--and try to locate the lost mine from which, some centuries ago,
opals and other precious stones came. It doesn't seem reasonable."

"But I'm sure I can find the mine, Mr. Swift!" persisted Alec Peterson,
who was almost as elderly a man as the one he addressed. "I have the
old documents that tell how rich the mine once was, how the old Mexican
rulers used to get their opals from it, and how all trace of it was
lost in the last century. I have all the landmarks down pat, and I'm
sure I can find it. Come on now, take a chance. Put in this ten
thousand dollars. I can manage the rest. You'll get back more than five
times your investment."

"If you find the mine--yes."

"I tell you I will find it! Come now, Mr. Swift," and the visitor's
voice was very pleading, "you and your son Tom have made a fortune for
yourselves out of your different inventions. Be generous, and lend me
this ten thousand dollars."

Mr. Swift shook his head.

"I've heard you talk the same way before, Alec," he replied. "None of
your schemes ever amounted to anything. You've been a fortune-hunter
all your life, nearly; and what have you gotten out of it? Just a bare
living."

"That's right, Mr. Swift, but I've had bad luck. I did find the lost
gold mine I went after some years ago, you remember."

"Yes, only to lose it because the missing heirs turned up, and took it
away from you. You could have made more at straight mining in the time
you spent on that scheme."

"Yes, I suppose I could; but this is going to be a success--I feel it
in my bones."

"That's what you say, every time, Alec. No, I don't believe I want to
go into this thing."

"Oh, come--do! For the sake of old times. Don't you recall how you and
I used to prospect together out in the gold country; how we shared our
failures and successes?"

"Yes, I remember that, Alec. Mighty few successes we had, though, in
those days."

"But now you've struck it rich, pardner," went on the pleader. "Help
me out in this scheme--do!"

"No, Alec. I'd rather give you three or four thousand dollars for
yourself, if you'd settle down to some steady work, instead of chasing
all over the country after visionary fortunes. You're getting too old
to do that."

"Well, it's a fact I'm no longer young. But I'm afraid I'm too old to
settle down. You can't teach an old dog new tricks, pardner. This is my
life, and I'll have to live it until I pass out. Well, if you won't,
you won't, I suppose. By the