, and I'll give you two of the boys. Miss
Strange can pay me when she gets her patent, or, if she likes, I'll butt
in on a partnership basis and run my risk. She can decide which line
she'll take after she locates the ore."

"Thanks; I'll take the truck," said Thirlwell.

He knew Scott wanted to help him and not to gain something for himself,
but it might be an advantage for Agatha to make an arrangement with him
when she owned the mine.

"There's another thing," Scott went on. "Since the Clermont isn't
paying, I might lend you to Miss Strange if you were anxious to
undertake the development work, but the law doesn't require very much of
this. What are you going to do when the patent's granted?"

Thirlwell made an abrupt movement. Until that morning he had doubted if
Agatha would find the vein, but he was forced to admit the possibility
of her doing so. When the vein was proved and she owned the claim she
would no longer need him as she needed him now; nor would he be able to
neglect his duties and follow her about as unpaid adviser.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I haven't thought about it yet."

"Miss Strange must have a manager. If you're willing to undertake the
job, I daresay I could let you go. Then, if she wouldn't sooner trust
her judgment, I think I could give you a pretty good character."

"No," said Thirlwell sharply, and stopped. He suspected that Scott was
amused, and it jarred him to think of becoming Agatha's hired servant.

"Well," said Scott, with a twinkle, "exploring the bush with a charming
girl is no doubt very pleasant while the summer lasts, but it doesn't
lead to much. In fact, so far as I know your views, it leads to nothing.
Anyhow, I must see what we have in the store that would be useful."

He went away and Thirlwell, after sitting still for some minutes with a
frown, got up and moodily followed the trail to the river bank. Scott
had shown him that his friendship with Agatha could not continue on the
lines it ran on now. In a way, he had for some time recognized this, but
it was not until he found the tobacco-box the truth became
overwhelmingly plain. Their pleasant relations must either come to an
end very shortly or be built up again on a new foundation, and the first
was unthinkable. He walked along the bank until he got calmer and then
went back to examine a canoe he meant to caulk. After all, the lode was
not found yet.

They stayed three days at the mine, while their out