"Great stuff, Willyum," responded Murray, whereat the earnest William glowed delightedly. "You've hit your vocation, if you can make it pay in these parts. You get to work learnin' how to print, and we'll look into the business end of it. If it seems likely to pay, then we'll all put it through together." "That's treatin' me white, Doc," answered Bill. "Well," said Murray thoughtfully, "what we'll do, I don't know yet." He turned to Sandy and put the issue squarely up to him. "I'll see Tom Lee after breakfast. If there's no valid reason for keeping the place, why not make a good profit while we can? Let him take the whole place--unless you think there is any reason to keep it." The mining man stared reflectively out of the window. "There is and there ain't," he said slowly. "I'll be frank with ye, Murray--that place out there attracts me! We could settle there and make a fair livin' from the valley itself, what with the water there and all. Aiblins, now the quartz will pay, too. It's not big, but I'm thinking it runs big later on. Lookin' at it from the development angle, instead o' from the prospector's viewpoint, it might be worth keeping." "All right, then we'll keep it." Murray turned to the doorway. "Come on down and let's get breakfast." Half an hour later, the three partners were just pushing back their chairs from the breakfast table when they caught the sound of loud voices coming from the hotel office. The voices drew nearer, then in the doorway appeared the figures of Doctor Scudder and Piute. "That's him," and Piute pointed out Bill Hobbs. His face white with anger, a copy of the _Helngon Star_ clenched in his hand, Doctor Scudder faced the amateur printer with blazing indignation. "This is an outrage! As sure as my name is Scudder, I'll have you jailed for this criminal----" Murray stepped between the two men, in an attempt to pacify his brother physician. "One moment, sir," he intervened. "Our friend here is not a printer and has allowed himself to be carried too far through his unfortunate ignorance of the libel laws. As a professional man myself I can realize how you must feel; but if you will allow me to explain the matter----" Murray checked himself. In the blazing black eyes of Scudder he suddenly read a scornful anger that was now directed against himself. "I don't desire any explanation from a man of your character, Doctor Murray," snapped Scudder. "I recognize you; you are the once eminent member of a profession which you disgraced! I have exposed you to Mr. Lee and his daughter in your true colors, as a dope fiend and one who should have been long ago ejected from the medical fraternity----"