"Now, look here, young man, thar's something else I want to put to ye. 'Twixt two things, one sartin an' t'other unsartin, which will ye choose?"
"I do not understand. Explain what you mean."
"Wall, ye see, it's this way: The findin' that gal on which ye've set yer heart is a mighty unsartin proposition. But thar's another which is as sure as the sun, an' about which all the men here in camp, an' the hull world fer that matter, would go crazy over if they knew about it."
"What is it?'
"It's gold; that's what it is, an' plenty of it, too."
"Where?" Reynolds' eyes were big with excitement.
"Oh, back in the hills. I discovered it over a year ago, an' nobody knows of it but me."
"Why didn't you report it?"
"H'm, what would be the good of doin' that? Haven't I seen too many gold strikes already, an' what have they amounted to? Look at this camp, fer instance. The men have come here an' ruined this place. They may git some gold, but what good will it do 'em? They'll gamble it, or waste it in other ways. Oh, I know, fer I've seen it lots of times."
"Why, then, are you willing to reveal the secret of your mine to me?"
Reynolds asked.