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«They’re fine. Just a summer cold. I told Eve I could look the claims over by myself. If nothing looks good, I’ll go and bring her back up here. If there’s gold here, the two of us will find it.»
What Reno didn’t say was that he doubted there was any gold worth mentioning up Avalanche Creek, which was why he had brought Eve along in the first place. He had prospected Avalanche Creek’s high, dangerous reaches years ago and found mostly chilblains and bruises for his efforts.
«Did you bring the Spanish needles?» Whip asked.
«In my saddlebags,» Reno said. «They don’t work worth a tinker’s damn without Eve, though.»
«What are Spanish needles?» Sha
«Dowsing rods made of metal,» Reno said. «They respond to gold or silver rather than to water. The Jesuit priests brought them to the New World hundreds of years ago.»
«Do they really work?» Sha
«Count on it.»
«But only for Reno and Eve,» Whip put in. «Damnedest thing you ever saw. If any other people hold the needles together, they’re just so much junk.»
«Truly?» she asked.
«As ever was. Makes the hair on your arms stand straight up to watch Reno and Eve using those needles.»
«Then you found gold?» she asked Reno.
«Yes. Way up in the Abajos, in a crumbling old mine that had been dug by Indian slaves for Jesuit priests. There were ingots of pure gold so heavy Eve could hardly lift more than one at a time.»
«Oh, my,» Sha
«They were a doorway to hell,» Whip said curtly.
Sha
«The mine came down around my ears,» Reno explained. «Eve and Whip damn near died digging me out.»
Sha
«I don’t want gold that much,» she said starkly.
«It’s all right, honey girl,» Whip said, brushing his lips over her hand.
«A cave-in won’t be a problem up Avalanche Creek,» Reno said. «It’s hard rock all the way. The old Spanish mine wasn’t.»
«How do you know about Avalanche Creek?» Sha
«Silent John wasn’t the first man to see a gleam of gold dust in the creek and follow it back up the peak.»
«Did you find gold?» she asked eagerly.
Reno made a neutral sound. «Some.»
«How much is ‘some’?» Sha
«Not much,» Whip said succinctly. «Otherwise Reno wouldn’t have risked his butt in the Spanish mine.»
«Oh,» Sha
«But I wasn’t looking all that hard,» Reno said kindly.
«This time will be different,» Whip said.
Reno raised his eyebrows at the certainty in Whip’s voice. A look at his brother’s pale silver eyes told Reno that questions wouldn’t be appreciated.
GOLD was the subject during the quick lunch the three of them ate, and gold was discussed at every opportunity along the trail to Rifle Sight claim. Sweat gleamed on the horses and mules, for Whip was holding to a very hard pace.
Sunlight followed them every step of the way, its blazing warmth as golden as the metal they pursued. Grizzly Meadow was hot. It brimmed with wildflowers and the songs of hidden birds. Both men examined the area carefully, but found no fresh evidence that a grizzly had been there. Relieved, they quickly set up camp.
«Plenty of deer sign around,» Reno said. «If there’s any light left after you show me the claim, why don’t you hunt? Winters are long up here.»
Whip heard what Reno didn’t say — Sha
While Sha
It didn’t take Reno long to look over the mine. There was little to look at.
«Any other ru
«Not that I’ve found,» Whip said. «And yes, I looked carefully.»
«I believe you. A man looking for freedom is real careful.»
Whip’s mouth flattened, but he didn’t deny what Reno was saying.
«The gold is for Sha
«Uh huh. Regular little gold digger, that one.»
«Damn it, Reno —»
«Put your ruff down,» Reno interrupted calmly. «We both know the gold is as much for your freedom as for Sha
Whip gave his brother a cold, level stare. «I know what I’m doing.»
Reno shrugged. «I thought I did, too, last autumn. Then you dumped a saddlebag full of pure gold bars at my feet and told me I was a goddamned fool.»
«And you’re thinking I’m the fool now, is that it?»
«I’m thinking that’s one fine woman whose heart you’re going to break. Too bad she was a virgin. That will make it harder when —»
«It’s none of your business,» Whip interrupted, his voice flat, dangerous.
«The hell you say. I’m the one finding gold so you can pay off your conscience and go back to chasing sunrises.»
Whip shifted his stance slightly, menacingly.
Reno’s answering smile was as narrow as his eyes.
«That’s it,» Reno goaded. «Jump me. Maybe I can pound some sense into your thick skull. Sure as hell someone should.»
«Pound rock. It’s softer.»
«Smarter, too.»
Abruptly Reno turned away, cutting off whatever Whip had been about to say.
«Three days ago I would have given you the fight you want,» Reno said over his shoulder. «But I’m slam out of patience at the moment. I’m going back to camp before I lay my revolver along your thick skull. Sha
WHEN Sha
«Whip? Reno?» she called. «Do you want breakfast?»
«Go back to sleep,» Whip called. «Reno and I are just talking about the claims. I’ll wake you when it’s time to start back to the cabin.»
Sighing, Sha
Whip had set up his bedroll across the campfire, where his brother slept. Prettyface had kept Sha
When Whip walked past Prettyface on the way back to camp, the dog lifted his huge, blunt head and thumped his tail against the ground several times in silent greeting.
«Your mistress is still sleeping, isn’t she?» Whip asked softly. «Good. I could use a little rest myself. Didn’t sleep worth a damn last night. Stay here and guard us.»
Soundlessly Whip went to the place where Sha
At first Whip thought that she had awakened. Then he felt the utter relaxation of her body and knew that she was deeply asleep. The realization that Sha
Sha
The only answer that came was the smell of spearmint and woman combined.
Whip’s heart turned over and his body hardened in a savage rush. He knew he couldn’t stay with Sha