was a prospector. I
showed you. You wanted to be sure I knew enough about gold to make an
assay. I've done that for you.

"But confidence can't be all on the one side. You'll have to show your
cards, the same way. You'll have to convince me that you're on the
square, too. I'm not suspecting anything, mind, but this has got to be
an open-and-shut deal, or I don't go in.

"Tell me who you are, where you've been, what you've done and what you
know about gold deposits, anyway. I've got to know where you found
this ore, how you came to find it, and why you haven't been able to
get back there. You'll have to show me some proof, to start with, and
what chances there are of taking the necessary machinery to the
place, before I think about investing any capital.

"You can keep back the exact location of the strike to the last, if
you like. If it sounds right, why, I'll think about it. But, mark you,
Jim, I make no promises. You can talk, or not, just as you choose. I'm
not hunting trouble, understand, this colliery keeps me busy enough.
But if you want help, maybe I can give it to you. That ore deposit--if
it's a deposit--can either be let alone or developed. If you let it
alone, it's no good to anybody. If it's developed, there's a chance
that it might make money for the both of us. Decide! It's up to you!"

Silence fell in the hospital ward. Jim's eyes were far away, evidently
in that strange and distant land where he had made his find. Then he
turned a piercing glance on the mine-owner, who returned it frankly.

The old prospector cleared his throat and swallowed hard. For a moment
he seemed about to speak, and then stopped himself. At last his
features settled into decision.

"Send for Clem to come here to-morrow," he said, "I'll tell the
yarn."

CHAPTER VII

THE FORTY-NINERS

Several days elapsed before Jim took up his story, Owens preferring to
wait until the prospector grew stronger. The mine-owner was shrewd
enough to see that if he did not show too much haste, Jim would be
less suspicious.

When the time arrived, Jim was up and dressed, though the doctor would
only allow him out of doors for a few minutes at a time. The
prospector had evidently been thinking out the beginning of his story,
for, when his visitors arrived, he opened without preface.

"There's a lot o' wild yarns been told about the findin' o' gold in
Californy," he began. "I've heard some, an' wild an' woolly they was;
an' I've rea