Today, in particular, they’d been fortunate. David had found a pocket of gravel beneath a boulder that proved rich even when compared to the rest of the stream. From it alone, they pulled four ounces of shining treasure.
“I’ll see to the horses,” Jim said.
“And I’ll take care of this,” David said, and hoisted a half-full bag. “A few more days like today, and we’ll have to find a new hiding place.”
Jim grinned in response.
Too much gold. It was a good problem to have.
After the gold’s discovery, he had made a false bottom for the horses’ feed trough. It wasn’t particularly large or deep. Just big enough to hold what they’d panned so far and maybe half as much again, but it was secure and no one would ever think to search the barn.
Jim unsaddled the horses, brushed each down with a handful of straw. Then after David had the gold secure, he poured a bucket of oats into the trough.
“It doesn’t seem right, feeding them on top of all that,” David said.
“That’s what makes it safe,” Jim laughed.
The pair unloaded their equipment, the shovels, picks, and pans, then with the horses and gear put away they went inside.
Jim went in first. Right away, he knew something had gone wrong. Ellen and Abigail sat at the table, cups of coffee in hand and looking at the pair of them.
“What’s wrong?” Jim said.
“What’s wrong?” Ellen repeated. Her eyes were cold and distant, a look she’d never given him. “Why don’t you tell me?”
At her tone, Jim stuttered. He didn’t know what he’d done.
David came in then, whistling to himself. The tune died when he saw his wife’s face. He glanced over at Jim.
“What’s going on?” he said.
Abigail saved Jim from answering. “I’m not sure, David. Why don’t you tell me?”
“Uh, well, uh,” David started. “That is to say, we—”
“You two have been acting strange for some time now,” Abigail said.
“Quite strange,” Ellen said.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” David answered.
“Neither of you talks about money anymore, and you rarely talk about the cattle. In fact, you seem to have forgotten about them entirely,” Ellen said. “All I heard for months was agonized worry over those cows and now…nothing.”
“We haven’t forgotten, we’ve just been busy, far too busy to—” David started.
A thunderhead rose in Abigail’s eyes and Jim was surprised to see a matching expression in Ellen’s, one directed squarely at him.
David seemed to decide silence was better and to follow Jim’s lead. Only now Jim wasn’t so sure silence was the right tack. He glanced at David and they shared a look.
“We struck gold,” Jim said.
The two women didn’t react.
“Jim,” Ellen said. “Just tell us the truth. What have you two really been up to?”
“We struck gold,” Jim repeated.
The thunderhead seemed to grow, Ellen’s face reddened, then she let out a tired sigh. “Honestly, Jim, I know you haven’t been able to find work, but that is no reason to—”
Jim took the piece of quartz from his pocket and set it on the table between the pair. He’d been carrying it for weeks as a good luck charm.
Light from the open door caught the thin seam and shone.
“Is that real?” Abigail gasped.
“Quite real,” David said with a hint of triumph. A triumph that proved short-lived when she looked his way.
“How long, David?” she said, anger undiminished.
“Jim found it weeks ago,” he said.
Abigail shook her head. “That’s not what I asked, David. How long were you planning on not telling us?”
With that, Ellen’s thunderhead returned and Jim wished his mother-in-law hadn’t put it quite that way.
“Well, um, that is…” David said.
“We can’t let anyone find out,” Jim volunteered. “If they do, Donovan’s Valley will be overrun with miners, gamblers, thieves, and speculators. We have to keep the secret close.”
