La Ville fantôme

While trekking through a mountain, Lucky Luke encounters two men, Denver Miles and Colorado Bill, who accompany him in his journey. They eventually come across Gold Hill, a town that has been abandoned for years. The only resident is Powell, an old, bitter and delusional miner, who threatens them with a shotgun. It is later revealed that in his young days, Powell was tricked into buying a gold mine that was salted by its previous owner. When the rumors spread that there was gold in the mountain, people rushed there and built the town of Gold Hill. But when no gold was found the people left as soon as they came. Powell refused to accept the fact and still believes that there is gold in his obviously worthless mine. Luke, Miles and Bill leaves for another town, Bingo Creek.

Miles and Bill are revealed to be con artists, who plan on buying Powell's mine, salt it and sell it back for a high price. Luke meanwhile begins to feel sympathy for Powell and decides to help him in his hard times.

• Powell: Old gold digger, half-crazed by the search for gold in his mine, which he bought when he was young, not knowing that it had been salted
• Colorado Bill: Small, blundering con-man, he is the scapegoat of Denver Miles
• Denver Miles: Professional cheater, he is responsible for salting the mine

• Lucky Luke official site album index (in French)
• Goscinny website on Lucky Luke(in French)