At some point, after she moved out of Leadville, Silver stopped caring what her mother thought about her. Lizzie had intruded once too often in Silver's life, chastizing her for her drinking and her carrying on. Lizzie, the object of much rumor when she was young, was now faced with an avalanche of bad news about Silver from every town busy-body. Silver would often come into town and stay overnight with friends, partying, leaving Lizzie up in the shack at the Matchless. Once, Lizzie did come down the hill and burst into Silver's room at the hotel and demand that all the men she found there, leave immediately. Silver was mortified.
What was Silver up to then? Are these reports accurate? Was she really a rebelious daughter or had her addictions already taken over? Did the young men flatter her, provide her alcohol? Was it fun for her, or just necessity?
It wasn't that long ago she'd been involved with the Leadville stable owner. How did it effect her? Did she see sex as the necessary evil to get what she was really after? How did growing up without a father / strong male influence, affect her? Could her addictions and her reactions to her mother's admonishments and her failed writing career predict the path she ended up on? What other choices could she have made?