Book details
Howdy!
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Stored record
Metadata
- Gutenberg ID
- 79295
- Title
- Howdy!
- Language
- en
- Book source
- Project Gutenberg
- Description max 80 words
-
In the abandoned mining town of Eyrie, two bitter rivals, Jake Trotter and Bill Weaver, maintain a decades-long feud marked by silent hostility and daily confrontations. As winter isolates them in the desolate valley, their hatred slowly transforms into a profound, unspoken bond through acts of mutual survival and secret kindness.
- Summary up to 500 words
-
Set in the decaying gold camp of Eyrie, Murray Leinster's "Howdy!" chronicles the enduring enmity between two aging miners, Jake Trotter and Bill Weaver. As the town succumbs to abandonment and the seasons turn harsh, these men maintain a rigid routine of mutual suspicion, exchanging only sarcastic greetings while avoiding one another's work sites. Their isolation intensifies as they age, navigating a landscape where every movement is scrutinized through the lens of hostility. The narrative tension peaks during a severe winter when Jake falls critically ill. Despite their years of animosity, Bill nurses him back to health, secretly sabotaging any perceived lack of resources in his own life to ensure both men survive. The story reveals that their daily "spying" and interference were actually acts of profound protection born from deep care. When the truth behind their conflict is finally uncovered—specifically when Jake discovers Bill had been secretly adding gold dust to his gravel heap to prevent starvation—the two old men reconcile. Transcending their long-held hatred, they decide to share a home and a fire in the Eyrie House, finding warmth and friendship in the very cabin they once avoided. The story concludes with them sharing laughter and camaraderie, having successfully transformed their years of conflict into a bond of genuine friendship. Through this quiet transformation, Leinster explores themes of loyalty, the endurance of human connection, and the redemptive power of understanding over prejudice.
- LLM editorial rating
- 4.2/5
- Download URL
- https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/79295.epub.noimages
- Local file path
-
data/epubs/pg79295.epub - Downloaded at
- 2026-08-19 00:05 UTC
People
Authors
- Murray Leinster
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