Power was smoking placidly, and the gloomy prophecy of his friend did not appear to disturb him. He even affected to ignore the sigh with which MacGonigal turned away after gazing at him with an expression akin to dismay; for the stout man had the constitutional dislike of his kind to change, and the store had yielded a steady income since the inception of Bison. "Say, Mac," said Power after a long pause, "if you were to dig deep down into your pants, how much could you ante up?" "Eight thousand dollars, ef I kep' a grubstake," came the instant response. "And what is the mill worth?" "It cost the best part of a hundred an' fifty thousand." "I asked you what it is worth." "What it'll fetch." "Can you figure it out?" "There's on'y the movable plant. A lot of money is sunk in cyanide vats, an' rails, an' buildin's. Guess, when you come ter whittle it down ter rolls an' engines, less the cost of takin' 'em ter pieces an' fixin' 'em anywhar, you'd git 'em fer twenty thousand." "And plenty, too, for a mill erected ten years ago to deal with high-grade ore. You see, Mac, the scientific treatment of rich ores has developed so rapidly of late that the Bison mill is practically a back number; while we know that it cannot compete with the low-grade extractions now practised in Cripple Creek and at Leadville. No, you must cut down your estimate. When you buy that mill, Mac, you shouldn't spring a cent beyond fifteen thousand, and begin by offering ten. At best, it would only form a nucleus for real work." "Me--buy--the--mill!" MacGonigal permitted himself to be astounded to the point of stupefaction. "Yes, that is what will happen. But not a word of this to anyone. Start in and sell the store, by all means; provided you fix its value on the basis of live business, likely to improve." "Derry, air you wool-gatherin', or what?" "Unless I am greatly mistaken, Mac, you and I will gather as much wool during the next twelve months as we are likely to need for the remainder of our lives. I may be wrong, of course, but you will be perfectly safe. You will grab the mill at its breaking-up price, and you should sell the store in any event. All I ask is that you act strictly according to my instructions. It is hardly necessary to repeat that you must keep the proposition to yourself."