Let's quote Sam here on what transpired after he had walked 9 miles back to Aurora from Nine Mile Ranch on the evening of the 10th day after the claim had been filed:
  "As I raised the hill (the hill where the cemetery is located) overlooking the town, it lacked fifteen minutes of twelve. I glanced at the hill over beyond the canyon, and in the bright moonlight saw what appeared to be about half the population of the village massed on and around the Wide West croppings. My heart gave an exulting bound, and I said to myself, "They have made a new strike to-night--and struck it richer than ever, no doubt" I started over there, but gave it up . I said the "strike" would keep, and I had climbed hills enough for one night.

  It was a little after one o'clock. As I entered the cabin door, tired but jolly, the dingy light of a tallow candle revealed Higbie, sitting by the pine table gazing stupidly at my note, which he held in his fingers, and looking pale, old, and haggard. I halted, and looked at him. He looked at me, stolidly. I said:
"Higbie, what--what is it?"
"We're ruined--we didn't do the work--THE BLIND LEAD'S RELOCATED!"
It was enough. I sat down sick, grieved--broken-hearted, indeed. A minute before, I was rich and brimful of vanity; I was a pauper now, and very meek. We sat still an hour, busy with thought, busy with vain and useless self-upbraidings, busy with "Why didn't I do this, and why didn't I do
that," but neither spoke a word. Then we dropped into mutual explanations, and the mystery was cleared away. It came out that Higbie had depended on me, as I had on him, and as both of us had on the foreman. The folly of it! It was the first time that ever staid and steadfast Higbie had left an
important matter to chance or failed to be true to his full share of a responsibility."

  Latter Sam wrote "I always have it to say that I was absolutely and unquestionably worth a million dollars, once, for ten days".

By the way the Wide West went on to become one of the richest producers of Aurora!