“Well, shoot,” returned Wiley, “but don’t ask my advice, unless you’re ready to pay for it.”
He tipped back his chair and sat waiting patiently 108while Blount unraveled his thoughts. He could think closer than most men, but not quicker, and the Paymaster was a tangled affair.
“I have been told,” he began at last, “that you are still buying Paymaster stock. Or at least–well, a check of yours came through here endorsed by Death Valley Charley, and Virginia Huff. Oh, yes, yes; that’s your business, of course; but here’s the point I’m coming to; it won’t do you any good to buy in that stock because I’ve got a majority of it right here in my vault. If you want to control the Paymaster, don’t go to someone else–I’m the man you want to see.”
He tapped himself on the breast and smiled impressively, and Wiley nodded his head.
“All right,” he said imperturbably, “when I want the Paymaster Mine I’ll know right where to go.”
“Yes, you come to me,” went on Blount after a minute, “and I’ll do the best I can.” He paused expectantly, but Wiley did not speak, so he went on blandly, as before. “The stock, of course, is nonassessable and the taxes are very small. I intend from now on to keep them paid up, so there will be no further tax sales. The stock of Mrs. Huff, which I now hold as collateral security, is practically mine already, as she has defaulted on her first month’s interest and is preparing to leave the state. Of course, there is the stock which your father is holding–as I calculate, something over two hundred thousand shares–and what little 109remains outside; but if you are interested in the mine I am the man to talk to, so what would you like to propose?”
“Well,” began Wiley, and then he stopped and seemed to be lost in thought. “I’ll tell you,” he said, “I was interested in the Paymaster–I believe there’s something there; but I’ve got some other propositions that I can handle a little easier, so if you don’t mind we’ll wait a while.”
“No, but Wiley,” protested Blount as his man rose up to go, “now just sit down; I’m not quite through. Now I know just as well as you do that you take a great interest in that mine. Your troubles with Mrs. Huff and Stiff Neck George prove conclusively that such is the case; and I am convinced that, either from your father or some other source, you have valuable inside information. Now I must admit that I’m not a mining man and my management was not a success; but with your technical education and all the rest, I am convinced that the results would be different. No, there’s no use denying it, because I know myself that you’ve been buying up Paymaster stock.”
“Sure,” agreed Wiley, “I bought four hundred dollars worth. That would break the Bank of Vegas. But you’ve got lots of money–why don’t you hire a competent mining man and go after that lost ore-body yourself?”
“I may do that,” replied Blount easily, “but in the meantime why not make me a reasonable offer, or take the mine on shares?”