Part 36 (1/2)
”Would you like to go on?” he asked.
”No,” said Ingleby, with a little harsh laugh. ”There was a time when if I'd had no food since yesterday I should not have stopped, but one gets over that. Besides, I almost fancy we shall know quite soon enough what a third-share in the Tomlinson mine is worth.”
Leger made a fire, and Sewell appeared while they ate.
”I have made the record. How have you got on?” he inquired.
Ingleby pointed to the pile of soil and stones and sand. ”So far. We are not going any farther until after dinner. It is not very long since I turned prospector, but I have twice bottomed on gold and had to let it go. The last occasion was only two or three hours ago--and I'm not quite sure I've got over it yet.”
Sewell nodded sympathetically. ”There is gold here--though it's remarkable that n.o.body seems to know how much,” he said. ”Tomlinson apparently was not communicative.”
”That,” said Ingleby, ”is, of course, the question. If there is not a good deal a third-share is scarcely likely to recompense me for leaving the other claim, especially when there is a thousand dollars to come out of this one. That's one reason I'm getting dinner before I go any further. I bought a pig in a poke, you see, and now I'm almost afraid to open it.”
”I wonder why you made the bargain, especially in view of the fact that Tomlinson told you the chances of striking gold on your own claim were good.”
Ingleby appeared a trifle confused. ”Well,” he said, ”Tomlinson had found gold while I hadn't then--and one naturally prefers a certainty.
The man was in a difficulty, too.”
”Tomlinson, in fact, made use of the old woman back in Oregon somewhat artistically.”
Ingleby flushed a trifle. He was one who, though he had, formerly, at least, proclaimed his views, nervously concealed his charities.
”Tomlinson never meant to wrong me of a dollar. He isn't that kind of man,” he said.
”No,” said Sewell, with a little laugh, ”I scarcely think he did. Well, are we to help you with the wash-up?”
They toiled for awhile knee-deep in very cold water while the rocker clashed and rattled, and Ingleby, whose face grew a trifle grim as the time wore on, washed out the residue of its contents in a little pan.
Then, for the others insisted, when there was a good deal of the pile left, they went back to the mine; and the hour of supper had crept round again when Ingleby came out of the stream carrying the result of all that they had done in a little pan. He stood still a moment in the shadow of the pines, and his lips were set and his eyes unusually grave as he looked at Sewell.
”If your new claim turns out dirt equal to what we found this morning you will go South rich,” he said. ”I would sooner you had it than anybody else--and I don't think I grudge it you.”
Sewell took the pan from him and glanced into it. ”I'm sorry,” he said simply. ”The thing is done now, and I can't make you a partner unless you let Tomlinson's claim go, which I presume you don't mean to do.”
”That is, of course, quite out of the question. Tomlinson went out believing it was safe with me.”
”Then we come back to the other suggestion. I still fancy you are ent.i.tled to sell me what one might consider your option on the claim.
There are men in the valley who would have willingly handed you their bill for a thousand dollars for the information you supplied me.”
Ingleby looked at him steadily, with his head held back a little.
”It already belonged to the Crown,” he said. ”Have I ever done anything that would lead my friends to believe they could bestow alms on me?”
Sewell smiled. ”I fancy there are one or two of them who advocate a community of property!”
It occurred to Leger that it might be advisable to change the subject.
”I'm afraid we usually stop there,” he said, with a grin. ”It has seemed to me lately that there are two difficulties in the way of bringing an equitable division, about, though most people only recognize the obvious one, which is, however, serious enough. I mean inducing the people who have anything worth having to part with it.”