Publisher's Synopsis
Professor James Edward Longstreet, retired university geologist, and his more practical daughter, Helen, have the courage, brains and determination to find gold and silver when they arrive in the Southwest desert - but they are inexperienced in field work and the deceptive ways of greedy men. They find both gold and a mystery, a hastily abandoned campsite marked by a stick with a bluejay feather on it, supper burning on the fire, and the tracks of a huge dog. Rancher Alan Howard invites them to his Desert Valley oasis, and on the way they pass one of their host's beef cattle butchered, with a poke of gold beside it. The Professor files his claim, but falls victim to a claim-jumping scam. The leader is a vicious crook with a beautiful woman ally who plays up to the seemingly innocent Professor - and Helen's warnings are in vain.
