ROM [70] Gold Bluff Vance sent to the Banner one of his strongest descriptive letters. The inspiration of the new west, with its gorges, mountains, beautiful valleys and gurgling streams abounding with trout, tinged its every sentence. His vivacious style, which had won for him the place he occupied on the Banner, was reinforced with the new and intoxicating sights of the picturesque. For two weeks he did little else than tramp through valleys, following up mountain streams on fishing jaunts, and felt that he was “roughing it” in a most delightful fashion. One night, coming in from a long tramp far up in the mountains, he found a large bundle of mail awaiting him that had been forwarded from Butte Citv. Among his letters was one from the chief, which read as follows: Banner Office, New York City, July Dear Sir: Your letters to the Banner, in one sense of the word, are all and even more than I expected. They are giving excellent satisfaction. As yet you have expressed no decided opinion in regard to the desirability of Western investments. My ideas are to educate our readers against unstable investments. Nine out of every ten of the mining shafts in Montana, [71] in my judgment, have had more money put into them than ever has or ever will be taken out. You will also find many Western towns where they are selling lots at from one to two hundred dollars each, which, in reality, would be expensive property to own at the government price of $1.25 per acre. Of course, there are, perhaps, a few honorable exceptions. To Vance Gilder, Esq. Respectfully, J. R. S., Chief. When one is seeking an excuse for his convictions, especially if they are as strong as Vance’s had become in regard to Butte City and Waterville, the one little sentence, “Of course, there are, perhaps, a few honorable exceptions,” in the chief’s letter saves him a great deal of worry. Vance was too light hearted to be cast down by the half-criticism of the class of correspondence he was sending in. He had an engagement that evening with Louise Bonifield and her father; indeed, his was a standing invitation at the Bonifields’, and almost every afternoon since his arrival at Gold Bluff found him at their mountain home. 9079 As he started from the hotel he was accosted by a familiar voice: “Hello, pard; how d’ ye do?” and Steve Gibbons thrust out his long arm to shake Vance’s hand in western fashion. He still wore his sombrero and high-topped boots. Vance assured Gibbons that he was delighted to see him.