Page:Ruth Fielding at Silver Ranch.djvu/33

Rh mad, I do believe! You are bound to see the best side of anybody."

"What you say isn't very clear," laughed her chum, good-humoredly; "but I guess I know what you mean, and thank you for the compliment. I only hope that uncle's investment in the Tintacker Mine will come out all right in the end."

Mary Cox, "The Fox," sat next to Ruth, and at this she turned to listen to the chums. Her sharp eyes sparkled and her face suddenly grew pale, as Ruth went on:

"I expect Uncle Jabez allowed me to come out here partly because that mine he invested in is supposed to be somewhere in this district."

"Oh!" said Helen. "A real mine?"

"That is what is puzzling Uncle Jabez, as I understand it," said Ruth soberly. "He isn't sure whether it is a real mine, or not. You see, he is very close mouthed, as well as close in money matters. He never said much to me about it. But old Aunt Alvirah told me all she knew.

"You see, that young man came to the mill as an agent for a vacuum cleaner, and he talked Uncle Jabez into buying one for Aunt Alvirah. Now, you must know he was pretty smart to talk money right out of Uncle's pocket for any such thing as that," and Ruth laughed; but she became grave in a moment, and continued: