The Claim Jumpers: A Romance

In a cramped New York boarding house, a quartet of bohemian youths—two lounging on window ledges, two sprawled on mattresses—spend their evenings debating art, philosophy, and the idle lives of the upper‑class de Laney family. Their banter, laced with wit and a hint of rivalry, paints a vivid picture of turn‑of‑the‑century city life, where cheap tobacco smoke mingles with the clatter of easels and the occasional knock on the door that interrupts their mock‑combat.

Amid their chatter, the restless Bennie de Laney emerges as a focal point: a privileged heir who feels suffocated by his family’s expectations and dreams of heading west, perhaps to write a book or find a purpose beyond idle aristocracy. When he finally decides to act, his yearning for freedom collides with the gritty world of claim jumpers—men who chase fortunes in the untamed frontier. The stage is set for a lively clash of ambition, love, and the daring pursuit of a new life.