“Because the mine is utterly worthless. Colonel Mendix had great hopes of it proving a bonanza and sunk a good deal of money in it. The investment made him a poor man.”
“Was it all his own money he used?”
“I think he had some Eastern capitalists interested; but when he saw the mine was a failure he never tried to settle the matter; simply sold off the machinery to pay off the indebtedness, and cleared out.”
“Have you heard from him since?”
“Never.”
“And where is the mine? I would like to be able to tell Mr. Bright that I had seen it.”
“It is about a quarter of a mile below here, and half-way up the mountain. Follow the wagon-track that leads to the south and you cannot miss it.”
Of course Oliver knew that the man was telling a falsehood; yet he wished to hear all the colonel might have to say.
“And the claim is quite abandoned?” he asked.
“Entirely. It would not pay to reopen it under any consideration. This mine of mine, the Cortez, pays but poorly, and it is by far the best in the district.”