Chapter 5

Aaron wired his lawyers in San Francisco and then he went to the hotel to get washed up and rest before the evening meal. He was quite tired from the stage ride and wanted to rest. The Bolts then went to the saloon for a drink and to discuss the meeting. The investors all sat in the room and discussed the Bolts and Mr. Stemple and a couple of cattle ranchers who were also wanting to invest in more land.

J P Monroe sat at the head of the table and looked at the other two investors, Roger Johnson and Eli Martin, ESQ. Both were experienced in investment brokering as well as knowing when a 'scheme' would work and when it would fail. They had a plan B in case this one failed. They had been running schemes like this all over the Territories and had never been caught.

"So, Eli, Roger, what do you think, do they look like we can make a profit from them? I am going to the town council and see how much they can back us in this as well."

"JP, I think that the Bolts are definitely simple loggers and will not be too hard to fool. It is Mr. Stemple I am worried about? The other two just want land for their cattle ranch, in fact as soon as the farm is ours, we can give them that land and parcel out the rest for the other buyers from the town!" said Roger.

"JP, you are right about that Mr. Stemple, we will have to eliminate him somehow, he may get wind of our schemes. I heard him say he would contact his lawyers in San Francisco. They may have already heard about us!" said Eli Martin. He could have his son and grandson work on that angle, although, with Earl working on Miss Beason, it may take all of his time. Eli kept thinking while JP talked some more.

"Well, this as simple as we can make it. I think when we meet next with our 'investors' we will take them out to see 'the farm' and the surrounding area. Show them the potential, so to speak of their investment. A dream of a thriving metropolis!" JP Monroe stood up and they all stood up and left the building one at a time in about 10-minute intervals.

Candy had just finished feeding Annie and was about to put her down for the afternoon when Jeremy came in. He looked a little disheveled and she asked him:

"What happened at the meeting? Did something go wrong?" He sat down in a chair and looked worried.

"I don't know, it seems as if Jason is too wrapped up in this investment and I have a bad feeling about it. Aaron does and Joshua just up and left until we met back in the saloon and Aaron said he would wire his lawyers to check on the company.

Jason had left the meeting and was thinking of all the amazing things he would do with his new found wealth. This of course was not Jason's usual thinking which left Joshua, Jeremy and Aaron worried for Jason. Jason himself was not worried. He knew what he wanted and knew how to get his brothers to accept his idea.

"After all, …" he thought: "he did bring 100 eligible women to a logging camp, and most if not all the loggers as well as a few others, like that Mormon fellow had all married. Sure, there had been a few problems along the way, but he was able to solve everything here and there with help from his brothers and Clancy and a little bit from Aaron as well."

He stood and looked out at the town they had arrived in. It looked promising, in fact, it was more promising than Seattle had been when he first arrived! He strode toward the hotel where he would talk to his brothers again and try to get them to see what he saw. He had a gift for convincing people that his way was the best way.

Earl sat in the buggy; it was now 9 in the morning. He was not sure that he should not have been to Miss Beason's before then, she did say in the morning, but she did not specify a time. So, he took a little lunch from the hotel with him, a chance to have a picnic and get to know her.

"She was rather comely," he thought as he drove the buggy out to her farm. "she had blue eyes, blonde hair and a rather nice shape." Driving the buggy he saw Mr. Bolt walking towards the hotel, he tipped his hat to him, and Jason did the same back. Earl drove on.

Abby was just finishing cleaning the kitchen, she had most of her morning chores done and was prepared to check the vegetable garden when she heard the buggy drive up. She looked out the window and thought that he was coming rather late in the day. She had had time to get the morning chores completed and was getting ready to start on the late morning chores. She did not want to go riding the farm perimeter at this time, it was starting to get too warm.
He stopped the buggy in front of the house and went to the door and knocked on the door. She waited for the third knock and opened the door.

"You are late, it is going to get too warm to ride the perimeter of the farm!" she said matter of fact.

"Well, good morning to you too Miss Beason!" He said with a smile on his face, tipping his hat. "We never set a specific time, so I just took the initiative and decided to come midmorning!"

She looked at him and then said:

"You are right, we did not decide on the time. I just assumed that everyone gets up early and gets their chores done before the morning is done. Please come in!" she said.

He nodded and came in she took his hat and ushered him into the parlor where he sat on the sofa. She offered him some tea and poured it for him. Then she poured herself a glass as well.

"I suppose you still want to go riding the perimeter?"
"I was hoping we could do that is there a reason we can't'?" He said as he sipped his tea.

"well, for one thing, I have to water and weed the vegetable garden and pick any vegetables that are ready. This is July you know."
"Pardon me for asking but why did you plant a vegetable garden if you knew you were moving at the end of July?" He said.

She looked at him as if he had no sense and said: "I may be moving but I do need to eat, and I also grow enough for some of the families in the outlying areas can have them as well. Which, since you are the lawyer for the company, could you put in the stipulations that the family's will be able to harvest the vegetable crop until around October or whenever there are no more vegetables left?"
"I don't know, I will ask the company, I was under the impression that as soon as they had your farm, they would begin some kind of construction." He said.

"Oh, I never thought it would be that soon! Mmmm"

"I can ask, though but I am not sure what their plans are. I know they are collecting investors for this property." He finished his tea and set the glass down on the table.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to ask. I do not want these vegetables to go to waste.!" She said as she collected the glasses.

"Miss Beason, do you mind if we drive around the farm for a little bit? I did bring us a lunch and I am sure there is probably a good picnic spot on your land." He stood up and waited for her answer. She thought about it for a while and decided that she wouldn't mind the ride. She would work in her garden in the afternoon. She grabbed her bonnet and a shawl and joined him in the buggy as they started out towards the back part of the farm.

Mr. Monroe was talking to a tall, dark-haired man with a mustache and a gun strapped to his waist. They were in the meeting room that had been where he met Mr. Stemple and the Bolt Brothers.

"Tack, I want you to check out this map of the mine that was on Miss Beason's property. If we can get that property by the end of the month, we will be able to start mining for the silver by mid-August. I don't want to let anyone, especially not our investors about this. Not until we have sold them on the idea of purchasing land that is considered worthless."

What if someone comes nosing around, What should I do then!" Tack said as he studied the map.

Mr. Monroe looked at him and said:

"We need to keep quiet about this, if someone were to find you there think of an excuse, try to get them away from there as quickly as possible. If the young lady notices you, just tell her you are a surveyor for the company. In fact, I have the surveyor equipment in a storage, you can take that with you to make it look legitimate."

Tack nodded. He did not want to have to shoot anyone although he would do that if it came to it. He may not have finished school, but he did learn about surveying and was very good at reading maps.

"One more thing, none of the investors knows about this little mine. So, we will keep it hushed until everyone is gone back to their homes." Said Mr. Monroe

"I will do my best, although if anyone does get a little too nosy, I will take care of them as I see fit." Said Tack who gathered up his things and took the keys to the storage shed that housed the surveyors' tools.