Read Online Silver Dreams by Cynthia Thomason - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cynthia Thomason
Ads: Link
I mean."
"To have lost the silver!" Ross said.
"It ain't lost!" Dooley shouted. "Silver don't go away. It don't rot, just like a dying man don't lie. It's still in them walls of rock like it's been for hundreds of years. It's just waiting for me to come back, that's all. And I'm tired of sitting here looking for the time to be right to go."
"So what are you going to do?" Elizabeth asked.
Ross jumped up and stood between her and Dooley. "What do you think, sis? It's destiny. I'm going to help Dooley find that mine. And you too, if you're game."
"Ross, you can't be serious!"
"I'm dead serious, Lizzie. This is the chance I've been waiting for all my life. Dooley and I have worked out all the details. I'm going to be his money man, and we're splitting the profits from the mine fifty-fifty."
Ross grabbed Elizabeth's arms and stared into her eyes. "Think about it, Lizzie. Colorado...where every day men with only half the brains I've got wake up as paupers and go to bed as millionaires. It's the land of opportunity. Wide open spaces where a man can stake a claim to unfathomable riches. Look at me, Lizzie. What do you see?"
She did as he asked though she had no idea what she was supposed to say. He looked like the same old Ross to her, a little more crazed maybe, but still Ross. "I don't know," she said finally.
"An entrepreneur, Lizzie. That's what I am. But I'm living in a city where every square mile has hundreds of people just like me. That's why I haven't been able to make it here. This is my chance. I've got to go with Dooley. And if you're smart, you'll go with me."
Elizabeth peered over Ross's shoulder at Dooley Blue. His eyes sparkled. He watched the scene as if his next breath depended on their decision.
In a coarse whisper, she said, "Ross, this is a good story, but it just doesn't make sense. Why would this man tell you about his ore? Has he ever seen you before in his life?"
"Not before today, but that doesn't matter. He trusts me."
"How did you meet him?"
"He’d come down the alley when I'd stepped out of the building for a smoke and a break from the stench inside. He asked me for a small handout, and I gave him one. We started talking. He didn't set out to tell me the story about the silver. Little by little I dragged it out of him. And he didn't ask me to go along with him or to finance his trip. I see this as my chance, sis, not just Dooley's, though I'm happy to help the guy out. When he strikes it rich, I get rich, you see."
"But, Ross, again, why you? There must be hundreds of people in New York who'd jump at the chance to get in on a silver mine!"
"Yeah, and it'd be just my luck for Dooley to find one of them and leave me in the dust. No sir, sis, this is my chance. For once I was in the right place at the right time instead of being two minutes too late."
Ross leaned so close, Elizabeth could feel his breath on her earlobe. "Besides, the old guy admitted he's told a few people about the strike, but they didn't really believe him. Told him he was off his oats a bit."
"Gee, I can't imagine why."
"Come on, Lizzie, don't be that way. Just think about how you always wanted to be a reporter. What better story could there be for you to make a name for yourself? Why, you could pave a path for women reporters everywhere with a story this big. You'll be on a quest for a fortune in a land of gamblers and saloons and dance halls, where mansions pop up on hillsides like spring daisies. We’re headed where danger lurks on every corner and wine is served in silver goblets in every parlor. Even on the very slight chance that we don't hit it big, it's still a hell of an adventure.” His eyes danced with expectation. “Do you really want to miss it?"
Oh, he was doing a good job of getting her blood pumping at a dangerously irrational rate. But then Ross had nothing if not charm and a silver tongue. Elizabeth might have
"To have lost the silver!" Ross said.
"It ain't lost!" Dooley shouted. "Silver don't go away. It don't rot, just like a dying man don't lie. It's still in them walls of rock like it's been for hundreds of years. It's just waiting for me to come back, that's all. And I'm tired of sitting here looking for the time to be right to go."
"So what are you going to do?" Elizabeth asked.
Ross jumped up and stood between her and Dooley. "What do you think, sis? It's destiny. I'm going to help Dooley find that mine. And you too, if you're game."
"Ross, you can't be serious!"
"I'm dead serious, Lizzie. This is the chance I've been waiting for all my life. Dooley and I have worked out all the details. I'm going to be his money man, and we're splitting the profits from the mine fifty-fifty."
Ross grabbed Elizabeth's arms and stared into her eyes. "Think about it, Lizzie. Colorado...where every day men with only half the brains I've got wake up as paupers and go to bed as millionaires. It's the land of opportunity. Wide open spaces where a man can stake a claim to unfathomable riches. Look at me, Lizzie. What do you see?"
She did as he asked though she had no idea what she was supposed to say. He looked like the same old Ross to her, a little more crazed maybe, but still Ross. "I don't know," she said finally.
"An entrepreneur, Lizzie. That's what I am. But I'm living in a city where every square mile has hundreds of people just like me. That's why I haven't been able to make it here. This is my chance. I've got to go with Dooley. And if you're smart, you'll go with me."
Elizabeth peered over Ross's shoulder at Dooley Blue. His eyes sparkled. He watched the scene as if his next breath depended on their decision.
In a coarse whisper, she said, "Ross, this is a good story, but it just doesn't make sense. Why would this man tell you about his ore? Has he ever seen you before in his life?"
"Not before today, but that doesn't matter. He trusts me."
"How did you meet him?"
"He’d come down the alley when I'd stepped out of the building for a smoke and a break from the stench inside. He asked me for a small handout, and I gave him one. We started talking. He didn't set out to tell me the story about the silver. Little by little I dragged it out of him. And he didn't ask me to go along with him or to finance his trip. I see this as my chance, sis, not just Dooley's, though I'm happy to help the guy out. When he strikes it rich, I get rich, you see."
"But, Ross, again, why you? There must be hundreds of people in New York who'd jump at the chance to get in on a silver mine!"
"Yeah, and it'd be just my luck for Dooley to find one of them and leave me in the dust. No sir, sis, this is my chance. For once I was in the right place at the right time instead of being two minutes too late."
Ross leaned so close, Elizabeth could feel his breath on her earlobe. "Besides, the old guy admitted he's told a few people about the strike, but they didn't really believe him. Told him he was off his oats a bit."
"Gee, I can't imagine why."
"Come on, Lizzie, don't be that way. Just think about how you always wanted to be a reporter. What better story could there be for you to make a name for yourself? Why, you could pave a path for women reporters everywhere with a story this big. You'll be on a quest for a fortune in a land of gamblers and saloons and dance halls, where mansions pop up on hillsides like spring daisies. We’re headed where danger lurks on every corner and wine is served in silver goblets in every parlor. Even on the very slight chance that we don't hit it big, it's still a hell of an adventure.” His eyes danced with expectation. “Do you really want to miss it?"
Oh, he was doing a good job of getting her blood pumping at a dangerously irrational rate. But then Ross had nothing if not charm and a silver tongue. Elizabeth might have
Similar Books
