Oddly enough, considering the fact
that his planned-for Eastern career would have given him little occasion
to dip into the mining codes, he had specialized somewhat in mining law.
Hence, when the hawk-faced man had told his story, Blount found himself
thawing out sufficiently to be suggestively helpful to the man who had
apparently purchased more trouble than profits in his mining ventures.
Into the cleft thus opened by the axe of human sympathy the man in the
wicker chair presently inserted a wedge of cautious inquiry touching
another matter. In addition to his mining ventures he had been making
investments in timber-lands, or, rather, in certain lumber companies
operating "in the mountains"--bad investments, he feared, since the
Government had lately taken such a decided stand against the cutting of
timber in the mountain-land reserves and water-sheds. Was it likely, he
asked, that the talk would materialize in restraining action? If so, he
was in the hole again--worse off than he should be if his mining
lawsuits should go against him.
Again Blount, good-naturedly charitable and not a little amused by the
nervous anxiety of the gentleman of many troubles, gave an opinion.
"Conservation, in timber as well as in other remaining resources of the
country, has come to be a word which is in everybody's mouth," was the
form the opinion took.
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