The Mystery of the Death Trap Mine - M. V. Carey [20]
They left the barn in time to see Thurgood’s red Chevy Suburban pass the gate. It was headed toward the mine. A man sat in the front seat with Thurgood — a dignified-looking gentleman who wore a light summer suit and a white hat. Allie and the boys raced into the ranch house and up to the landing outside the bunkroom, where they could have a better view of Thurgood’s property and his visitor.
The two labourers were not working on the fence. Instead, the watchers saw one of them emerge from the mine. He was staring straight ahead in a stolid manner as he pushed a wheelbarrow loaded with dirt and rocks. He came abreast of Thurgood and his companion, and Thurgood stopped him, picked a handful of earth out of the barrow, and showed it to his guest. Then he spoke to the labourer, who went on with the wheelbarrow, trundled it up a ramp made of two stout planks, and disappeared through an open door in the side of the big mine works. Thurgood and his visitor went into the mine.
A minute later Allie and the boys heard the sound of a muffled explosion. It rumbled on for a few seconds and then died away.
“He’s shooting again!” cried Allie.
“That didn’t sound like a gun,” said Jupiter. “It sounded like something much more powerful. An explosive of some kind!”
Across the road, Mrs. Macomber came out on her porch and looked toward the mine.
Thurgood and his visitor appeared in the mine entrance. They were accompanied by the second labourer. He, too, trudged into the mine works pushing a loaded wheelbarrow.
Thurgood and his guest stood in the clearing talking for a few minutes. Then they got into the red truck and Thurgood drove down the road. He ignored Mrs. Macomber, who was still on her porch. When he had gone, she crossed the road and came up Uncle Harry’s drive, trying impatiently to reclasp a large Indian bracelet.
The Three Investigators and Allie went downstairs and met Mrs. Macomber at the door. “How about that?” she cried. “Wesley Thurgood is working the mine!”
Magdalena came out of the kitchen. “But no, Señora Macomber!” she protested. “In that mine there is nothing. You have said so yourself. All of the silver is gone.”
“But he’s working it anyway,” insisted Mrs. Macomber. “He’s blasting. Didn’t you hear it? I couldn’t be mistaken about that sound. I’ve heard it too many times.”
“He’s playing games,” said Pete. “Or maybe he’s going to make the mine into a tourist attraction. You know, like the people who buy old ghost towns and fix them up.”
Mrs. Macomber looked upset. “He’ll ruin the place! Tourists mean traffic jams and litter and … and …”
“Well, it is his property,” said Allie, mimicking her uncle.
Mrs. Macomber made an impatient noise and walked out. Jupe rocked on his heels, considering the situation. “I doubt that Wesley Thurgood is going to open the mine to tourists,” he decided. “Twin Lakes is too far off the beaten track.”
“Then what is he doing?” demanded Pete.
Jupe smiled. “We could try asking his Mexican labourers,” he said. “Thurgood and his guest are gone. Let’s go up and see what the men have to say.”
A few minutes later the Three Investigators and Allie stood by the fence around Thurgood’s property and called to the two men. They tried addressing them in English and got no answer. They tried a few words of Spanish, but that brought no reply either. The two Mexicans simply eyed them suspiciously.
Frustrated, they returned to the house to enlist Magdalena’s help.
“You speak their language, Magdalena,” said Pete. “They’d trust you, don’t you think?”
Magdalena went toward Thurgood’s place willingly enough, but she was soon back to report failure. The men had ignored her. She had gotten close enough, before the dog saw her and barked, to overhear them talking quietly together, but she had caught only one word: oro.
“Oro?” echoed Jupe. “That means gold! Could Thurgood be working the mine for gold?”
“But it is a silver mine!” protested Magdalena.
“Gold and silver are often found near