The Harris-Ingram Experiment Part 25

Christine had many acquaintances among the best families of Holland. Her beauty, coupled with the fact that she was an heiress, made her the object of much attention from artists and members of clubs, but possibly her love, or affection for art, might have sprung from the desire to gain more knowledge of how to make herself attractive in dress, manner, and conversation. Christine was not offensively vain, but she was pa.s.sionately fond of admiration. Alfonso had never dreamed that Christine was not genuine at heart. She appeared to him to make much of her American acquaintance, introducing him to her many friends, young ladies as well as young gentlemen, and always seemed to prefer his company to others.

She manifested even tenderness for him, expressed her strong liking for America, and Alfonso believed that Christine was truly fond of him. No arguments or persuasions could have convinced him otherwise. The contrary wishes of his own family, the eloquence of a Webster, winds from the poles, all combined, could not have cooled his ardor. Alfonso had firmly resolved to wed Christine, come what would.

He had often dreamed of her smiles, her pretty blue eyes, and her fleecy hair floating in the breezes of the Zuider Zee. He had also dreamed of a brilliant wedding in Holland, of a large reception at Harrisville, and had even heard the plaudits of his fellow artists in New York, as they lauded his master piece "Admiral De Ruyter's Great Naval Victory."

Fortified with these proofs of Christine's devotion, he sought the company of his blond sweetheart on a balcony that overlooked the moon-lit harbor of Amsterdam.

Here Alfonso offered his hand and heart--to a coquette--who rejected him.

He was astonished, almost stunned. Recovering from his dazed condition, she again chilled his heart by the utterance, "You have not learned in this practical world of ours that gold marries gold; that society plays for equivalents. You once admitted to me that your father wanted you at the head of his large business, and disapproved of your choice of a profession. As an artist you seek fame. How can you divide it with me? In asking my hand you seek to divide my gold, thus securing both fame and gold. Alfonso we have enjoyed each other's company as friends."

"Yes, Christine, though you have been cruel we can separate as friends.

Sometime I may be able to match gold with gold. Till then, adieu."

Saying this Alfonso left the De Ruyter mansion all the more resolved, however, to win Christine. For a moment her deceptive heart rebuked her as she watched Alfonso's departure. In the papers of the following evening an announcement frightened Christine. The head lines read: "Mr.

Alfonso Harris, a young American artist, drowned this morning in the harbor."

Later the police brought to the De Ruyter home detailed news. Christine gave instructions to use every possible effort to recover Alfonso's body, and at once sent her servant with a telegram for Colonel Reuben Harris, Grand Hotel, Paris, the only address she knew.

The next day, with her mother, she accompanied the police to Alfonso's room, where she gathered up several of her love letters. A new suit of clothes hung in the closet, a package of returned laundry lay on the table, also pen, ink and paper. Evidently Alfonso expected to return soon to the hotel. His clothes, watch, and money had been found in the boat that drifted ash.o.r.e.

Christine concluded that Alfonso had gone for a boat-ride and swim, as was his custom; very likely this time to free his mind, if possible, from recent trouble, and was seized with cramp and drowned before aid could reach him. Vigorous search in the harbor and along the sh.o.r.e inst.i.tuted by the police department and the American consul failed to locate his body or to furnish further facts to Christine as to the cause of the accident.

Alfonso Harris meant all he said to Christine in his last words, "Sometime I may be able to match gold with gold." He might be blind in love matters, but his mind after a storm always righted itself. That night when Alfonso reached his hotel, he planned to leave the impression on Christine's mind that he was dead. To make the deception complete, his trunk and all effects in his room were left as found by Christine.

Even his watch, pocket book and clothes were left behind in the little pleasure boat, while he donned an extra suit. A Norwegian captain, who was about leaving Amsterdam with a cargo for Canada, agreed for fifty dollars to pick up Alfonso down the harbor and to land him in Quebec.

Fine family, beauty, and gold were powerful incentives to effort to an ambitious young man like Alfonso, and he was resolved, incognito, to explore the Great West in search of riches, and once found, he would lay all at Christine's feet, and again claim her hand.

Jans Jansen, the Norwegian captain, was a jolly good ship-master, and the fair weather voyage across the Atlantic proved enjoyable. Alfonso always took his meals with the captain. Jans Jansen's wife and children lived in Christiania, and his constant talk was that he hoped some day to get rich and quit the sea. Alfonso made a warm friend of Captain Jansen, who pledged secrecy as to his escape from Amsterdam.

The captain was robust and his big flowing red beard, blue eyes, and bravery made him a worthy successor of the ancient vikings of the Norseland. Jans Jansen enjoyed his pipe, and with his good stories whiled away many an hour for Alfonso, so that when the ship, under full sail, entered the Strait of Belle Isle and sailed across the Gulf towards the River St. Lawrence, both the captain and young Harris regretted that their sea-voyage was so soon to close.

The entrance of the St. Lawrence River is so broad that the navies of the world abreast might enter the river undiscovered from either bank. Two hundred miles up the river, Trinity House, an a.s.sociation of over three hundred pilots, put aboard a pilot, and at noon next day Captain Jansen docked his vessel at Quebec.

This old French city is located on a high promontory on the left bank of the St. Lawrence. Its citadel, one of the strongest fortresses in America, commands a varied and picturesque beauty. Alfonso walked up to the obelisk, which stands in one of the squares of the Upper Town, in joint memory of the brave generals Wolfe and Montgomery.

Next morning he was off on the Canadian Pacific Railway for Duluth, the zenith city. Thence the journey west was through. Dakota in sight of occasional tepees, where the brave Sioux patiently waits his call to join the buffalo in the happy hunting grounds. Alfonso did not agree with the popular sentiment, "The best Indian is a dead Indian," for the Sioux seemed to him to belong to a n.o.ble race of red men.

Alfonso's enthusiasm for mining was greatly quickened by a fellow traveler, who was the owner of a large block of stock in the famous Homestake Mining Co. of Lead City, Black Hills, So. Dakota. This company possesses one of the largest gold mines and mills in the world. The ore bodies show a working face from two to four hundred feet in width, and sink to a seemingly inexhaustible depth. The Homestake has produced over $25,000,000 in bullion, and has divided over six millions in dividends to stockholders.

Three days' journey brought young Harris to Montana, an inland empire state, which lies on both sides of the Rocky Mountains. The Pacific Express was laden with a motley crowd of men and women in search of fame and fortune. Alfonso soon caught their enthusiasm, and visions of castles with gilded domes floated in his imagination.

It was 1:35 P.M. when No. 1, the Pacific Express, pulled into thrifty Helena, capital of Montana, a commercial metropolis metamorphosed from a rude mining camp of twenty-five years ago.

The electric cars carried Alfonso to the Hotel Helena on Grand St., which he thought quite as good as any in his own city. Here he was fortunate in meeting Mr. Davidson, a gentleman of large experience as owner, organizer, and locator of some of the best gold and silver properties in Montana and adjoining states. Irrigating ca.n.a.ls and water-rights were a special branch of Mr. Davidson's business. He never failed to make the round of the leading hotels after the arrival of the Overland. In this way he met Alfonso Harris. Davidson knew when to tell a good story, and when to be serious. He took Alfonso to the Club, located in elegant quarters, and the secretary gave him a complimentary visitor's card. Davidson quickly discerned that Harris needed a week's rest, and so took him on the motor line two miles out to the Hotel Broadwater and Natatorium. No wonder the citizens of Helena take pride in their fine health resort, the Helena Hot Springs.

Mr. Davidson introduced Alfonso to Colonel Broadwater, who extended the hospitalities of his hotel on which he had expended a fortune. The verandas were long and wide, the park was dotted with fountains, and the interior of the hotel was luxurious in all its furnishings. The mammoth plunge bath was the largest in the world under a single cover. Curative mineral waters, steaming hot, flowed in abundantly from the grotto. In the natatorium fun-loving men and women slid down the toboggan planks, or jumped from the spring boards, while spectators in the gallery enjoyed the aquatic sports. Elegantly appointed bathrooms in the hotel offered at one's pleasure the double spray plunge, vapor, and needle baths.

Alfonso was not prepared to find in the mountains elegance surpa.s.sing what he had seen abroad. Here he luxuriated for a week, and recovered his health, which had been somewhat impaired by the unfortunate experiences in Amsterdam, and the long journey from Holland.

Davidson visited Harris every day. At first he only sought to entertain and awaken enthusiasm. He recited the familiar story of the Last Chance Gulch, how in 1864, four half-starved and disheartened miners, on their homeward journey from a prospecting tour among the gulches of the Blackfoot country in search of the precious dust, had settled down to work their last chance to make a stake, and had found gold in abundance.

Davidson said, "Here, where to-day runs the main street of Helena, was the 'Last Chance Gulch,' and the output of its placers was not less than fifteen millions. From 300 feet square, where now stands the Montana Central Railway depot, two miners took out over $330,000." Davidson told of the great successes at the "Jay Gould," and "Big Ox Mine," and, that in five years the output of the Drum Lummon Mine was six millions.

All this pleased young Harris, and whetted his appet.i.te for mining investments. Finally, as a result of several trips to examine prospects and mines, Alfonso bought two prospects one hundred miles west of Helena at a place called Granite.

At Drummond west of Helena, a line branches south of the Northern Pacific to Rumsey. From Rumsey, Alfonso rode four miles to Granite, which was located high up among huge granite boulders. Here, for a year he isolated himself and labored hard for silver that was to be exchanged into gold and laid at the feet of Christine. His mines had been named "Hidden Treasure" and "Monte Christo." Possibly these mystical names influenced Alfonso to make the purchase, and no doubt they often renewed his courage.

The United States patents for his two lode mining claims finally came, and were examined by legal experts, who p.r.o.nounced them perfect. In the purchase of the properties and in the development work, Alfonso and his two a.s.sociates expended $50,000. On the showing, which the development made, together with the Annual Report of the adjacent Granite Mountain Mining Company, young Harris hoped to form a syndicate and profitably work his mines.

The facts in the report which Alfonso emphasized, were that the Granite Mining Co. had paid dividends as follows:

Twelve dividends ending July 31st, 1889 $1,900,000

Total of fifty-five dividends, an aggregate of, $6,700,000

In eight years these mines had produced and sold of pure silver 10,989,858 ozs.

Of pure gold 6,521 ozs.

Realizing a gross sum $10,988,800 Total gross expenditures $ 4,092,512

Alfonso felt free to use the facts of the Granite Reports, as his property was supposed to be a continuation of the same lode or metallic vein. His syndicate was finally organized, and with the money thus made available, all possible work was done for the next twelve months, on shaft, levels, cross-cuts, drifts, winzes, and raises. For two long years he pursued underground promising indications of wealth, which like the will-with-the-wisp evaded him, until every prospect of silver and gold in the "Hidden Treasure," and "Monte Christo" disappeared, and the mines were abandoned.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE MAGIC BAND OF BEATEN GOLD

The demonetization of silver by the government in 1873, and its great production, had reduced the value of the white metal one-half, so young Harris resolved to seek for gold, and began a search, which proved to be a most romantic success.

At first he hesitated to leave Montana, as its quartz veins and sluice boxes in twenty-five years had poured out $400,000,000, and its mineral resources were yet almost wholly unknown. The area of this single mountainous state could not be blanketed by the six New England States, and New York, or covered by England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland combined.

Finally Alfonso determined to follow the great mineral belt in a southwesterly direction even to the Sierra Nevada Range if need be. At Livingston he went south by railway through a gateway of the mountains, and up the fertile Paradise Valley, following the cool green waters of the Yellowstone alive with trout and equally gamesome graylings.

At Cinnabar Alfonso joined a merry party of tourists, who mounted a Concord coach, and the four grays were urged to a brisk pace over a smooth government road towards the great National Park. How exhilarating this six miles' ride, and how imposing the scenery, as the coach enters this Geologist's Paradise!

The Yellowstone or National Park contains 2,288,000 acres, and is fifty times the size of France's greatest park at Fontainebleau. Its alt.i.tude is a half mile higher than the summit of Mt. Washington, and the whole park is encircled by snow-clad peaks and majestic domes from three to five thousand feet high. This reservation by Congress in 1872, of 3575 square miles of public domain in perpetuity for the pleasure of the people, was a most creditable act.

Alfonso found that the park abounded in wild gorges, grand canyons, dancing cascades, majestic falls and mountains, picturesque lakes, curious hot springs, and awe-inspiring geysers. He and his party pushed through the Golden Gate, marveled at the wonders of the Norris and Firehole Basins, stood entranced before the mighty Canyon then bathed in the transparent Yellowstone Lake, and by nine o'clock were lulled to sleep in the shade of fragrant pines.

After breakfast next morning, while Alfonso and the hotel guests sat on the porch, a retired army captain, who had served in the Seventh U.S.

Cavalry, said he wished a party could be organized to visit General Custer's monument east of the National Park on the Little Big Horn River.

There the Government had marked the historic battleground, where on the morning of the 24th of June, 1876, two hundred of the famous Seventh Cavalry and their brave leader, were overwhelmed and slaughtered by 2,500 Indians under the famous chief, Sitting Bull. Custer was tall and slender, with blue eyes and long light hair. He had fought at Bull Run and Gettysburg, and was present at Lee's surrender at Appomattox. He was promoted to brigadier general when he was twenty-three years old, and became major general when he was twenty-five. Eleven horses were shot under him. Once he saved the flag by tearing it from its staff and concealing it in his bosom. What Napoleon said of Ney is also true of Custer, "He was the bravest of the brave."