t in one
corner. With his eye close to this slight opening he gained a partial
glimpse of the interior. It was that of a rough office with a cot in
one corner as though occasionally utilised for a sleeping room, the
other furniture consisting of a small desk with roll-top, an unpainted
table, and a few chairs. In one corner stood a rusty-looking safe, the
door open, and a fat-bellied wood-stove occupied the centre of the
floor.

There were three men in the room, and Westcott drew a quick breath of
surprise as he recognised the two faces fronting him--Bill Lacy at the
desk, a pipe in his mouth, his feet elevated on a convenient chair, and
Beaton, leaning back against the wall, apparently half asleep with his
eyes closed. The third man was facing Lacy, but concealed by the
stove; he seemed to be doing the talking, and held a paper in his hand
resembling a map. Suddenly he arose to his feet, and bent over the
edge of the desk, and Westcott knew him--Enright!

The man spoke earnestly, evidently arguing a point with emphasis, but
the sound of his voice failed to penetrate to the ears of the listener
without. Desperately determined to learn what was being said, the
miner thrust the heavy blade of his jack-knife beneath the ill-fitting
window sash, and succeeded in noiselessly lifting it a scant half inch.
He bent lower, the speaker's voice clearly audible through the narrow
opening.

"That isn't the point, Lacy," the tone smooth enough, yet containing a
trace of anger. "You are paid to do these things the way I plan. This
mining proposition is all right, but our important job just now is at
the other end. A false move at this time will not only cost us a
fortune, but would send some of us to the pen. Don't you know that?"

"Sure I do; but I thought this was my end of it."

"So it is; but it can wait until later, until we have the money in
hand, and have decided about Cavendish. You say your tunnel is within
twenty feet of the lead, which it must be according to this map, and
you propose breaking through and holding on until the courts decide.
Now don't you know that will kick up a hell of a row? It will bring us
all in the limelight, and just at present we are better off
underground. That's why I came out here. I am no expert in mining
law, and am not prepared to say that your claim is not legal. It may
be, and it may not be--we'll waive that discussion. The point is
this--from all I can learn of Westcot