Bret Harte

The Story of a Mine Bret Harte

Book Excerpt: ...one?""Of us there are four."The stranger looked around."In camp, --a league beyond," explained the Mexican."Found anything?""Of this--much." Concho took from his saddle bags a lump of greyish iron ore, studded here and there with star points of pyrites. The stranger said nothing, but his eye looked a diabolical suggestion."You are lucky, friend Greaser.""Eh?""It IS silver.""How know you this?""It is my business. I'm a metallurgist.""And you can say what shall be silver and what is not.""Yes, --see here!" The stranger took from his saddle bags a little leather case containing some half dozen phials. One, enwrapped in dark-blue paper, he held up to Concho."This contains a preparation of silver."Concho's eyes sparkled, but he looked doubtingly at the stranger.