Farley awoke to Chloe licking his face. “Here I thought it was you giving me kisses,” Farley said to Mona as she bent over to give Chloe warm broth with slivered meat parts that Althea had left for the dog.
“You enthrall even the females of the animal kingdom.”
“It’s the females of homo sapiens in whom I am interested, especially one female homo sapien.”
Mona gave Farley a quick peck on the lips.
“Ah, your breath is much better. I was going to have a word with you about oral hygiene.”
“Funny,” Mona replied, making a face.
Farley sat up and looked around. “Where are the lads?”
“Checking on the horses. They’ll be back in a moment,” Mona said, watching Chloe lap up the broth.
“How do you feel?”
“I slept like a log. The hot bath was a good idea. Thank you.”
“Always worked for me when chilled, but you didn’t answer my question. How do you feel?”
“To be honest, I think a cold is coming on. I’d like to stay in today and rest.”
“Good idea.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going on a hunt for the panther.”
“I wish you wouldn’t. I don’t think the panther is a man killer. I was flailing about and making noise. She probably thought I was prey and instinct kicked in.”
“Still.”
“How would you even know the panther you kill is the one who attacked me? There’s got to be more than one panther in this area.”
“If you rather I not.”
Mona said, “Yes, don’t, Robert. As a favor to me?”
“If you say so.”
“I do, and now if you would attend your ablutions, you will receive everyone’s thanks.”
“Stink, do I?”
Mona laughed. “I’m afraid we both smell like Chloe which is an assortment of iodine, bourbon, and vinegar. Althea used most of my bourbon as an antiseptic for Chloe’s wounds.”
“I thought she smelled like a distillery.”
Mona ran her fingers through his thick dark hair. “Got a comb on you?”
“Don’t you like me looking all rough and manly? Me Tarzan. You Jane.”
Mona didn’t answer as Rupert and Chester tumbled into the room.
“I think it’s warming up a bit,” Rupert said, rubbing his hands together. “The horses are ready. After breakfast we can head out.”
“I’m sorry, Rupert, but I’m staying here today and resting. I don’t want to risk my health,” Mona said.
Rupert’s mouth dropped open. “But Mona, we’re one man short. I need you. What about you, Bob?”
“Sorry. I’ll be looking for the mules. Althea and I didn’t have any luck yesterday. Did even see any tracks.”
“You both can’t do this. I need both of you or we’ll run short of our goals,” Rupert protested.
“Maybe I can show you something that will ease your anxiety,” Mona said. She grabbed one of her boots and reached inside, pulling out a grayish looking lump. “I found this in the stream where the panther attacked. It has markings on it.”
“What kind of markings on it?” Farley asked.
“The initials JS and the date of 1663.” She tossed the lump of ore to Rupert.
He turned it over in his hands, peering at it closely. “Is this what I think it is, Chester?” he said, handing the gray lump over.
Chester got out a magnifying glass, studied it, tasted it, and smelled it. “I have to do a test to confirm it, but I think this big boy is a lump of silver that’s been smelted.”
“Smelted when?” Rupert asked excitedly.
“I can say that this is not silver smelted with modern techniques. It is too rough looking and obviously a mold was not used. Also, there are too many impurities in it for it to be pure silver, but it is loaded with it. It’s old, but how old I can’t say. We could have a better idea if we could find a furnace or mine nearby.”
“Let’s test it now, Chester,” Farley said. “That’s why you are included on this expedition.”
“Very well. Let me get my kit.” Chester pulled out a chemistry set from a box stored with the supplies. He scratched the lump with his pen knife after cleaning off the dirt. Carefully, he inserted an eye dropper into the bottle of nitric acid and allowed a drop to fall upon the scratch. Mona, Farley, Rupert, and Chester hovered breathlessly over the sample. This was the moment when everything was possible—John Swift was a real person who mined silver in Kentucky and all the legends were true.
The spot where the nitric acid fell turned the color of pale beige.
“It’s silver! A big, gorgeous lump of silver! We’re close. I knew it to be true.” Rupert picked Mona up and swirled her around.
Chester slapped Farley on the back and danced a little jig.
Rupert said, “Let’s weigh it.”
Chester put the silver lump on industrial scales. “Just under a pound.”
“Where is that stream, Mona?” Rupert asked. “We must check it out today.”
“My notes are in my saddlebag. Help yourself. It was close to where we separated.”
Rupert rushed over and dumped out the saddlebag, searching for Mona’s field notes. Finding them, he quickly thumbed through the pages. “This the location?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Mind if I take your notebook.”
“Go right ahead. Hope you find something else.”
Rupert and Chester grabbed fruit, hard boiled eggs, and the peanut butter jar.
“You coming, Bob?” Rupert asked. “Thought you wanted to look for the mules. Your horse is tied up outside.”
“Coming.” Farley stuffed some eggs and oranges in his pocket following Rupert and Chester. Before closing the door, he said in a very loud voice. “Mona, I cleaned your gun. It’s on the table. Keep it close. Shoot three times if you need me.”
Mona stood on the rickety porch watching the three men ride off—two riding east and Farley riding north. She was sure Farley was warning her about something.
But what?