unces for coining purposes, and it meant
a lot of money for us all. Everywhere around the hills and gulches you
could see prospectors, with their gads and little picks, fooling around
like life did n't mean anything in the world to 'em, except to grub
around in those rocks. That was the idea, you see, to fool around
until they 'd found a bit of ore or float, as they called it, and then
follow it up the gorge until they came to rock or indications that 'd
give 'em reason to think that the vein was around there somewhere.
Then they 'd start to make their tunnel--to drift in on the vein. I 'm
telling you all this, so you 'll understand."

Fairchild was listening eagerly. A moment's pause and the old
lodging-house keeper went on.

"Your father was one of these men. 'Squint' Rodaine was another--they
called him that because at some time in his life he 'd tried to shoot
faster than the other fellow--and did n't do it. The bullet hit right
between his eyes, but it must have had poor powder behind it--all it
did was to cut through the skin and go straight up his forehead. When
the wound healed, the scar drew his eyes close together, like a
Chinaman's. You never see Squint's eyes more than half open.

"And he's crooked, just like his eyes--" Mother Howard's voice bore a
touch of resentment. "I never liked him from the minute I first saw
him, and I liked him less afterward. Then I got next to his game.

"Your father had been prospecting just like everybody else. He 'd come
on float up Kentucky Gulch and was trying to follow it to the vein.
Squint saw him--and what's more, he saw that float. It looked good to
Squint--and late that night, I heard him and his two drinking partners,
Blindeye Bozeman and Taylor Bill--they just reverse his name for the
sound of it--talking in Blindeye's room. I 'm a woman--" Mother
Howard chuckled--"so I just leaned my head against the door and
listened. Then I flew downstairs to wait for your father when he came
in from sitting up half the night to get an assay on that float. And
you bet I told him--folks can't do sneaking things around me and get
away with it, and it was n't more 'n five minutes after he 'd got home
that your father knew what was going on--how Squint and them two others
was figuring on jumping his claim before he could file on it and all
that.

"Well, there was a big Cornishman here that I was kind of sweet on--and
I guess I always will be. He 's been gone now