Some associates of mine were in with Miles Finlen--you know him, I reckon ?--on the Bird's-eye proposition, and I took a flyer with them," he explained.

"I lost out.
Dropped several dollars," His face lit up with comfortable good-humor.
"It was a good mine, but it got tied up in the courts.

Let me see--what did Harney call you--Townsend, Johnson ?" "Thompson," said Steve, smiling.

"Steve Thompson." "So it was--so it was.

Well, I was getting close.