t daybreak."

Then they turned and went back silently to camp. Thirlwell was conscious
of a keen disturbance that he would not analyze and saw that Agatha did
not want to talk. As a matter of fact, Agatha could not talk. She felt a
curious exaltation: her heart was full.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE LODE

At daybreak next morning Thirlwell sent the _Metis_ up the lake to make
a _cache_ of the provisions he did not need, and hide the canoes in the
brush. In the meantime, he scattered the ashes of the fire and buried
the empty cans and all the chips he could find. There was another party
in the neighborhood, and he wanted to leave nothing to indicate that the
spot had been recently occupied by a camp. When the men returned the
party set off along the beach, loaded with food and tools. Walking
across the stones and ledges was laborious, but he did not mean to leave
a trail, and kept to the water's edge for some distance before he
plunged into the bush.

After this, their progress was very slow. The small trees grew close
together and in places the ground was covered with rotting trunks and
branches. Moreover the line he took led steadily upwards towards the
break in the range. It did not look very far off when they started, but
dusk was falling and the packers were nearly exhausted when they threw
down their loads at the bottom of the gap. Thirlwell's back ached and
the straps had galled his shoulders, but he noted with some surprise
that Agatha did not look tired. She dropped behind as they toiled up the
last rough stony slope, but she helped to pitch camp. Her movements were
not languid and her eyes were bright.

By and by she took out the worn paper from the tobacco-box and asked
Thirlwell a few questions. He answered rather moodily, and as soon as he
could picked up his blanket and went off to the bed he had made of
twigs. The hollow he had found was sheltered and the twigs were soft,
but it was long before he slept. They were near the spot where Strange
claimed to have seen the ore, and he was now persuaded that they would
find the vein. If the ore carried as much silver as the specimens
indicated, Agatha would be rich. She would go back to the cities, and if
her riches were not to separate them altogether, he must enter her
employment. Somehow he shrank from this.

But the ore might prove poorer than one thought and the mine cost much
to work. He would not admit that he hoped so, since he wanted Agatha to
enjo