“‘Notice of Location—­Quartz,’” she read, and glanced over the paper at her listening small daughter. “’To Whom it May Concern:  Please take notice that:  The name of this claim is the Devil’s Lantern Quartz Mining Claim.  Said Claim is situated in the—­Unsurveyed—­Mining District, County of Nye, State of Nevada.  Located this twenty-fifth day of September, 19—.  This discovery is made and this notice is posted this twenty-fifth day of September,19—.

“’2.  That the undersigned locators are citizens of he United States or have declared their intention to become such, and have discovered mineral-bearing rock—!’”

“What’s mineral-bearing wock, mother?”

“That’s the gold, Baby Girl. ’—­in place thereon and do locate and claim same for mining purposes.

“’3.  That the number of linear feet in length along the course of the vein each way from the point of discovery whereon we have erected a monument—­’ That’s the monument, up there, and Babe must not touch it—­ ’—­is Easterly 950 feet; Westerly 550 feet; that the total length does not exceed 1500 feet.  That the width on the Southerly side is 300 feet; that the width on the Northerly side is 300 feet; that the end lines are parallel; that the general course of the vein or lode as near as may be is in an Easterly and Westerly direction; that the boundaries of this claim may be readily traced and are defined as follows, to-wit:—!’”

She skipped a lot of easterly and westerly technique in Casey’s clear, uncompromising handwriting—­done in an indelible pencil—­and came down to the last paragraph: 

“’That all the dips, variations, spurs, angles and all veins, ledges, or deposits within the lines of said claim, together with all water and timber and any other rights appurtenant, allowed by the law of this State or of the United States are hereby claimed.

  “’Locators
  Jack I. Gleason,
  Margaret Sutten.’

“Why—­why-y—­Good Lord!”

“Here they come,” Casey called at that moment.  “Put ’er back in the monument and don’t let on like we think they’re after this claim at all.  It’s a darn sight harder to start a fuss when the other fellow don’t act like he knows there’s any fuss comin’.  You ask anybody that ever had a fight.”