working in the Louisiana gas fields near the scene of a railroad
accident--three bulls had strayed upon the right of way with
results disastrous to a freight train and fatal to themselves.
After the wreckage had been cleared away, the claim agent settled
with the owner of the bulls and the carcasses were buried in an
adjoining field. This had occurred some time prior to Stoner's
arrival; in fact, it was only by chance that he heard of it.

One day in passing the spot Stoner noticed a slight depression in
the ground, filled with water through which occasional bubbles of
gas rose. Being of an inquisitive turn of mind, he had amused
himself with some experiments and found that the gas was
inflammable. Moreover, it gave off an odor not unlike that of
natural gas. It was a phenomenon of decomposition new to the
driller, and it gave him a great idea. He went to town and very
cautiously told of his discovery--a gas seepage, with traces of
oil. His story caused a sensation, and he led several of the
wealthiest citizens to the spot, then watched them in all gravity
while they ignited the gas, smelled it, tasted the soil. They
were convinced. They appointed Stoner their agent to buy the farm,
under cover, which he did at a nice profit--to himself. This
profit he spent in riotous living while a rig was being moved upon
the ground. Not until the derrick was up and the crew, in the
presence of the excited stockholders, came to "spud in," was the
true source of that gas discovered--then the enterprise assumed
such a bad odor that bystanders fled and Mr. Stoner was forced to
leave the state without his baggage.

This had been the nature of McWade's and Stoner's meeting; on the
roof of that swaying Pullman they laid the corner stone of their