Bates, the expert, here interjected a few remarks.
“This is the Royal Ophir ore, gentlemen,” said he. “I took a fair sample from the main vein of the mine, sacked and sealed it on the spot, and the sample was not out of my hands until deposited in the bank, from which we just took it.
“I will take an oath that it has not been tampered with in any way. On the result of this assay I assure you that you can spend one million, or ten millions, and be perfectly confident that you are going into the deal with your eyes open.
“There, Mr. Cupell.” The expert handed the sack to the assayer. “It is understood that we are all to be present during the assaying.”
“That is my understanding,” said Cupell. “This way, gentlemen.”
He opened a door leading into one of the workrooms.
A dark-faced young man of twenty or thereabouts, wearing a white apron and smoking a cigarette, was busying himself about the room.
On an iron slab Cupell opened the ore sack and emptied the pieces of ore out on the slab for general inspection.
Jefferson Jones, Montgomery and the two Boston men began to look at the samples.
“I don’t think you ought to touch this rock, gentlemen,” said Cupell.