came and went about Summit City, ostensibly upon the business he had mentioned to her long ago, looking for both a summer home site and for timber investments. But he had made no outright purchases and rumours even of options were vague.
In the meantime Bill Steele's endeavours went forward in full swing. He had both hands filled, filled and overflowing. Wasting no time seeking men here he got his crews from Sacramento and San Francisco, necessary supplies and materials with them. The first building to go up in Indian Valley was a store; the first in Bear Valley a store. And, with the arrival of the initial consignment of goods at each, a note from Steele to Beatrice apprised her of the fact, adding that he was ready to return her an answer to her "embargo act." Hereafter he could supply not only himself and his own crews, but the scattering families through the mountains. "Poor little Summit City," he concluded. "I feel almost sorry for it, Trixie. It's on the giddy slide to oblivion right now!"
Where he had bought timber tracts he lost no time in installing lumber mills. Where the money came from was still a mystery to the countryside, much credence having been given the earlier report that Steele was playing a game on a shoestring. But his mills spelled actual big cash investments, and though still branded as mad, he began to cause much debate.
Still another crew of men was reported busy upon Steele's land at the Goblet. Just what was being accomplished here, even what was being planned, was not dearly known abroad. Steele kept his men hard at
