Chapter 52

“I like the way you think.”

“Hey…Ford?” The young deputy stepped into the hallway. “You’ve got to get going before somebody finds you here.”

Ford turned to the young man. “What’s your name?”

“Paul.”

“Paul, do you own a claim?”

“Me? No. I mean, I tried, but…” He shrugged.

“But somebody beat you to it?”

“Mayor Reid, he bought it.”

Eliza studied Paul with a critical eye, noting his thin frame, the ribs almost visible through his clothes, and his wan face. “How much do you make as a deputy?” she asked.

“Oh, they don’t pay me, except for room and board.”

“That doesn’t sound like a good deal. Why do you stay?” Eliza inquired.

“Where else would I go?”

Eliza and Ford exchanged a brief glance. “Paul,” Ford said, “how would you like to make more gold than I gave you for letting me visit Eliza tonight? For the next favor, how about one hundred dollars in gold?”