Down the Slope

Nothing was heard personally from Mr. Wright; but it was common gossip about town that he had visited the newly-discovered vein several times, and spent one entire day at Blacktown.

Another twenty-four hours passed, and Skip had not returned home. His parents were now beginning to feel alarmed; but the majority of the townspeople, not trusting in the sincerity of his repentance, intimated that he had joined Gus, preferring to run away rather than lead an industrious life.

"I won't believe anything of the kind," Fred replied, hotly, when Donovan reported the general feeling regarding the disappearance. "He never would have done so much to help us, unless meaning exactly what he said."

"I reckon hard work didn't agree with him," the breaker boss answered, with a laugh.

"When Bill gets a little better Joe and I will go after him."

"Where?"

"I don't know; but it won't do any harm to look around, and I am – "

Fred was interrupted by a knock at the door, and on answering it was handed a telegram.

"Somebody is beggin' to be let in to the new company, I reckon," Donovan said, laughingly; but his smile vanished very quickly as he saw the look which came over the boy's face.

"What's the matter, lad?" Joe cried, and instead of replying Fred handed him the telegram, which read as follows:

"Mr. Fred Byram: – Superintendent Wright has served an injunction restraining our company from taking further steps, on the plea that the land purchased belongs to him. His case, so far as I can learn, is very strong. It is advisable that you and Brace come here at once."

    "Arthur Hunter."

"Wha – wha – what does it mean?" Joe stammered.

"I should say things were gettin' serious," Donovan replied, as he read the message over Joe's shoulder, "Mr. Wright is a hard man to fight, an' the chances are he'll get the best of you."

Then he left the house as if in great haste to spread this additional news, and the partners looked at each other in dismay.

"That is why we've heard nothin' from the superintendent since our secret leaked out," Bill said, grimly. "You two had better tramp across to save time. You can get there three hours ahead of the next train."

"Come on," Fred cried, as he aroused from the daze caused by the startling intelligence. "Let's learn the worst quickly."

"It's pretty tough to lose the thing after swellin' as we have for the last couple of days," Joe added, gloomily, but without rising from his seat.

"Don't whine 'till we're sure it's gone," and Bill tried very hard to speak cheerily.

At this point Mrs. Byram entered the invalid's room to say:

"Mr. Wright has sent over to ask Fred and Mr. Brace to call at his office."

"Matters are beginning to look brighter already," Bill cried, and Joe asked gruffly:

"How do you make that out?"

"If he was so sure of provin' we had no claim to the land, he wouldn't have a word to say. Now he's tryin' to make a trade."

"He can't with me. Unless you, Fred an' Sam insist, it'll be the whole or nothing."

"Now that's the way to talk," Bill replied. "If we can raise the money to fight there won't be any bargain made."

"Don't you intend to call upon the superintendent?" Mrs. Byram asked.

"Not a bit of it, ma'am. Tell whoever he sends that Fred an' Joe are too busy just now, but if he wants to make a 'pointment some time next week, they'll try to see him."

"But it can't do any harm to talk with Mr. Wright."

"It won't do any good, an' they'd better see the lawyer first."

Mrs. Byram left the room to deliver the message, and Bill delayed his partners that they might know exactly how he felt regarding the matter before starting on the journey.

CHAPTER XXX

A SUIT AT LAW

"Don't give in an inch," Bill said, in conclusion to his remarks concerning the validity of the title. "Get over there as quick as you can, and don't let the lawyer weaken."

"It'll take big money to carry on a fight in law."

"We'll try to raise it somehow."

After promising to send him word as to the progress of affairs before night, in case they were detained more than one day, Joe and Fred went down stairs, and at that moment Mrs. Byram opened the door to admit Mr. Wright.

He was particularly pleasant in his greetings, and asked, as he observed that they were on the point of going out:

"Did you finally conclude to come to the office?"

"We were on our way to Blacktown," Joe replied gruffly.

"But we have plenty of time for a chat, since the train does not leave for two hours of more."

"We are going to walk," Fred explained.

"Then you can surely spare me half an hour."

"What for?" Joe asked sharply.

"I wish to see if we can't arrive at some amicable settlement of the suit which I have been forced to bring."

"Wouldn't it been better to have talked first, an' then begun the law business?"

"In regard to that I had no alternative. The company ordered me to proceed exactly as I did."

"I'd like to hear what's goin' on down there," Bill shouted from above, and Fred said:

"It's no more than fair that we should go upstairs. He's got the right to know what Mr. Wright proposes."

"Yes, I prefer to speak with all the partners, though perhaps there is no necessity of sending for Thorpe."