His instant conclusion had been that some treachery was afoot,
but whence it came he had no idea. Just now Tom Reade wanted
facts, not conjectures.
As he closed the door and hurried across the camp, Tom found the
aroused miners flocking out. Several of them bore rifles, for
they, too, had guessed treachery.
"Here's the boss!"
"What's happened, Mr. Reade?"
"Men," Tom called softly, "I don't know what's up. But don't
talk loudly or excitedly, for Hazelton has been aroused by the
noise and the shake, and I've tried to turn it off. Don't let
him hear your voices."
"It was in the mine, sir, wasn't it?" asked one man, hurrying
to Reade's side.
"It must have been, Hunter. Come along, all of you. We'll go
over to the shaft and take a look."
Several of the men were carrying lighted lanterns. At the shaft
one of the first evidences they discovered was the wires running
back to the magneto.
"Trickery, here!" muttered one of the men. "Mr. Reade, shall
we try to pick up a trail and follow it?"
"No," answered Tom, after a moment's thought.
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