SINGLE TREE 13

every one chiped in and loaded all the rest of the ore sacks in the frieght wagon. single planned to make the trip alone to the rail head. he would take enough supplys to feed him self and his teams. that afternoon they waitted for gil snyder to return from his circle of the area. single had determined he would leave that night if snyder gave them the all clear when they had finished loading the wagon hanford took single into the mine.at the tunnel face he showed single a surpriseing thing. the thread of gold that ran through the copper ore had widened to a vein of 4 inches and was dropping down into the floor of the mine. hanford declared the need for more laborers to chase that vein. single agreed and told him he would try to recruit some men. but the problem with the steam crusher was two fold. there wasnt enough fire wood to keep it going and the water supply was meager at best. single stated the best avenue for the ore was still shipping it. . hanford wasnt happy hearing thaaat. and once again single told him that if the bandits returned they werent about to carry off sacks of ore. it was to much like work. he also stated ramundo needed to stay in camp. it was plain when around the saloon girl he talked to much. at this hanford agreed. when hanford and single came out of the mine they were met by clara who stated gil was back in camp. a hour later single popped the lines down the backs of the teams and headed out to tucson. gil had saw no evidence of the bandits. and he stated that the rurales were still in camp just five miles south of the, he had talked to kosterlinsky and explained the situation at the mine. the rurales leader stated he would put the word out for the mine laboreres to return to work. he would remain in the area in case the bandits returned. snyder didnt say so but he believed that the rurales capitan was going to hang around because of the gold in the mine.but he agreed with single that as long as the gold remained in the copper ore the chances of robbery were small. snyder stood in the middle of camp and watched single tree as he rolled the wagon back north.