▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁ ▁Following ▁her ▁university ▁studies , ▁Me use bach – Z esch ▁vac ation ed ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁Egypt ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁Al aska . ▁ ▁N ome , ▁remote ▁In uit ▁villages , ▁near - de ath ▁experiences ▁Me use bach – Z esch ' s ▁goal ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁was ▁to ▁mine ▁for ▁gold ▁in ▁ ▁N ome . ▁She ▁had ▁a ▁legal ▁agreement ▁with ▁the ▁existing ▁claims ▁owner ▁ ▁to ▁mine ▁his ▁claim ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁pay ing ▁$ 5 0 0 ▁for ▁assess ment , ▁and ▁$ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁roy alt ies . ▁She ▁h ired ▁a ▁Mr . ▁Johnson ▁to ▁do ▁the ▁actual ▁min ing ▁for ▁her . ▁No ▁gold ▁was ▁found , ▁and ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁claims ▁su ed ▁her . ▁She ▁believed ▁Mr . ▁Johnson ▁had ▁been ▁working ▁a ▁scheme ▁with ▁the ▁owner . ▁Her ▁only ▁other ▁means ▁of ▁income ▁was ▁to ▁open ▁a ▁dent al ▁practice ▁in ▁N ome . ▁ ▁She ▁began ▁conduct ing ▁mobile ▁dent al ▁clin ics ▁as ▁she ▁had ▁in ▁Arizona , ▁and ▁was ▁put ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁dent al ▁care ▁for ▁children ▁in ▁In uit ▁villages . ▁She ▁had ▁a ▁custom ▁ 1 6 - foot ▁s led ▁built ▁and ▁h ired ▁Mr . ▁Johnson , ▁of ▁the ▁failed ▁min ing ▁vent ure , ▁as ▁dog ▁m ush er . ▁She ▁felt ▁his ▁labor ▁would ▁help ▁rep ay ▁what ▁she ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁law suit