To his experience it was at once plainly evident this preliminary cutting had been made through solid rock, not in the following of any seam, but crossways.

Here alone was disclosed evidence in plenty of deliberate purpose, of skilfully planned depredation.

He halted Burke, with one hand gripping his shoulder.
"Are you people following an ore-lead back yonder ?" he asked sharply.
The Irishman squirmed, glancing back at his questioner.

He saw nothing in that face to yield any encouragement to deceit.
"Sure," he returned gruffly, "we're follyin' it all down that Number Wan." "What 's the nature of the ore body ?" "A bit low grade, wid a thrifle of copper, an' the vein is n't overly tick." "How far have you had to cut across here before striking color ?" "'Bout thirty fate o' rock work." "Hike on, you thief," commanded the engineer, his jaw setting threateningly.
It proved a decidedly crooked passage, the top uneven in height, clearly indicating numerous faults in the vein, although none of these were sufficiently serious to necessitate the solution of any difficult mining problem.

In spite of the turns the general direction could be ascertained easily.