an opportunity to gain a clear title to the mine.
What happened to the stock could be thrashed out later, but with the
Paymaster in his possession he could laugh his enemies to scorn--and he
did not intend to be jumped! For who could tell, among these men who
swarmed about him, which ones might be hired emissaries of Blount; and,
once he was out of sight, they might seize the mine and hold it against
all comers.

It was a thing which had been done before, and was likely to be done
again; and as the days slipped by, bringing him closer to the end, he
looked about for some agent. Had he a man that he could trust to hold
the mine, while he went into town to gain title to it? He looked them
all over but, knowing Blount as he did, and the weakness of human
nature, he hesitated and decided against it. No, it was better by far
that _he_ should hold the mine--for possession, in mining, is
everything--and send someone to pay over the money. That would be
perfectly legal, and anyone could do it, but here again he hesitated.
The zeal of his lawyer was failing of late--could he trust him to make
the payment, in a town that was owned by Blount? Would he offer it
legally and demand a legal surrender, and come out and put the deed in
his hand? He might, but Wiley doubted it.

There was something going on regarding the payments for his shipments
which he was unable to straighten out over the 'phone, and his lawyer
was neglecting even that. And yet, if those checks were held up much
longer it might seriously interfere with his payment. He had wired
repeatedly, but either the messages were not delivered or his buyer was
trying to welch on his contract. What he wanted was an agent, to go
directly to the buyer and get the matter adjusted. Wiley thought the
matter over, then he 'phoned his lawyer to forget it and wrote direct to
an express company, enclosing his bills of lading and authorizing them
to collect the account. When it came to collecting bills you could trust
the express company--and you could trust Uncle Sam with your mail--but
as to the people in Vegas, and especially the telephone girl, he had his
well-established doubts. His telegraphic messages went out over the
'phone and were not a matter of record and if she happened to be eating
a box of Blount's candy she might forget to relay them. It was borne in
upon him, in fact, more strongly every day, that there are very few
people you can trust. With a suitcase, yes--but with a