The White Crystals Part 29

Kimball. "Though how in th' name a' th' sacred cat was I t' know there were salt on th' land. My! My! But I guess I've made a bad mistake."

So, instead of being glad because the land was sold, Mr. Kimball, and all the family, were greatly downcast after they had listened to Roger's story. And he, too, took very much to heart the disappointment of his uncle. If he had only acted a day sooner, all this trouble would have been avoided. But it was too late for regrets now, and the only thing to do, was to make the best of it, the boy thought. Yet it was very hard to see valuable land sold for such a small sum, particularly when his uncle needed money so badly. There was just a faint hope in Roger's heart, that perhaps Mr. Vanter might be able to suggest a way out of the difficulty. But the hope was so faint that he hardly dared speak of it.

He could only wait until the promised arrival of the surveyor, and see what would come of it.

Troubled dreams disturbed the usually quiet slumbers of more than one member of the Kimball home that night. Roger's uncle was so restless, tossing to and fro on the bed, and thinking of his lost opportunity, that he was glad when morning came, so he could get up and go to work.

The others, also, thought too much of what had happened to sleep well.

After the ch.o.r.es were done up Mr. Kimball paid a visit to the spring glade. To his eyes, not experienced in looking for signs of mineral wealth, there were no indications of a salt mine beneath the surface, and he felt himself almost wishing such a thing could not be true. But he could scarcely doubt it, after what had occurred. With a heavy heart he took up the duties of the day.

"Come on, Roger," called Adrian, as soon as he had done his part of the morning's work about the farm, "let's go up by the spring, and see where the salt mine is. Cracky! I wish I'd been along when you went fishing on dry land. I'll bet I'd fired a stone at Ranquist."

"I wish you had been along," said Roger. "Your father would not have signed then. But I thought I was acting for the best."

"Of course you did. It isn't your fault," replied Adrian.

The two boys walked up the hill, and were soon at the place. On the way Roger was wondering whether Mr. Vanter had come out. He remembered his instructions, to pretend not to recognize the surveyor. As the lads approached the spring they could hear through the trees, the noise of men digging, and voices in conversation. The click of spades and shovels was plainly audible.

"They're at it already!" exclaimed Adrian. "Hurry up, and let's see 'em get the salt out."

"I guess they won't reach it very soon," said Roger. "It's about twenty-five feet under the surface."

The boys quickened their steps, and soon came to the open glade. Three men were busy at work, two of them laborers, while the third was a familiar figure to Roger, who gave a start of surprise as he recognized Mr. Vanter directing operations. But even in the intense excitement of the moment, Roger did not forget his promise, and he was prepared to show by no sign that he had ever seen the surveyor before.

"Why, there's a new man," said Adrian, as he caught sight of Mr. Vanter.

"I thought, at first, it was Mr. Dudley or Mr. Ranquist, but it isn't. I wonder who he is. Anyhow, let's see what they are doing."

The cousins watched the laborers with great interest. Mr. Vanter glanced up and saw Roger, but, though he gave just the faintest smile, to show he knew his young friend, he made no motion to indicate that the order of last night was not to be obeyed, so Roger kept silent.

The two laborers were digging a sort of inclined shaft, sinking it about the place where Mr. Ranquist had drilled the small hole. Their picks and shovels made the brown dirt fly, and Mr. Vanter urged them on, as though they were working against time. The boys watched for perhaps ten minutes, when there came a sound, as if some one was approaching. The next instant Mr. Dudley and Mr. Ranquist appeared on the scene. Roger started in surprise, wondering what would happen now, but Mr. Vanter gave no indication that he saw the engineers, and the laborers kept on digging.

"Well," said Mr. Ranquist, at length, "I must say I consider this a rather high-handed proceeding. By what right, sir, are you working on my property? Do you know," addressing Mr. Vanter, "that you and your men are trespa.s.sing, and are liable to arrest?"

"Since when have you owned this land?" asked the surveyor, coolly. "This belongs to Bert Kimball, a friend of mine, and--"

"It doesn't belong to him any more," broke in Mr. Ranquist.

"Since when has he ceased to own it?"

"Well, I don't know as that is any of your affair, but I'll tell you.

Since yesterday afternoon Mr. Kimball ceased to be the owner, when he signed an agreement to sell this piece to the Universal Salt Company."

Mr. Vanter started, and looked at Roger, who sorrowfully nodded in confirmation of what the engineer had said.

"There's his son; ask him," went on Mr. Ranquist, pointing to Adrian.

"I guess it's true," said the boy, in response to Mr. Vanter's look.

"But," he added, "my father would never have agreed to sell it if he had known there was salt on it."

"I would imagine not," said Mr. Vanter, softly, to himself.

"That was his lookout, not mine," came from Mr. Ranquist. Turning to Mr.

Vanter, he added: "I advise you to leave here, my friend. I'll overlook the trespa.s.s for once, but don't let it happen again," and he frowned in a significant manner.

"Suppose I refuse to go until you prove to me that you own this land, or have a legal right, by virtue of an agreement, to order me off," asked Mr. Vanter.

"Then I'm afraid there'll be an unpleasant scene," exclaimed Mr.

Ranquist, in a harsh voice, and with a sudden motion he drew a revolver, and aimed it full at the surveyor. "I don't want to resort to forceful measures," he went on, "but I'll have no hesitation in using this if you remain here three minutes longer." He drew out his watch.

"You needn't worry," spoke up Mr. Vanter, calmly. "I'm not afraid of that popgun, for I've faced bigger ones than that, but at present you seem to have the law on your side. However, Mr. Ranquist, we may meet again, when perhaps the shoe will be on the other foot. I'll bid you good-morning," and, bowing politely, with not a trace of anger in his face, Mr. Vanter walked slowly down the hill, followed by the two laborers. Roger and Adrian remained behind for a minute or so.

"I guess I can get along without you two boys," remarked Mr. Ranquist, in strange contrast to his pleasant tones of a few days before. "And as for you, Master Roger, if I catch you on this land after to-day, it won't be well for you. Mind what I say, and keep off. I'll see your father, Adrian, and have him keep you away also."

"You needn't trouble yourself," said Adrian, quickly. He was as angry as ever a boy could be. "We don't have any great hankering to get on your land, which you had to cheat to get control of," and with this parting shot Adrian and Roger made their way in the direction taken by Mr.

Vanter. They caught up to him before he had gone very far, and though Roger, in obedience to his instructions, was not going to speak, the surveyor addressed him.

"Well, Roger," he said, "I see you were too late. Your uncle must have signed before you got home last night."

"He had," answered the boy. "He was reading the agreement when I got in.

I think he said he is to sign the deed to-morrow."

"Too bad," remarked Mr. Vanter, sympathetically, "but I suppose it couldn't be helped. I think I'll go down and see Mr. Kimball, anyhow. He used to know me when I was a Cardiff boy. I suppose," turning to Adrian, "this is his son?"

Adrian nodded pleasantly, and while the party advanced Roger told his cousin in a low tone who Mr. Vanter was, and how he had met him. At the foot of the hill the surveyor dismissed his laborers and went on with the boys.

"I didn't have a chance to do much in the way of examining the land,"

said Mr. Vanter to Roger. "I would have dug deeper if I hadn't been interrupted. But from what I saw, and the way Ranquist acted, I am pretty sure the salt deposit is a large one, and valuable. I wish, for Mr. Kimball's sake, I had known this two days ago."

When the three reached the house, they found Mr. Kimball reading a letter. Roger introduced Mr. Vanter, and the farmer at once recalled the man who, as a youngster, used to play about the village streets.

"I ain't forgot ye," he said, clapping Mr. Vanter heartily on the back.

"I remember onct when I ketched ye in my melon patch," and he laughed at the recollection, Mr. Vanter joining in.

"I have even better cause than you have not to forget that little incident," responded the surveyor, as he rubbed the back of his legs reflectively.

"I reckon I switched ye good 'n' proper," commented Mr. Kimball, a smile playing about the corners of his mouth.

"I hear you have been selling a salt mine just as if it was ordinary pasture land," said Mr. Vanter, to change the subject.

"Why, how'd ye know thet?" asked Mr. Kimball, in a wondering tone. "I calalated n.o.body--Oh! You're th' feller Roger went to see in Syracuse,"

he cried suddenly. "I understand now. Wa'al, it ain't th' boy's fault.

He made a n.o.ble try. I took up Ranquist's offer too quick, thet's th'

hull trouble. But I needed th' money bad. In fact, here's a letter now, tellin' me thet onless I raise th' cash by th' end a' th' week, th'

mortgage'll be foreclosed, 'n' I'll lose th' farm. By sellin' th'

spring-glade when I did, I've got nuff t' make th' payment. Ha'f a loaf's better'n' no bread, ye know. But I s'pose I ought t' hev waited."

"When do you sign the deed?" asked Mr. Vanter. "I understand you have given a binding agreement to sell, so it's no use trying to get out of that."

"Why, me 'n' Mrs. Kimball are t' put our signatures on th' deed t'-morrow," replied the farmer, "'n' I git th' balance a' th' two thousand dollars then. Handy 'nuff it'll be, too, but I wish now it were more. I'll be pretty heavily in debt, even arter I pay off th'

mortgage. Yes, sir, me 'n' mother here signs t'-morrow," and he motioned to his wife who had come to the door.