"What is this?" said Pierre. "A knife; but not mine."
"It must have been left by the man whose tracks we saw outside."
"Then our blue vein is no longer our secret. If this man makes a claim at once he will own the mine, and my share in it will be but one-quarter."
"We had better return at once; and if you wish to do so, send in your claim at once to the government at Halifax."
They went back to Bluff House, and at low tide Miss Gaston and Miss Forest came to the island. Addressing the old man, Miss Forest said:
"Oh, Mr. Gotro, where can we get some of the beautiful opals such as Mr. Winslow's boatman had this morning?"
"Then it is Len who has found the blue vein," cried Winslow. "When did you see him?"
"Early this morning. He found out from somebody that the stone had considerable value, and he is on his way to Halifax, after telegraphing ahead to the government. He had with him several pieces. He said that nobody else knew where the place is."
"That young man is the owner of a valuable mine, and is from this day a rich man. My friend, Mr. Gotro, is the rightful owner, as he has known of the mine for several days and first found it, yet he is too late now to get possession of it."
"My share of it will be sufficient," said Pierre, calmly. The venerable old man, in his life of seclusion and labor, had never known the lust of wealth. But for his daughter he would not have made an effort to secure his just share in the blue vein.
"Dear Love, I am grown mad with gazing long Into thy eyes, moveless, and ever sweet; Upon thy lips that never smile and greet; That rule my soul and make my passion strong."
Len Lawson had suddenly become a rich man. By that strange chance which seems to favor some men, and by his own prompt action in seizing the opportunity, the boatman, whose whole wealth consisted previously of a twenty-foot keel sail-boat, had now become the owner of an opal mine. With the ready money with which Winslow had paid him off he was able to secure the right to work the mine and make the foundation of his fortune. The stone proved to be exceptionally good, and though in a small vein it was easily worked and needed no expensive machinery to remove it. Two New York houses bought all the stone he could get, and Len was soon in possession of a large bank account. All this occurred in a very few days, for on the first shipment of stone he had more money than he had ever dreamed of in his most sanguine moments of hope and anticipation.