Contents

Central California 1860

2. Rice, Bouquets, and Garters

3. A Glimpse Ahead

4. Possibilities

6. Winter 1854–55

7. Learning to Let Go and Trust God

8. The Blizzard

9. A Rash Decision

10. The Article

11. How It Got Published

12. Summer of ’55

13. Learning to Believe in Myself . . . and Write

14. I Write to Mr. Kemble

15. A Sermon About Truth

16. A Talk About Growth

17. A Walk in the Woods

18. New Times Come to Miracle Springs

19. The Candidate

20. The Two Campaigns

21. Almeda Surprises Everybody!

22. The Campaign Gets Started

23. I Surprise Myself!

24. Face to Face With Mr. Kemble

25. A Familiar Face

26. What to Do?

27. The Campaign Heats Up

28. I Try My Hand at Something New

29. I Get Angry

30. Mr. Kemble’s Reply

31. “How Bad Do You Want It?”

32. My Decision and What Came of It

33. To Mariposa

34. Hearing About Jessie

35. Mr. Kemble Once More

36. Last Night Alone on the Trail

39. Meeting of the Committee

40. A Surprise Letter

43. The Lucky Sluice

44. Derrick Gregory

45. I Find Out More Than I Ought To

46. An Unexpected Reunion

47. Discovery and Betrayal

48. A Risky Plan

50. Mariposa Again

52. Countdown to November

About the Author

Books by Michael Phillips