"I'll risk it. He'll find I get up in the morning as early as he does. To be plain with you, Paul, I'll make him an offer, give or take, and either way I shall make money. If the whole mine is in my hands I can make it pay." "Very well, Jim. I am ready to accept your offer." "I didn't much think," said Scott, laughing, "when I came across you in Cheyenne, that I should buy a mine of you." "You didn't think I carried one about with me?" said Paul, laughing. "I sha'n't let Simeon know about our bargain just yet. I want you to have a talk with him, and see what the old rascal has to say." [Illustration: Paul approached the old man, and said, politely: "I believe I am speaking to Mr. Fox."] CHAPTER XXXVII. DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. In accordance with Jim Scott's wish, and also because he desired to have a better idea of Simeon Fox, Paul took a walk one morning out to the Blackstone mine. All seemed activity, and, under the personal direction of Mr. Fox, the work was proceeding well. After a few minutes spent in looking about him, Paul approached the old man, and said, politely: "I believe I am speaking to Mr. Fox?" "Yes, that's my name," said the other, fixing his small, round eyes searchingly on our young hero. "You are manager of the Blackstone mine?" "Yes; but I have no work to give out," answered the old man, brusquely--"got all I want." Paul smiled. "I think you make a mistake," he replied. "I am not looking for work." "Then if you have no business with me, I can't stand here wasting my time." "I have business with you, Mr. Fox. In fact, I have come to Custer City on purpose to see you." "I can't waste my time with boys," said Simeon Fox, rudely. "I come from Chicago," said Paul, composedly. The old man looked at him sharply. "What's your name?" he asked. "Paul Palmer." "How old are you?" "Sixteen." "Then you'd better wait till you grow a little older before you take up the time of a business man." "I come from Mr. Bradford," continued Paul. "Eh?" ejaculated Simeon Fox, astonished. "Mr. Bradford, who owns one-half of the Blackstone mine, has sent me out here to look after his interests." "Then Mr. Bradford must be a fool to employ a whipper-snapper like you." "That remains to be seen. At any rate, I have come out here with full powers to act for him in any way I see fit." "Do you expect me to believe all that, youngster?" demanded Fox, surveying our hero disdainfully. "Please read that," said Paul, drawing out a paper which conferred upon him the power he claimed. "Well," answered Simeon Fox, "it strikes me there must be a great scarcity of business men in Chicago, when my partner is obliged to send out a half-grown boy like you." "That doesn't alter the fact that I represent Mr. Bradford, does it?" "No," answered the old man, slowly. He was thinking to himself: "It will be easy to hoodwink this boy. He is inexperienced, and will swallow all I say."