"Lord, I thought Parowan was a miracle I'd never see repeated," he confided one day to Baker Cole. "Money commenced piling up before we started to move the gold. We laid out a town site, and people came in droves to buy lots and start building. It used to give me a chill at the chances they were taking. What if there wasn't a real mine there? Where would the town get off? Baker, if those men had lost on the gamble, who'd be responsible--me?" Baker Cole rolled a fragrant cigar between his lips and regarded Bill meditatively through half-closed eyes. "Depends on what or who induced them to speculate," he said bluntly. "How did you work it, Bill?" Bill shook his head and looked away to where breakers were beating white foam against a segment of cliffs. "Hell, I dunno," he confessed helplessly. "I found the mine. Then some government men came along and advised me to incorporate and to lay out a town site. I got them to resign their positions and take hold of it. We laid out the town site, and took some gold up to Goldfield and showed it, and that started the parade. Folks tromped each other's feet to get in." "What did you do then? Sell out?" Perhaps Baker Cole knew, since he was an exceedingly well-informed man. But he waited for Bill to tell him. "No, I'm president of the company. They fixed things so I wouldn't have to be on the ground, and we came out here to play around awhile." Bill started to explain that he had not wanted to leave, but shut his teeth upon the words. That would be unfair to Doris. "How are things going, with you out here? Got any idea?" Bill grinned, with a worried look back of his eyes. "Two railroads are busting a lung trying to see which one will whistle first at the depot," he detailed laconically. "I guess that tells the tale, doesn't it?" "Several." Baker Cole took out his cigar and looked it over carefully before he put it back in his mouth. "The money keeps coming in," Bill went on. "Everything's fine. We're building a mill and that employs a good many men. A lot of companies have sprung up, claiming to have discovered gold--which I guess they have. The _Parowan Record_ comes out every Saturday, and there's a bank and hotel--you know. It's a _town_. I feel like a loafer," he admitted ruefully. "But the boys are doing all I could do, I guess. They say everything is running smooth, and the town's a dandy--for a boom town. Soon as the railroads get there, so as to haul material faster, there'll be some fine buildings go up. Contracts are let and all." He sighed and looked around at Baker Cole, seeking understanding. "Parowan kind of rides my neck," he said simply. "It's all right--our mine is rich enough to hold it up till other mines get to producing--but I can't help feeling responsible for it, just the same. I feel as if I ought to be on the job myself." "The wife likes it here," Baker Cole stated calmly.