The village of Cedar Grove, nestling at the base of a towering hill, owed its prosperity to the cattle industry - although recently an important gold strike had been made nearby. A prospector had discovered a rich vein, a little more than halfway up the hillside and had sold his claim to an eastern syndicate. Beau Scanlon had been employed by the syndicate to manage the mine, made difficult by its position, and as the story opens, he is directing some blasting operations...