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Harte, Bret, 1836-1902

"The Story of a Mine"

When Thatcher was at Omaha, Wiles was
already in St. Louis; and as the Pullman car containing the hero of
the "Blue Mass" mine rolled into Chicago, Wiles was already walking the
streets of the national capital. Nevertheless, he had time en route
to sink in the waters of the North Platte, with many expressions of
disgust, the little black portmanteau belonging to Thatcher, containing
his dressing case, a few unimportant letters, and an extra shirt, to
wonder why simple men did not travel with their important documents
and valuables, and to set on foot some prudent and cautious inquiries
regarding his own lost carpet bag and its important contents.
But for these trifles he had every reason to be satisfied with the
progress of his plans. "It's all right," said Mrs. Hopkinson merrily;
"while you and Gashwiler have been working with your 'stock,' and
treating the whole world as if it could be bribed, I've done more with
that earnest, self-believing, self-deceiving, and perfectly pathetic
Roscommon than all you fellows put together.


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