Would it be an impertinence if I asked about the duty ?" Agatha was silent for a moment or two.

Her refusal had cost her much; indeed, she was afraid to think what she had lost and felt she must do something to banish the crushing sense of disappointment.
"No," she said impulsively; "I cannot resent anything you ask.

I must start North soon to look for a vein of ore my father told me about, I'm forced to make the search, but it would be a long story if I told you why." She hesitated and then went on: "I wonder whether you would look at this analysis and tell me what you think--I mean if you think there is ore of that kind on the Northern slope of the Ontario watershed." He took the paper she had long carried about and studied it for a time.
Then he said: "It is not the ore a practical miner would expect to strike, but practical miners are sometimes deceived.

As a rule, they know more about shafts and adits than scientific geology." "Would _you_ expect to find the ore where I have told you ?" "Well," he said thoughtfully, "the Laurentian rocks are very old, and our miners have so far dealt with newer formations.

On the whole, I think it possible that ore like this has been forced up from unusual depths." "But would the silver be easily refined ?" He smiled.