CONCLUSION
"It's the gleam of the real metal in the rock, sir—-what's what it is," gasped one of the miners, as he held up a lantern to aid him in his quest.
It lay there, in streaks and rifts, a dull gleaming here and there.
To be sure, it was nothing at all like a solid golden wall, but
Tom Reade could be contented with less than Golconda.
In spots the precious metal showed in darkish streaks, instead of yellow. But these dark streaks showed admixtures of silver.
"Run and get me a hammer, one of you," cried Tom, breathing fast.
When the miner returned with the chisel-nosed hammer he found the young engineer eagerly exploring the whole length of the new wall thus laid bare.
"I knew that a real vein lay here," Tom went on, as he took the hammer. "The only trouble with us, men, was that we were working eight or ten feet south of where the true vein lay. Now, by the great Custer, we've hit it—-thanks to the enemy!"
Eagerly Tom chipped off specimens of the rich gold and silver bearing rock. He loaded down two men and carried more himself. Every piece of rock was a specimen of rich ore.
Up the shaft they went, emerging into the sunlight.
"I'd like to know who the scamps were that fired the blasts in the mine," Tom muttered joyously. "I'd like to reward them."