THE LOST MINE 2

What he does not expect is to be met at the Tehachepi Station by Beale and Vineyard--big shots, not the sort to do him a favor.
Beale and Vineyard took George Summerland down the street to the best place in the town, La Reina's hotel.
Despite their faux-gracious overtures to George, they did know where the Alcor mine was. They owned it. That and a couple of others. According to the records, gold was "discovered" in the Tehachepi mountains in several locations. Between 1865 and 1880 dozens of claims were filed. The ore that came out was of high grade--940 to 980 fine.

The problem was the earth itself, figured with faults and disappearing ledges, riddled with the scars that were the Transverse Range, subject to constant shifting, big earthquakes, and unexpected underground rivers; mother earth kept a close hold on her treasure here. In mine after mine, the "Warlock", the "Golden Bear", the "Strike it Rich", the "Hell's Bottom"--the story was the same.