Neill eyed him. “You sure about that? You two found this.”
“I’m certain,” Jim said. “We both are.”
He glanced at David, who was wiping at his eyes. They’d agreed on this earlier. They needed help, help to mine, and help to guard what they found. More men meant they could file more claims and lock down more gold-carrying acres.
Neill’s eyes took on a wet sheen. “You know, last night you asked me about my family.”
“You told us they were trying to put their place back together.” Jim thought it sounded a great deal like what he’d seen down in Texas after the war.
“Jim, truth is…” Neill paused to clear his throat. “Truth is, my folks are destitute. They still hold the land, most of it anyway, but the tax collectors are about to take it from them. They’re penniless. They can sell the land, it’s all they own, but in another year, maybe two, they’ll be flat broke.”
He shuffled his hat in his hands. “I came out here to find some way to make some money and send it back to them. I abandoned them after the war. Couldn’t face them after Lee surrendered. I owe them for those lost years.”
“Is Delphi’s family bad off as well?” David said.
Neill smiled. “She puts a brave face on it. Hides it more than I do, but they aren’t much better off.”
“Captain, I think Donovan would want you to have a piece of this. David and I, well, we were thinking equal thirds all the way around.”
“I don’t want to be a burden. I’d be happy enough just to sign on as hired help.”
“No,” Jim said. “Donovan wouldn’t want it that way. Equal shares all around.”
“Equal shares,” David echoed. “We might not have made it to California at all without your help.”
“I’ll pull my weight,” Neill said.
“We’re counting on it,” Jim said. “We need help with the mine and more guns to defend it.”
“Call it the Barton, Heston, and Neill Mining Company?” David chimed in.
“That sounds very fine of you,” Neill said. “Where do we start?”
“Tomorrow we ride down to Onionville and file claims on everything we can. Then one of us needs to round up some help to hold them. We’ve got gold and cash money enough to pay them,” David said.
“You know people out here, Captain,” Jim said. “We thought you could round up some of the people you helped across the plains. Men tough enough for the job.”
“I know a few men I can trust,” Neill said. “I can get us plenty of help. Some of them will want to file claims of their own.”
“That would be fine,” Jim said, and David nodded. “No matter what we do, the minute we file those claims, the game is up. There’ll be a hundred men on the creek. The entire valley will be claimed by then. Might as well go to people we know.”
“The more of us there are up here, the easier it’ll be to fight off Cord Bannen,” David said.
“It’s a deal, then,” Neill said. He shook hands with Jim and David. “I’ll set out tomorrow to find us some help. How about we call it the Donovan Mining Company, though?”
Chapter 21
Jim stood beneath the awning of the general store, waiting for his wife. Today was Ellen’s last day of work. Sam Waters was fully recovered from his wounds. He and Jenny had taken on another young man to help, and the mad rush of traffic toward Bidwell’s Bar had slowed to a steady trickle.
The store will still do good business, but at least it’s manageable.
Jim smiled to himself. It won’t stay manageable when they learn about the claims David is filing. No sir, all those miners will pile into here just like they did Bidwell’s.
With the money they had, Jim was tempted to buy a few things in town ahead of the boom. Pinched into a narrows along the river, a few empty lots in Onionville would turn quite a profit.
“You taking it all in?” Ellen said from behind him.
“Just a last look before it all changes.” Jim smiled and turned to his wife. “I was thinking we should buy up a few empty lots. We could sell them or charge a little rent and do pretty well.”
“Let’s have lunch first,” Ellen said.
She was wearing one of the new dresses she’d picked up in San Francisco. Milena had recommended the store, and the seamstress had sworn it was the latest fashion in London or Paris. She’d bought two. The more expensive one was a brilliant shade of blue. Jim hadn’t seen her wear it yet. But the fabric felt smooth and soft and cool all at once.
She wore the second one now. The material was a red-and-white pattern of blocks, and the skirt had been split for riding.
“A more practical dress,” the seamstress claimed. “One fit for a day of riding.”
Jim wasn’t sure about that. He didn’t know anything about London or Paris either, but he knew Ellen liked the dresses. That was enough for him.
Ellen stuck her arm through his and said, “Where to?”
“This is your town,” Jim teased. “You know all the best places to eat. Lead the way.”
“Very well,” she said.
They followed the street down to the riverfront, then turned west for another block. Ellen stopped in front of an old freighter’s warehouse.
“In here?” Jim said.
