crawled back into the
reservation, defiant of Washakie, seeking comfort as a blind dog returns
to the fireside from which he has been cruelly spurned.

As she slept, the men spread a map on the ground, and for the hundredth
time Wetherell measured the blank space lying between Bonneville Basin
and Fremont's Peak marked "unexplored," and exclaimed:

"It's wonderful how a mountain country expands as you get into it. Don't
look much on the map, but, gee! a fellow could spend ten years looking
for this mine, and then be no better off than when he started."

"Yes," responded Kelley, "it's certainly up to you to cherish the old
lady."

In the morning Wetherell dressed hastily and crept into the little tent
where Pogosa lay. "How are you, granny?" he asked. She only shook her
head and groaned.

"She say her back broke," Eugene interpreted.

A brisk rubbing with a liniment which he had brought from his kit
limbered the poor, abused loins, and at last Pogosa sat up. She suddenly
caught Wetherell's hand and drew it to her withered breast.

"Good white man," she cried out.

"Tell her I'll make her eyes well, too," he commanded Eugene. "The
medicine will hurt a little, but it will make her eyes stronger to see
the trail."

Kelley could not suppress his amusement as he watched Wetherell's
operations. "You'll spoil gran'ma," he remarked. "She'll be discontented
with the agency doctor. I'm not discouragin' your massage operations,
mind you, but I can't help thinking that she'll want clean towels, and
an osteopath to stroke her back every morning, when she goes back to her
tepee."

"If she only holds out long enough to help us to find the mine she can
have a trained nurse, and waiting-maid to friz her hair--if she wants it
frizzed."

"You don't mean to let her in as a partner?"

"I certainly do! Isn't she enduring the agonies for us? I'm going to see
that she is properly paid for it."

"A hunk of beef and plenty of blankets and flannel is all she can use;
but first let's find the mine. We can quarrel over its division
afterward."

"I doubt if we get her ahorse to-day. She's pretty thoroughly battered
up."

"We must move, Andy. Somebody may trail us up. I want to climb into the
next basin before night. Let me talk to her."

She flatly refused to move for Kelley, and Eugene said: "She too sick.
Legs sick, back sick, eyes sick. Go no further."

Kelley turned to Wetherell. "It's your edge, Andy. She's balked on me."