Adventure, June 1911 — page 114: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

300 however, was rudely disturbed when he suddenly leaped to his feet and clapped his hand to his cheek, his whole countenance twisted in a spasm of pain. “Crucified Cuspidores!”” he yelled in a voice that filled the room. “Why, what on earth?” I inquired in surprise. Without answeriti® he made a sudden dart for the door. Half-way there he wheeled and as suddenly rushed back to me. ““What’s Black’s ’phone number?” he cried wildly. “T don’t know. Ask the clerk. What’s the matter?” _ He took his hand from his mouth. ‘“Mat- ter enough! That magnificent, transcend- ant, potential, glimmering gold-mine of ours is nothing more than a vainglorious, inflated burlesque and fraud! That’s what’s the matter!” I was. bewildered. think that?” With an effort he regained his composure and resumed his seat. “Anyway, I can call the deal off when he comes here to-night,” he said. ‘The reason why I think it,”’ he added sullenly, “‘is because that nugget we thought so much of is nothing more nor less than the filling out of my tooth!” “The filling of your tooth!” I echoed in- credulously. “Just that! And we thought it was a gold-mine! That filling was loose this morning. Must have slipped out of the cavity while I was staring like a petrified catfish with its mouth open at you washing out that mud to-day!”’ “What makes you I drew the supposed nugget from my - pocket and inspected it. He was correct. The precious lump upon which we had pred- icated a gold mine was merely a dentist’s filling. Under an enlightened scrutiny its shape betrayed the previous character of its servitude. “T’ll call the deal off,’’ repeated Vincent determinedly. ‘‘What do I want with his desert of black sand? I'll show your friend how he'll salt mud-geysers and buffalo- wallows and what-not and shove ’em off on me for gold-mines!”’ A bell-boy appeared at the entrance to the dining-room, glanced about the tables and loudly called, “‘Vincent!”’ Vincent hastily drew back from the table. “That’s Black, now!”’ he exclaimed. ‘“T’ll favor that gentleman with a statement of Adventure my opinion of the ethics of this little game of his!” I finished my coffee, and in a few moments followed him. I located him and Black in the deserted writing-room, Vincent very warm and scowling, Black quite composed and smiling. The promoter of bonanzas fingered a little slip of paper as he spoke: ‘You seemed rather anxious to secure the property on the way in to-day,” he was say- ing, with a mocking note in his voice, “Here is a little memorandum of the terms of sale that we made out for the Ealah bch? guidance.” “But the whole thing is a blame fraud”? : “I was buying: And it turns.out that: retorted Vincent hotly. that for a gold-mine. what I took to be placer gold was’ just.a@ tooth-filling! What do you supposé Lawant with that sand-bar unless it’s a tom, it. to be?” Black rose with the air of a man wea discussion. ‘“‘I am sure I can’t say, Vincent,” he returned coolly. “I only know that I have here your signed” agree ment to buy the property at the price stated. In our State that is sufficient to enforce the carrying out of the contract—which I shall certainly do, by suit at law, if necessary. And here,” he concluded, placing a neatly folded document on the settee, deed, properly executed. I wish you good- of “4s your evening and good luck! |”? And he passed out - ent of the hotel. I turned to Viticeit who had picked up the deed. He shrugged his shoulders. “My own fault,” he murmured. “I suspected he was tricky, and I wanted something to hold him, so I suggested that infernal memorandum. Confound that tooth!” Be by others, Dame Fortune is a fickle lady who sometimes. jests as she turns the wheel. Winners are not winners till the game is all played, and lottery prizes go by chance, not favor. “I notice,” I remarked, laying aside the newspaper as Black came into the club a few days since, “that Vincent has just made another big clean-up at that. ‘placer mine you sold him last Summer.” He favored me with such a, scowl, as. he” might have given me had I stepped on his favorite corn. - “Oh, 1 -he: growled, and went on into the bar,’ HOWEVER, as has been remarked COnmmiclbooks (C@