"No. Nothing to mention, really. Something I can't quite put my finger
on."
"Looks like a pretty old settlement."
"It is. It began as a mining town back in 1890. Some silver veins out
in the hills. They ran out though and the place became a ghost town
shortly afterwards."
"A short life and happy one."
"Short, anyhow. After the silver piddled out they all left except
one or two old sand fleas. Since then it became a stop-over place for
casuals."
"But there must be forty or fifty people there now. Where did they come
from?"
"Drifted in the last few years I suppose."
"If you have any suspicions, we ought to check. Even if they can't be
from outer space."
"I took a spot check," Brazier said grimly. "The old coot who runs the
hotel came originally from El Paso. A couple of the old uranium hunters
rang true on background." There was a pause as they climbed the slope.
Then Brazier's frown deepened. "But it isn't the people--they're not
what bothers me."
"Then what?"