puts a pan of water on the fire and gets himself ready for the day. It’s 1862 and he’s a little late to the Otago gold rush, but he sees what others don’t, and is confident he can get his share of the spoils. “Today’s the day!” he proclaims in a self-motivating yell. “Today’s the day all this bloody effort pays off.” The past few days of breaking trail into his newfound stashes in the Dunstan area have taken their toll, but Reilly wouldn’t have it any other way. His body hurts, but every time he strikes gold, that pain is washed away in the sluicing. There’s no
