s.

"I did not see him after he went back to the North. I suppose you know
he lost his life on his last journey?"

Stormont made a sympathetic gesture. "I heard so. But, no doubt, he
wrote to you and told you about his prospecting."

"Yes," said Agatha, with some reserve. "He sent me letters."

"Then I expect he told you where he went. It's possible that a study of
the letters would give an experienced prospector a useful hint."

Agatha pondered. She had, with the help of her map, followed Strange's
journeys, and his letters showed where the silver was not to be found,
which eliminated large belts of country. Then if Stormont knew much
about mining and was accustomed to negotiate the sale of claims, his
curiosity implied that her father's belief in the lode was well
grounded. This was encouraging, but the man was a stranger and she felt
a vague distrust.

"The person who finds a vein of ore and files his record is registered
as its owner when he has complied with the legal formalities," she said.

"That is so," Stormont agreed with a smile. "You feel that if you parted
with the letters, you would run some risk of losing the claim? Well, one
must trust one's agent to some extent, and I'll make you two
propositions. You can give me all the information you have about the
ore, and, if I think it worth while, I will bear the cost of prospecting
and development, and give you a large share of the profits when the
mine is worked. Or I'll pay you a fixed sum for the letters and any
clues you can supply."

"After you have read the letters?"

"Certainly. You can't expect me to make a plunge of this kind in the
dark. Anyhow, if you decide on the first plan, you will be a partner and
have some control. It's plain that you will benefit by my experience."

For a few moments Agatha was tempted to agree. She needed help and could
not begin the search for some time, while a man who knew all about
mining could undertake it with a better chance of success. Still she saw
that much depended on the man's honesty, and she had no grounds for
trusting Stormont.

"Can you give me two or three weeks?" she asked. "I want to consult my
friends."

"The delay might upset my plans. For one thing, it would be necessary to
get as much work as possible done before the thaw comes. Prospecting is
difficult in winter, but it's considerably easier traveling when the
rivers are frozen, and first of all we want to find the spot. I daresay
you cou