Part 49 (2/2)
”Get everything in readiness at once; Cameron coming on eastern train with mining expert and attorney. Get everything ready for the final touch and await further instructions in about two hours.”
Haight sprang to his feet, and calling one of the men, ordered, ”Send Maverick to me as quickly as you can.”
In a few moments the slouching figure of Maverick stood in the door-way.
”Come in, Jim, and shut that door,” said Haight, in a quick, decisive tone that Maverick knew meant business.
”Jim, in what shape is the powder in those mines? How long would it take to get everything ready for action?”
Maverick's eyes gleamed; here evidently was to be a piece of work such as he enjoyed!
”The powder's all there,” he replied, ”all there, jest in the right places, an' all there is ter do is ter lay the trains 'round there an'
fix a few fuses; 'twouldn't take more'n half an hour, or sech a matter.”
”Think you could get it all done at noon, while the men are away?”
”Yes, easy.”
”Very well, now listen; you are to get everything ready so that it will be nothing but 'a touch and a go,' as soon as I say the word, understand? Get everything ready this noon, give the men warning that there's going to be some blasting, and then, as quick as you've had your dinner, you be around here prompt, and stay within sight of this room till I send you word to quit. You know the rest, what directions Blaisdell left the last time he was here; you know what you're to wait for, and if you get a signal from me, you know what you're to do.”
”You bet I do, and I'll do a d.a.m.ned good job, too,” Maverick replied, with a grin; ”but what's the signal, boss?”
”Let me see, I want something you'll recognize without any trouble, and that n.o.body else would notice, or think meant anything. Where will you be?”
”Out there, behind them rocks; I can see your winders plain from there.”
”Yes, but if I made you any signal there, or put anything in the window, others would see it as well as yourself.”
”I'll tell you what, boss,” said Maverick, glancing at the window on the right of Haight's desk, where hung an old, dilapidated shade, which had been lowered its full length in an effort to keep out the intolerable heat, ”you let that there shade hang jest as it is till you want me, and when I see that yanked up, I'll know what it means, and you'll hear from me in jest about ten minits at the latest. But say, boss, what's all this racket about, anyhow? Some o' them eastern chaps comin' out here?”
”That's none of your business, Jim,” said Haight in a joking way, ”you attend to what you've been told, and don't meddle with what don't concern you.”
”Is old Cameron comin' out here?” persisted Maverick, with an expression of fear and hatred combined, visible in his countenance.
”Cameron!” exclaimed Haight, with a slight start, and wondering at Maverick's appearance, ”What do you know about him?”
”I know he owns these 'ere mines, d.a.m.n him!” answered Maverick doggedly.
”Do you! Well, that's enough, go along, you're not interested in Cameron.”
”Ain't I though!” said Maverick with a snarl and an oath, the hatred and wrath increasing in his face; ”Me'n him has got an old score to settle yet. I only wisht he was a goin' ter be in them mines this afternoon. When's he comin'?”
”I don't know,” answered Haight shortly, ”probably before very long though.”
”When you git word he's comin' I wan'ter know it, that's all,” growled Maverick.
”Well,” said Haight, beginning to lose his temper, ”when you see that curtain raised, you may know he's coming, and pretty d.a.m.ned quick too; now get out of the way, and attend to your business. Remember I've told you to give the men warning.”
”Yes,” said Maverick, with a leer, ”'specially the new superintendent, you'd like me ter give 'im an extra warnin' I s'pose.”
<script>