Finally the reason came out.
"I'm a college man," he explained proudly.

"So was my partner--same class.

But one can't always remain in the admirable East, and three years ago he and I came here prospecting.

Actually struck some pay-dirt in the hills yonder, too, but it sort of petered out on us." "Oh, I'm sorry." Miss Donovan's condolence was genuine.
"We lost the ore streak.

It was broken in two by some upheaval of nature.