To his relief, the mine did indeed exist and he quickly learned there was nothing easy about mining silver. In fact, the bitter winters, the dangers in the mine, the small mining town nearby, and the miners, were more trouble than he cared to endure. Yet fortune fell on him and two years later, he sold the mine for over three million dollars, making him one of the richest men in the American west.
He could have gone back to Scotland, and considered the idea long and hard before he decided to build Olivia a mansion in Colorado. The truth be told, he admired the Americans for winning their freedom from the British, settling their internal disputes in a Civil War and more recently, beating the Spanish in a battle that lasted only 100 days. The Americans were hardy men, unafraid of hard work and quick to enjoy an occasional brawl. He had taken a swing at one or two men in a brawl himself and found it invigorating. It was somewhat like the old days when the Scots used every opportunity the fight the English.
The railroad finally stretched across the Continental Divide, connecting the east to the west now, and he fully intended to take his family to see Oregon and perhaps California someday. That very morning, he dreamed of doing it, but that was before Olivia failed to arrive.
Now, his arms were empty and his heart was slowly breaking.