"But you never told us, by the way, HOW you ever came to put up a mill here with such an uncertain water-supply." "It wasn't onsartin when I came here, Mr.Key; it was a full-fed stream straight from them snow peaks.

It was the earthquake did it." "The earthquake!" repeated Key.
"Yes.

Ef the earthquake kin heave up that silver-bearing rock that you told us about the first day you kem here, and that you found t'other day, it could play roots with a mere mill-stream, I reckon." "But the convulsion I spoke of happened ages on ages ago, when this whole mountain range was being fashioned," said Key with a laugh.
"Well, this yer earthquake was ten years ago, just after I came.

I reckon I oughter remember it.

It was a queer sort o' day in the fall, dry and hot as if thar might hev bin a fire in the woods, only thar wasn't no wind.