All the same, she saw that success in the search would give her power and freedom to choose the life she would lead.

Not long since, she had thought to find happiness in the pursuit of science; and with wealth at her command she could make costly experiments and build laboratories.

The thought still pleased her, but it had lost something of its charm.

Besides, it was too soon for such speculations and she must be practical.
Suppose she did find the ore?
The claim must be recorded and developed as the mining laws required, and she would need a man who understood such matters to help her; but it must be a man she could trust.

She could trust Thirlwell and admitted that she had half-consciously allotted him the supposititious post; for one thing, if he were manager, they would not be separated by her success.