot to stay long in for enjoyment. ; The country around was bare and burnt looking, while the heaps of doer® around the mouths of the open shafts, with here and there remains of broken down woodwork, gave, it a most depressing appearance. He had made all the • enquiries possible, and it now only remained to go down the shaft and examine the mine for himself. • He found it extremely difficult to get information from the residents. They, were morose and distrustful, and seemed to think anything they told him would be used to their injury. Still, he found out enough to make him feel confident that good paying gold had been obtained from several of the mines around—apart from the “Golden Bee ;” and that there was sufficient of it in sight to make the mines a good investment. The way the owners and directors of companies were juggling with stock, however, prevented ■ them from being worked as they should be. There were three employees belonging to the “Golden Bee,” and Howard was not very favorably impressed with any one of them. They were a villain-ous-looking trio, and ho had hardly seen a worse-looking lot in the whole United States. None of the miners were very much given to personal cleanliness, or paid much attention to their appearance, still he was convinced that no amount of cleaning up would make these three look presentable. They were all he .had to depend upon, however, as he would not have .been able to persuade anyone else to interfere in their business if he had tried. So far they had taken their own' time in giving him any information that ho had asked for, and had been so independent that he was quite surprised when Sam—usually known as “Poker Sam,” from his fondness of that game —arrived almost punctually to take him over and lower him down the shaft. It was a walk of about a quarter of a mile, and they went for the most part in silence. “Poker Sam” wavs not given to be communicative, and Howard found from experience that it was best not to try and force the conversation. So they walked along, Howard as usual, looking around him with an. observant eye, and Sam slouching beside, pipe in Iris mouth, ‘as if perfectly unaware that any other person was there, and apparently indifferent to the fact. Two men loading rock into a tipdray were the only objects to be seen, and Howard, wondering at such unusual energy, .asked ' bis companion what they were going to do. Poker Sam lifted one eyelid in their direction and then promptly lost interest in them again. “Shiftin’ .stones,” he said, briefly. “Goin’ to dump them somewhere else/' This was not very explicit, but Sam did not look likely to give more information, so the conversation dropped again. He seemed to be rather resentful that his repose had been disturbed by this meddlin’ stranger who evidently expected him to work when wanted; but when at last they reached the shaft he became comparatively loquacious.

“This hero’s the hole,” lie said, leaning up against a rough windlass as he spat down the shaft. “That there, an’ that, an’ that, an’ them three over there,” indicating with a sweep of the hand other adjacent heaps of clay that lay alongside other “holes,” “er all h’longin’ to this ’ore consarn, but this is the last dug, an 1 suspicion it’ll be the one you 11 be wantin’ ter slide down.” It didn’t look at all inviting. The shaft was not wide; it may have been about four feet by two or perhaps less. It was impossible to see more than a few feet down, and a stone dropped seemed to take a considerable time to reach the bottom. “Poker Ham” too, did not impress him with too much confidence. He was all he had to depend upon to get him safely down, and ,up again; still he was the only one he could get for the job, and it never entered his head for one moment that he should not carry out his pail of the contract merely because his assistant had not a pleasant face. He had a lighted lantern fastened to his belt, and could see the markings on the side of* the shaft as lie descended. The rope was twisting with his weight, and he had not experience enough to steady it; indeed he hung on as tightly as possible, for tlio sensation of dropping was not altogether pleasant, and lie could not help thinking how completely lie was at Sam’s mercy. .He could just 'note in the glimmer of light from the lantern the different strata they passed through and tlie pick marks in the earth. Then lie reached the bottom with a splash and a bump, and he stepped gingerly out into a foot of water and mud. A lateral drive should have gone off here, and he flashed his lantern to see the way; but although he examined all four sides, there was no outlet. Tlien he thought that the drive had been made higher up and he had missed it on tlie way down, so he shouted up to Sam for information. There was no reply, and in spite of himself the silence made him shiver. He was "'Standing with water and mud over the tops of his boots, and all lie covld see was a

circle of light about two feet in diameter wherever he turned his lantern bn the side of the shaft. • , ••

Overhead was a thick, sooty blackness, with far up just a little square of light. As he strained his neck looking upwards, a shadow passed over the opening and he felt,the rope, which lie still held in his hand, quiver and slacli= en. He bent his head and crouched his shoulders, turning to the side of the shaft as if by instinct, as the rope came dropping, curling, and twisting upon him, splashing in twisted coils in the water at his feet.

•. He shouted, but no reply came. He tried again and again, but not a sound reached him, not even a shadow passed over the opening, far. above, of theshaft. Evidently he had been deserted. He tried to think why they should leave him at the bottom of a shaft like this. They could not think that he would stay there for ever. Ho had his pick with him, and although it would be. a long and tedious job, be could cut deep holes and eventually work his way out.

It could hardly be. a rough practical joke, for the place was not altogether so uncivilised that they could do a thing like this with impunity, and he could not think that they simply wanted him out of the road while they made away with his personal effects. They were few and hardly worth stealing, and opportunities would have offered without going to this extremity.

However he did not lose any tiino standing where he was. As scon as ho realised that ho was abandoned he set about climbing out. With his pick be cut himself footholds on one side of the shaft which was narnow enough for him to brace, his back against the other side while he worked. It was hard work, though, in such a cramped attitude. The shaft, be calculated, must have been fully a hundred feet deep, and bo bad already climbed some dozen feet of this when a thought came to him so suddenly that he suspended operations for a couple of seconds; and then instead of, with a few strokes of the pick, digging out a hole largo enough for his .foot to grip in, he attacked the crumbling soil vigorously—tearing out great lumps from t-lie face of the clean cut side.

He did not] pause for rest, keeping on as if working against time, until at last his cramped muscles ached so much that his arms were almost powerless. By that time he had dug a hole about twelve feet from me bottom in which he could just stand upright, and which would just shelter him from being struck by anything falling down the shaft.

The significance of that dray-load of rocks that he had seen on the way to the mine had dawned upon him, and lie realised that if anyone wished for his complete disappearance there would be no better way than burying him under a heap of rocks at the bottom of this shaft. His work was finished none too soon; for while he was rubbing the muscles of his arms to get the ache out of them he heard the creaking,of a dray, and the quick, heavy footfalls of the horses, as they planted their feet firmly on the ground, straining up with their heavy load. .

He could just hear tlie men talking to each other, then louder shouts as They stopped the horses on the brow of the' hill. There was a clinking of chains as they unhooked the leader, then they evidently allowed a breathing sped for a few minutes. Howard waited expectantly, smiling quietly. Then came two or three loud shouts to the horses, the crack of a whip,* and a bump as the wheels chocked against the wooden frame ou the ground around the mouth of the shaft. There was a rattling- noise as the back board was taken out; then with a rushing, crashing and deafening sound, the load of rocks came hurtling down the shaft, filling it from side to side and piling Up in a mass five, or six feet deep.

Howard was unhurt, but nearly blinded and stifled by the dust. As soon as he could look up the shaft, and ns the dust thinned and presently cleared away, lie could sec against the little patch of light, three round, black heads.

He knew it was impossible for them to see him in the inky darkness, and he heard them laugh. “Guess, lie won’t want no other dose of that,” said 'one, and the words came down to him quite distinctly. “Old Rabono Skinner ougihter he pleased with tlie job,” was the next he heard. They laughed again, and their heads disappeared. He could hear them moving about for a while, and presently thep seemed to be taking the windlass away: Then lie hoard the rattling of chains again as they hitched up the horses, and then the empty duay went bumping over the rough ground.

There was 'complete, silence, and lie came out of Ills shelter and jumped down, on the rocks. There would have been no doubt whatever about the completeness of the job if he had only -stayed underneath, but a.s it was, lie considered his chance was still ,of tlie best.

As soon as he heard Rabonc Skinner’s name lie knew whom lie had to thank for the whole thing. The trip had been arranged especially for hi pi- Delvin was one of Skinner’s tools, and probably knew no more than, the getting him to the. “Golden Bee,” and would presumably ask no questions if he did not return. Skinner, no doubt, had arranged the rest directly with his men, oil ~ the idea that the fewer who .knew the hotter., and the whole thing might have l>eeii ia success, if only Howard had not

seen that dray load of stories- •oh the way.

As it was now, ho considered ho horn a-'fair number of the good cards in his hand, and it was his turn to play. To carry out his plans he did not wish to come, out before dark, •so he sat down on the rocks to rest.

• The- darkness became oppressive, so he lit his lantern, which he had carried with him, and for the want of something to do oxamined the shelter he had dug for himself.

The earth here was nearly all of a kind of decomposed brown rock, easily crumbling up, and, as the lantern’s light” flashed . upon it, he saw specks of some bright metallic substance imbedded in it. This led him to examine it more closely, and, he found that through accident ho had hit upon a patch of rich golden ore. This vein was of considerable extent and gave promise of running strongly for some distance,. He: examined it as fully as he could under the circumstances, and then filled his pockets with specimens. By now lie judged it was quite time to start the upward journey, as the light ovoiffiead was becoming less strong.

It was a slow and tedious job. lie worked at. it for hours, taking spells now and again to rest, but, at last, lie cut the last- step and wearily hauled himself out on to the mound of earth around the shaft’s mouth.

The sky was dark and the stars shining brightly. There was a beautiful cool breeze blowing, and he lay there with his arms outstretched, drinking iir the delightful air. He lay for nearly an hour before he felt sufficiently rest ed to move, then looking at his watch, he found it was nearly half past nine. The miners—at least those of them who frequented tho saloons—and it was among these that he expected to find bis three friends —did not keep early hours, so he was in no hurry. He felt in need of something to eat and drink, but at present did not wish to be seen.

There was a miner’s shack, however, on the side of the hill, whose owner would certainly be at the saloon, and he intended to try there for something to eat and drink, and perhaps something else he needed. He was glad now of the lantern as he threaded his way in and out among the abandoned shafts. Without it he stood very good chance of landing at the bottom of another. At last he reached the liut he was in search of. As he expected, the door was unfastened, so lie went in witnout hesitation, closing it behind him.

A search soon revealed some bread and cold cooked meat, and although not particularly inviting, he ate as much of it as , lie could, and then, took a long draught of water. Then he took his lantern and rummaged round the room. He scanned all the walls without success, but an exclamation of delight escaped him as ho saw what lie had hoped to see, lying tossed on the blankets in one corner. It was a revolver in a belt! Howard had been hoping the owner would have a spare gun, for he knew he would not go to the saloon without one. He picked it up and loaded it with some cartridges from <a box that stood handy, thrusting some spare ones into his pocket. Ho tossed some dollars on to tho blankets to pay for what lie had taken, and then putting out the light, pushed open the door and went out. The saloon was brightly lit up by kerosene lamps, and the window and door were wide open. He could see in without the fear of being secn r and he. stood there for a few minutes to accustom himself to the state of affairs. Fortunately the three men he wanted were together. Even in this gathering of rough characters from all parts of the world where one did not inquire too closely into the past affairs of his! neighbors, they were regarded rather as black sheep. The other miners did not altogether shun-them, but seemed to prefer that they should keep to themselves.

Russell Howard’s appearance inside was unexpected and quite dramatic. “Poker Sam” had .a glass of beer to his lips when he found himself looking down the barrel of a revolver held by quite tlie last man ho expected to see again. The shock was so great that ho spilt the beer, and it trickled down bis chin, while he stared with mouth wide open. Howard had to repeat his sharp command of “Hands up!” before he could altogether realise it. When he did, however, at the second time of asking, the look in Howard’s face was so compelling that ho dropped ’his glass on the floor in his hurry to get them above his head.

One of his friends —the “Dago” had elevated his without trouble ; but the other—“ Black Pete,”—made a movement of his hand towards his belt before he realised he was covered. He was .sitting with his back towards'Howard, and liis hand sought his revolver as lie turned liis head to sec the cause of the trouble. As with “Poker Sam," the- sight of Howard’s face was sufficient, and his hands also went suddenly aloft.

“Gentlemen,” said Howard, keeping liis three men covered, but addressing the rest of the company, “I have a little private business with these men, and I trust you will give me fair play. I’m a stranger here, and don’t mind a joke in the least, but when it comes to getting me down a hundred-foot shaft and then trying to tip a , dr,ay-load of rocks, on top, it fails to be amusing Now, I don’t think those men hero did it for their own amusement, and 1 want to 'know who was behind them, and providing they own up «nd sign the paper I shall ask thorn to sign, I m not proposing to hurt them but if they refuse, I guess there’s going to be trouble.”

Howard’s speech was received witnout comment, but there, was no movement to interfere. The others only showed, a general interest, and waited to eeo how the Englishman would handle the affair. „ ) Ho turned to “Poker Sam:”

“You seem to have had a leading part in this,” ho sfiid. “Suppose you toll me all about it.” “Got nothin’ to tell, stranger,” said Sam, shortly and sullenly. “And you?” ho said, turning to the Italian.

“I knowa notlririg,” he said, showing the white of his -teeth in a grin.

“Anythin’ you’ll get from mo’ll be harmless,” growled Black Pete, as he turned to him.

“Well, suppose I tell you what 1 know first,” said Howard cheerfully. “Suppose I tell you it was Mr. Itaoone Skinner who arranged this little surprise for me.” The men’s eyes shifted slightly as. he said this. “Now, I know all that, and all I want now is for you to sign a statement saying this, and just what he gave you for the whole job, etc. If you do this you can go scot free as far as I am concerned, although I should think the other residents hero will ask you to move along. Now, have I your promise to do this?” ,He looked from one face to another. Poker Sam’s and Black Pete’s each wore a look of stony indifference, while the Dago’s had a mocking smile. He went on again just as cheerfully: —“You don’t seem to take to my proposal. Well, these are my terms. I vc six cartridges in this revolver —that s one for each arm you are holding up. Now, if you don’t signify while I count thirty that you agree, I’ll start from left to right, and I’ll put a bullet in each iarm, and if you move I’ll shoot to kill. I’ve a perfect right, for you tried to kill me a while ago—and I mean it!”

They looked at his face, and the lines round his mouth set firmly, and there was a steely look about his eyes. Iho Dago went a shade pa],er. Howard began to count. There was not a sound in the room. All the visitors kept a respectful distance back, and were watching with unblinking eyes, while their drinks stood neglected on the tables.

“Fifteen—sixteen —seventeen,” ho went on monotonously. The tension was great, but still there was no movement or other sound.

‘ ‘Twenty—twenty-one —’ ’ Someone at the back of the room hiccoughed with excitement, and at the same instant “Black Pete’s” hand dropped like lightning to the handle of re volver. Simultaneously he kicked his chair back and ducked, but also at the same moment Howard’s revolver cracked, and he rolled over, writhing with the pain of a- shattered shoulder. His revolver flew from liis hand and went skidding along the floor. Howard’s revolver seemed only to

■ rfitly waves, and before the gasp of excitement from the onlookers was ovoi. it was covering the two remaining at tho table.

He went on counting as if nothing had happened:— ‘ ‘Twenty-six—Twenty-seven—'” and shifted his weapon slightly round to point at the Dago’s left arm. That gentleman’s hand shook, and as he reached twenty-nine, he gave in. “Don’t shoota,” he said, “I tclla you all you want.”

Howard turned to Poker Sam with a questioning, look. “All right,” he growled. “Guess I’m not goin’ to get my arm in a sling for Old Skinner, and if the Dago’s goin’ to sign, I’ll sign too.” There was a general movement In Mm room. 'The tension' was over end most of them covered their fcedi.gs hy emptying their glasses. * Russell Howard spoke again, still keeping a wary eye on his men. “Gentlemen,” lie said, “you have heard them agree to my terms; might I 'ask some of you to kindly disarm them to save further trouble, and also to bring paper and pen.” Three or four men passed- quickly behind the Dago and Sam, and slipping their arms round their waists removed their revolvers. They appreciated the way the stranger had handled matters, and.were now willing to assist. The man that ran the saloon brought -pen and ink and paper, and offered his services to write out the confession. Howard. gladly accepted, and the Dago and Sam proceeded to dictate, each helping the other out. At the end they signed. The Dago could write his name, but “Poker Sam” ■and “Black Pete” who was brought to the table for the purpose, made their ' marks.

Howard then tusked for two or thioe others to witness the document, and the miners began tumbling over each other in their eagerness t-o oblige. A week later when back in Chicago, lie posted a copy of this to Rah one Skinner, with a letter in which he gave him his opinion of his conduct. “Possibly,” he ended “Mr. Skinner might consider 'that he had a right to get even with him, but he should not have proceeded to such extremes. Por the present be was inclined to let the mattor rest, but if any further attempt were made against him he would make use of tho confession, and give him a particularly had time. Devlin bad apparently got wmd of his return, for he had left for a prolonged vacation in the mountains without" waiting for the report on the “Golden Bee” mine. Russell Howard land two or three of his friends bought all the shares after sceiiif an assay of the specimens he brought away, and, thanks to Rahono Skinner the “'Golden Bee” has been a means of adding to his income ever since. * (The End.)