“Very kind, indeed; here, take this and go and get a square meal, I think you’ll enjoy that,” and Jack tossed a gold piece to his caller. “Come again and we’ll talk the matter over,” and Jack returned to his work.
Jim Slack was probably the worst character in Mono county. He had been suspected of stage robbery, but so clever was his disguise that he could not be convicted. It was known that he had killed three men, an Irishman, a German, and a Chinaman, but he managed to save his neck through some legal quibble. When he was drinking, he would become almost a demon and assail friend or foe, if thwarted.
Jack Hamlin had made several thousand dollars about this time in mining speculations, and the money troubled him. He was never cut out to be an accumulator and money burnt a hole in his pocket.
“I believe I’ll take a chance with you,” he said, when Slack returned, “but I want a straight out and out deal. Go over and have Tom Stephens draw up the papers and I’ll arrange the credit for you at the store.”
No time was lost by Slack in obeying orders, and the next morning he started for his mines in the high Sierras with an outfit, the like of which he never before enjoyed. He swore everlasting fealty to Hamlin, but the latter waived all this “cheap talk,” as he called it, telling Slack he expected to hear good reports from him.
Two months passed by, and a visit was projected by his new partner to Slack’s mines. The latter came down from his eyrie, the twain meeting at Lundy, a little camp at the base of the mountain.
In drawing up the contract, Jim Slack had agreed to cut out liquor, and much stress was placed upon this part of the agreement.
It was quite late in the evening when Jack and his comrade started up the mountain for the mines. The location was far above the timber belt and in a spot of almost everlasting snow.
It was too dark to make any inspection of the mines that evening and a log fire was speedily burning for the weather was very cold on this July evening.
The bed was uninviting, composed mostly of wild beasts’ skins, the odor of which was strong and lingering.