s the
trees and turning their bark fiery red, the gleam of water, and the
figures of the men plodding slowly downhill with their loads. Their
faces glowed like polished copper in the searching light, their overalls
were ragged and stained, and one stumbled and lurched wildly down a
slope with a rattle of rolling stones. Then she glanced at Thirlwell,
who stood close by, watching her with a sympathetic smile, though his
pose was rather strained.

"Ah," she said, "you have brought me here! Just now I cannot thank you
as I ought."

"We'll go on," he answered quietly. "I'd like to fire a shot or two
before it's dark, and we'll need some time to drill the holes."

Agatha gave him a quick look. "You are nothing if you're not practical,
but perhaps that's fortunate. One trusts practical people when there are
things that must be done."

The sunshine had faded when they reached the bottom of the hill and the
hollow was shadowy and cool. Thirlwell ordered the men to make camp and
then went with Agatha to the foot of the cliff. The creek that flowed
past the rock ran clear and low, and he got across by jumping from ledge
to ledge. Then, as he scrambled among the boulders towards a spot he had
marked he heard a splash, and looking round saw that Agatha had slipped
into the stream. She waded across, with the water rippling round her
long boots, and when she joined him trembled with suspense.

"You needn't have come over," he said, smiling as he indicated a band of
darker color that seamed the ragged face of the gray stone. "That's all
there is to see! Hardly looks as if it was worth your coming so far to
find it? It was a lucky accident the color caught your father's eye; the
vein's only distinct for a few yards where the frost has brought down
the cliff. I think we'll find it dips."

Agatha noted that his tone was very matter-of-fact, although his face
was set, and thought she had better follow his lead.

"Then the ore must once have outcropped. It's a good example of
denudation."

"Yes; it probably ran out some distance back. You can see how the creek
has cut down the rock, but frost and snow have helped. One can't tell
yet whether the best or worst has been lost; but to begin with, we'll
look for the discovery post."

They found it driven among the gravel; then, climbing a gully, reached
the crest of the rock. Thirlwell led Agatha through the bush by his
compass until he traced a rough oblong, marked by other posts. Sh