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,m.x>.r,*^H^r^*«*^o*^*^< ^'^^*<^''»^ ' Qobalt's LatGst Big Flotation The Chambers-Ferland Mining Co CHAPTEn XVI. The a.JJoinlng room was, I loimd, in tho front pari o( the houscâ€"a rather snail one, l!i)«l on one side wth books, tut furnished more as a b.udoir than a library, for there were sevcial easy- Ghiirs, a work-table, and a piano in a corner. At this instnin:ent ll.e niys'eri- cus player had on that nifjht sal exe- cuting ChODin's "Andante Spinato' the mjnrent b fjre it b.came iiitciTipted by some Iri'gic and unexpecled spccta-le. I glanotd around onJ noeJ tl:at the furniture anJ carpel were worn and fnd- ej that tl'.e Ixxoks were dusty nnd evi- dently unused, and that the whole place presented an air of negl- ct. and h' d no- thing whatever in keeping w.lh the gcrgcousness of the other hancUaine apartments. The glasses were, as Mrs. Anson had said, lying beside the bkjlting-pad up- on a small rosewootl writ n;.'-tablo, I took them up, and, hav.ng niaile a tour of :nsf«tion, was about t<3 leave the place, wh<?n suddenly, en the top of some books upon a shell close to the door, I tspied a small vo'.ume. The curious incident of the birtii- day b. ok occurred to me; Iherelore I took down U'.e little volume and I^und that It really was a birthday book. No name was inscribed on the title-page as owner, but there wtre mai^y names scnbHeJ therein. In swift eagerness '. turn d to the page of my own birthday â€" lh«e 8nd of July. It was blank. I St. oi pondering with the b(.ok stiil In my hand. The ahsen:c cf my name there proved one cf two t.hir'gs. eith r ' had not signed a birthd;(y Lo k at all, or, if I had. it was not the one 1 had discoV'Crod. Now, Ihu-e are frequently two biithday-books in one house, ;he:-e- fore I ix?.soived, ere I gave the matter nflecton, to prosecu'e ray invcstiga- tvns furiher and ascertain whetlier Ihore was not a seoiind bo.ok. With this object I maJe a second tour around the rcom, rotng the lOiilion ct every article of furniture. Sime nius c lay scattered beside th • pun 5, anl, on turning it over, I found Ih? actual copy of Chopin's ".A.ndaiite' wliich had b<'en played on th; night of the tragedy. ThJ cover had b- en half lom <iw.iy, but, on examining it cks«.-ly teneaih the Vgh!, I detected pla.nly a small smear of blood upon it. Tiuly the housi was oni* of mystery. l:i that loom s.-veral persms I'ad drunk champagne on ihat memorable night when blmd Fate Uxl nie tliitho.-; in that room a woman had, according to the nans sh»_.ut of alarm, been foul'y done i:i doath, although of this latler fnct I â-ºâ€¢as not a:t(5gelher sure. At any rate, hcwcvor, it was p!ain that s:nie tragic ivent tiad previously tak.n place th ri', «s well as in that rovni bey' nd wli.re I had leclinfd blind and helpless. 11 was strange also that the apartment should remain neglected and un tus'ed. OS though the occupants entertained some dislike to it. But I hnd bren ab- sent long enough, and, reluming to Ihr drawing-room with the missing glasses, handed them to Mrs. Anson. Hickman had, in my nbsejice, crcs-ed to Mabel, anl w;is sitiing beside her in earnest conver^atlo.'i, theref jfc 1 was oomrelkd to seat myself w.th my hos- tess and the Irritat.ng Woman and chat with them. But er© long I contrived again to reach the side of ihe woman whom I adored, and to again pre-s her f<^r an appointment. "It is far better for me to wrlle to you," she answei^ed, beneath her breath. "As I've lolj you, we have so many calls to m.ike and cards to leave. " "Your m dher tells me Ihat you have a box f<.r the Prince cf Wales's on Sat- urday night, and has asked me to Join ycu,' I said. Her eyes brightened, and I saw that she was delighted at the prasiiect. But she experessed a hope that 1 w<.'uldn'l be bored. "Borod!" 1 echoed. "Why, Im never bcred when in your company. I fear that its Ihe other way aboutâ€" that ' bore you." "C ria n!y not," she rt«p ndcd 9K\si Capitalization of $2,50O,00O-OOâ€" Par Value of Shares $1.00â€" 300,000 Shares m Treaaury. Of all the Cobalt notations, past and present, none has excited greater pub- ! \:c interest than that of the Chambers- Ferland Mining Co. Surrounded as 11 Is by or adjacent lo such famous producers as the La Rose, Nipis3ing and O'Brien, and having an itltntical format.on w.th these proper- ties the future of the Chambers-Ferland is assured. The La Rose, as a glance at Ihe ac- and the gardens were prettily illumin- ated, I thought." "Yes," I said. "With the cxcepton cf thv gardens, there is far toi much paste- board sotnic effect. 1 ^uppcso y ,u not c- pj that serrated line i-f m u-tains overj ecmpanylng map will disclcsR, dees not which th; eternal sw tchback runs? ! lurrounJ the Chambers-F>?rlanJ, but Ti:ost! sclfisame mount lins, repa nted blue, grey, or purple, with tfs of snow, have, within my personal knowle<Jge, d .ne duly as the .\lps, the Pyrenees, the Rockies, and Ihe .Atlas, not countmg half a d< zen other notable ranges." Sl.e laughed, slowly faim ng 'icrself th': while. By her reply I had obtained from her own lips a most important fact in the inquiry I intended mw lo prosecute, ncnieiy. that this house had been her home for nearly Iwo years. Theicfore it had been in .Mrs. .Ansi-in's po.-«ession at the lime of the li-nge<!y. Sine? Ihe moment wh<n I had first | rfcognizcd that rcom as the one in which 1 had been jresint en the night of the mysterious assassination, the pos-| sibili^y hid mjre than en -e occurred to m; tiat Mrs. An on might hiive unwt-| I ngly taken it ready furnished afte.- ihe' c^-.mmittiil < I the crime. Such, how v '. i «aj lot the fact. Mabel had ascrtrdj that for neai'ly two years she h.d iiv.d there. Again, even as I sat thre at her side, deep in admiration of her magnificent figure in that striking toilette of coral pink, with its s ift gamitur? nf 'ace and th.ftons, 1 cr:ulJ not help reflecting up- on the curious fncl Ihat -h; should h:i\e recognized the dead man's jKncil-caso. And she had, Ly her siknce, as-ented to my sugLCslion that he had lein h f Uvcr. That UtU»> gold penc 1-r-ase that I had found in his pocket wh n he !ay d'Cad at that very spot where wo were now sitting had been one of her love- gifts to him. The mystery hourly grew mcro puz- z'mg and b(.'wildering. Yet so also er-ch hour that I was at her s de I fell deeper and d:eper in love with her, longng always for opporlurity to de- cliire lo her sccwt of ray hvart, yet ever {faring to do ^ lest she should turn from me. Our unexpected m<eeting at Gro.svrnor Gtle, after I had received that letter fi-cm my anonymous c r cs|;ondcnl. c.jmbin«d with the siaril ng di^overy that it was cc'ually-in her house that the mysteriom iragedy had lec.i enact- ed, that in that very room ttie smart, r> rined young man who had been hor lover had fought so fiercely for life, and had yet been sti-uck down so unerring- ly, foniied an enigma inscrutable and peridexing. The myst.Ty, however, did not tor one moment' cause me to waver in niy af- fection tor her. I had giown to love her fondly and devotedly; lo adne hv'' a" ray idol, as Ihe one who held my whole future in her hin!s, tbcreforft what/ever suspicion arose within my mini â€" and I admit that gra\c suspicion dd ailc on many occasionsâ€" I cast t aside and fell down to woi-ship at the shr.ne of her incomparabk' beauty. MLss Well's carr age wrs linnounced di l;s>, and tlK- Irritating Woman, tink- ling and jingling, rose with a wearied .«igh and took her leave, express ng her thanks for "a most delighlfui even ng, my di-ar. ' Mabel, michcvlous a* a school-girl. I'UlIod a grimace when Ih? music of the bangles had faded in the hail outsde, at which we laughed in merry choru.s. W.th H ckman I remained ten minutes <.r 50 lunger, then rose, also declaring â- that it was time we loft. The grave Trttinservant .\rnold served us with whi.sk'es and sodas in the dlning-ro'm, and, Mabel having helped me vn with ni> covert-coat, we sho< k hands with cur hostess and her daughter, and left in i-onipany. Th • night was brght and starlit, and the air r^fivshing. Turning to Iho left af:cp leaving the house, we came im- ^l^xl ately to a road wtiii.'h gave f ntranco tj that ?eciuded oval called" The Boitons. I l<x>k<d at the name-plate, and saw It was mimed Gibslon Road. It must have teen at this corner Ihat I had Ixen Is surrounded by the Chambers-Fer- land. It is known that the La Rose has an enormous ore-body blocked out. The La Rose ve.ns are in the heart of the Chambers-Feriand and have been picked up in this company's workings. The Nipissing is one of the camps greatest producers and the OBrien 6h:pped last year over one million dol- lars' worth cf ore. The Province of On- fario received a quarter of a million dollars cf tliis by reason of its royalty. In expectation of receiving similar re- turns and by reason of the kn';wn rich- r.css of the 124 acres cf the Chambers- Ferland Co., the government of Ontario retains a 25 per cent, interest to the property. In considering Ihe property under re- v.ew ji this article, it must be remem- bered that this is the balance of the acreage that was stalked In the early days, when the entire Cobalt disL-ict was open to the syndicate after whom this c mpany is named. This syndicate sold Ihe Nipissing property. The O'Brien Mine, us is well known, is owned by Messrs. M. J. O'Brien and J. B. O Brien and the 124 acres now own#d by the Chambers-Ferland Mining Co. remained. In the selection of this acreage the synJicald ctriamly made no mistake. To the east, south and west lie the rich OBrien and Niplssng veins and tho most valuable part of the right o' way lies adjaeent. The OBrien, Nipiss.ng and La Rose are Ihe camp's heaviest .sh.ppers and art probably the highest producers of silver in the worid. The La Rose has undoubtedly the largest ore resen-e in I ha camp. The OBrien is extensive y developed, so much so, that the owners of this mine have decided on the immediate erec- tion of a large concenlartmg mill on its iproperty at a cost cf $120,000. A rich vein was located on one end of the property, rear the main traveled road, leading down into Kerr Lake section, and rich ore was taken out and sacked several months ago. The open cut can be seen from the road. Then followed differences with the govem- nient, all of which have since been set- tied. Last year W. H. Linn-ey, for.merly superintendent at Ihe Nipissing, wiis se- cured, as h.s familiarily w.th the Nipis-' sing veins would have been very valu- able. He sluried to work, but tlie min- eis' str.ke cf last summer caused a ccs- saton of work. Supernicndent W. H. Jeffrey, form- erly of the La Rose, has since teen put IB etarge of the mining operation* two shafts are being sunk. Typical high grade ore, and by this U meant high-grade ore typical of Cobalt camp, has been encountered la these shafts and these shafts w.ll be oonloju- fd to depth, and by cross-cuts and â-  drifts a vast amount of underground exploration work will be done, and ill this way the r.ch veins already enrjoun- tereJ on the surface and blind veina which abound .n this section of the camp will be cfened up and developed. .As a result the many rich veins now being worked at de5>th on .the adjoin- ing mines named, (n^ which are known t-o run into this projferly, will be en- countered and developed. Immediata attention will be paid to the veins de- finitely developed by the O'Brien, Nipi> s ng. La Rose and Right of Way. Th«n this company also has an acre- age extending on the other side of the T. Sl S. O. Ry., where the Nipissng and Temiskaming k Hudson Bay Co. are woiking rich veins. The emphatic statement of a well- known engineer who has examined tha property is that there is "no partially developed ground in the Cobalt district better situatfd or has greater prom se.'- .McCuaig Brcs t Co., membirs of Iha .Mjntreal -Stock Exchange cf .Montreal are brh.nd the proposition and it '.s well l.r -wn that their clientele is always X3f- fered something good and tl?.s ttrrn's oonniction wil.l the flotat.on is a guar> nntee cf its success. A comparison of the capitalization of Chamb.7rs-F«rland with other Cobalt â- propoF.lJo.is. inciudlng the biggest di- v.-aend-payers, taking into considera- tion the company s superior kjcatjon â- and large acreage, cannot fail to im- {)ress Ihe careful mvesUgator. On the directorate of this new com- â- pany are .Messrs. WiUiom C. Chambsrs, Arthtu- Ferland, William H. Ruasril. R. K. Russell anJ R. A. Galbrailh, the ok- gn^l owners of Ihe pro eriy and of the iN.piss ng. .Mr. Jeffreys la the supenn- tendent. Sketdi of Part ^f the Rich Cobalt District. Showiag the Chambers.â€" Ferland Property and Adjoining M*?"?. vely. "I very sx)n contrive lo luive per- knock-id down by a pa-sing cab when, Bons who arc bores Ihoir ctnigc. .Mother accuses me cf rudeness to them si.ime- tlmes, but I assure you I really cant help being positively insuiting. Iln.s mother nsked you to dine-ai Silurday?' "Yes,' I answei-ed. "But .shan't I see you before then?" "No; I think It is very untikety. Well have a jolly evening on .Saturday." "But I enjoy inimen.«ely thos<; walks acras.s the Park," 1 blurted foith in des- peration. ".And I also," sho adinitled with a sweet frankness. "But ths week it is utterly impossible U> make any airaivge- menls." Mention of the thonire afforded me an opportunity of pulling lo hvv a quest on U!.>on which, during the past couple of hours. I had r^ fleeted deeply. . "You've, of c ur.'c, leen lo Ihe Exhi- bition at Earls Court, livinii heie in t^.e hnmaJiate vicinity.'' i .said. "Ive only be<n onco." ,-he cn-w.-red. •Allhouvh we've had this tons' nearly two yeiirs. exhibitions don't appcnl to me very much. I was tliere at night. on my first adventurous jou noy alone, I had w.indored so far westwaixl. I turned back, and noticed that from Ihe dining-room window of tho house wo h;d ju.sl kft any occurrence at the icrner in question could bo dLsiinclly seen. Edna had exnlainel Ihat she had wilnes.s»d my accij.nt fi-om that win- dow, and in this particular had appar- ently told me tho truth. The icmaikabK> and unexpcclod diâ€" coverios of Ihat evening had produc-d a veritable tumult of thoughts within my brain, and as I walkixl with Hick- man I lo ;k no note of his merry, iriv- sponsible j-ossip. until he lymarkenl â€" "You'i* a bit preoccupied, I think. You're [Hindering over Mabl^'s go :<1 looks. I suppcise?" â- * "No," I answei'ed, starting at Ihis re- mark. Th-n. Ic excuse mys-'lf, 1 added. "I wa.s Ihinl. ng of other things. 1 rejl'y bc-g your pardon.'' "I was asking your opinton of Mubo!. Don't you think her extremely hand- somi?" "Of course," I answered, trying to sup- press my enthusiasm. "She's charm- ing." "A fiplcnd'd pianist, fflo." "Excellent.'' "It has always been a wonder to me Ihat she has never become engaged ," h.e rtmarked. "A girl with her personal chai-nis ought to make on excellent match." "lias sho never been engagoil?" I In- quii'Cd quickly, eager to learn the truth about her fiom this man, who was evi- dent y an old friend of the family. "Ncvtr actually engagd. Th're have been oiio or two little love-affairs, 1 ve heard, but ncaie of Ihcra was really seri- ous." "He'd be a lucky fe'.low who married ter,' 1 remarkeii, still striving lo con- ceal the intense in'ercst I fett. 'l.uekjl" he echoed. "I siiculd rather think to, in many ways. It is impos- sible for a girl of hor beauty and no- biUty of character to go about without kts of fe luws foiling in love with h<r. Yet I happen lo know that she holds tiem a'o f, w tliout even a flirtation.' I sniil'd at this ass«j^'tion of his, and Cvjngratulaed myself that I was the only cxoc!)tion; lor had she not expressed pleasure at my companionship on her walks? But recollecting her admission that the victim of the assassin's knife bad lieen lior lover, I returned lo the subject, m order to learn furiher tacts. "Who were the men with whom she had Ihe minor love-affairsâ€" any one I know?" I inquired. "I think not. because it alloceuird l:c- fore they I'elurned to live in England," he nnsweri?<l. "Th n yt u kn<.w them ahrond?' "Slighliy. Wc niol in a casual sort of way at I'au. on tho Riviera, and else- where." "H-lh mother and daughter are alike exlrenioly iileasant," I s;iid. 'In high .spirts Mis. .\nsi.n is sometinies almost as juvenilo us Mabel." 'yiiiie so.' he iaugh«xi. "One would never Iclcve Ihul sho's neiirly sixty. Again and again 1 endeavored lo turn Ihe conversalion back lo Uie identily o.' -Vlabels former lover, but he either did not know or purposely refused to tell me. Ho spoke now and then with an i;ilcnlional vagueness, as though his loyalty lo Ihe .\nsoBS prevented him from betraying any confidences reposed in him as a friend of the family. Indeed, this cautiousness showed him to be a trustworthy man, and hs chnmclcr be- came thereby sircnglhened in my esti- mation. On flrst acquaintiuice I had in- stantly experienced a violent averson ') him, but now, on Ihis walk together aU.ng the Fulham Road, I felt that wc should probably end by becoming friends.' He walked with long strid<^ and a swinging, easy gait Ihat 4«emeJ alm-st military, while his nir of ca^^lo^s meiri- ment as he laughed and joked, smoking the choice cigar which tho man had handed to him in the hall just before our dci)arlurc, gave him the aspect of an easy-going man-aboul-lown. "I fully expect, my dear fellow." he laughedâ€""! fully expect that you'll be falling in love with the pretty .Mabel if you're in her company very much. ' "You'w chafling," I pr<jtestcd, echo- ing his laugh. "Not at all,' he asserle^I. "Only take cnre. l.ove-niaking with her is a dan- geixms pa~l moâ€" devilish dangerous, I a.«siire you. ' "Dangerous to the man's heartr-eh? "Yes," ho res'iondel in a vague lone, glancing at iiic cuiieiisly; "if you like tj put it in that way." "We hnd pnsstyl ti'om Ihe Fulham n a I into Ihe Kng's Road, Ch. Isea, and at that moment ho halt^M suddenly at I'K to. ncr of a siriet cf h.gh, r. gularly built houses, most of wh.ch wore in darkness, sayingâ€" "I live di wn hero. Cenio in and have n final wh s|;y and sxJ« w 1 1 m"; tt^en . vou ccn tJik'' a c.ib bnck lu t' o .Straid. i TtierL' lire cabs all nii,h'. 01 th- rank in Sottii ^ .Square. ' fear its Wm late.' I ixrolesU-d, She's as vivaci jus and nivrrv as a wo- < man half hor ago. Ivo '"â- ^^[,'_!„'^'^j '. g'aucing at my wrich. and lUiJ.ng u siir|ri-<U at her sprighlliness often.'' l.asl one o clock. "No. no, my d«?ar fellow, come aiong," he. urged. "You 11 want a drink before you get home;" and, thus pereuaded, t "accompanied him up the sti'eet to one of th-; high houses, each exnctiy similar i-i lis neighbor, w.th a flight of hearlh- sloned steps loading up to its front (l<or. and a deep, grimy basement pro- tected by a few vards cf iron rail ngs. In Ihe hall, although Ihe gas had bc^n extinguished, thei-e rcnmned a small hand-iamp al ght. evidently placed there for his use. This he took, and ocnduct^d me to a frenl room, upon what the landlady of such a resfdenc-e would term her "diawmg-room floor.' The house sme'Jel close and stufly; the fui-niture of the s.lling-room was cover- ed with plush which had once been crimson, but which was now sadly woin and badly ntolh-caton; Ihe threadbare carpi had been perforaUd In nrany piaees by hot cigate'UM;n>!s cnrekssly thrown d<jwn. and Uiei« was a general ;i" of disorder about the place which s<emod incongruous w.th my friend's smart air and general demeanour. I leiievcd him to be a gentlemun, yet fcurd Ihat he liv<>d in a not ovor-cloan U.lging. To the practical Londoner, whose fate it is lo live in "diggings, ai-artmonts in the neighborhood of Ihe Kings Road are notable as being both clear and dirty. He threw off his overcoat, tossed his ha! a.sido. and pulled up a long, eoni- f. liable wicker-chair f^r me. Then ho (â- I^- el the biiU'.'t, and toik tticnfrom a b Itle of whiskey and a c lUplc of sodas, w 111 which h' pi'.:cecd'"d lo mix Ihu dr.nks. his ciuar-stump still in his it.oulh. even though he lalked al! the time, recjunling some amusing stories which caused me lo laugh. I c uld not (p::te make him out. Tho u-ma.ks h.' l.l fail wh Ic, over our cot- f.v. wi had d'i.scus.'e I the chnncos at ix-ul te led me ti lhv> siisi'ic on that he v\as a iroi.ti.sed ganiUlor. and here in hi.. ix> nis 1 detected eviiience th;U he w.'.^ fond of .sport, of bv.tlng. and of otiior ganrs o' hazard. • (To t>i Conlinu tJ)