Many hard winters and many disappointments had bent the shoulders and silvered the hair of old Eric Hanson who owned the trading post at Forty Mile. But on this cold winter evening Eric's step was lighter and he was cheerful and good spirited as he took two bags of gold nuggets from Jim Peters  for safe keeping and locked them in the huge iron safe of the trading post. Eric was awaiting Sargent Preston who was escorting his granddaughter Sally for a visit. It was the first time Eric had met his little granddaughter.