CHAPTER X.
DOCTOR DICK'S DRIVE.
A pall seemed to have fallen over Last Chance, in the death of Dave Dockery, and its life began to flag in gloom. Seeing this, and fearing that the hold-up of the coach might injure the mines, Landlord Larry decided to get up a scheme to attract outsiders to the mines, and so the rumor went out of a large find of gold in one of the cañons near the town.
A couple of miners only were put there to work it, and the claim was known as the Doctor Dick Mine, as the gold king at once bought from the landlord a half-interest in it.
This news stirred the miners to increased exertions in their own mines, and also caused prospectors to go out on the search for new "finds."
The wounded passenger continued to steadily improve bodily, under the skill and kind care of Doctor Dick, but his mind was a wreck, and no one believed that he would ever regain his reason.
Doctor Dick hinted at an operation some day that might relieve the pressure upon the brain, yet spoke of it also as an experiment and a dangerous one, only to be tried as a last resort.
The man was as docile as a child, gave no trouble, and simply sat about whittling sticks into the shape of a revolver.
At last the week passed by, when the stage was to start again upon its run eastward.