The sombre green of cedar-sprays relieved the red-veined panelling, there were flowers and early fruits upon the table, and the fragrance of the firs came in through the open windows, while when the bronzed men filed in there was expectancy in their steady eyes.  Several of them had ridden here and there with the surveyor all that day, and he had expressed grave approval of all they had shown him.  Once, too, he appeared a trifle astonished when pointed out the new road they had driven under Alton’s guidance along the mountain side.  It would reduce the distance to the settlement several miles, but it had cost many dollars and weeks of perilous toil, while the surveyor had only stated that it was well done, and the men of Somasco had as yet no answer to the important question whether the Government would complete what remained unfinished or in any way recompense them.

Supper was served with as much ceremony as was possible at Somasco, but the meal was a somewhat silent one.  The ranchers were a trifle anxious while the surveyor spoke most to Alice Deringham, who sat next him near the head of the table, and the member of the Government divided his observations between the wife of a big axeman and Mrs. Forel.  All of those present knew that events of great importance to them were happening in the city, but save for a brief telegram from Alton stating that he had been allowed to record the mine and would return in a day or two they had no authentic news.

It was almost a relief when the meal was over, and there was a sudden hush of attention as the surveyor rose up.  Every eye was turned upon the grave-faced gentleman at the head of the table.

“I have spent a good many years building roads and bridges in various parts of the Dominion, and have never seen better work than you have shown me to-day,” he said.  “Now I don’t quite know if you expected me to talk business on this occasion, but I’m going out early to-morrow, and I fancy your good ladies are as anxious as you are about the welfare of Somasco.”

A woman with hard brown hands turned in her chair.

“Oh, yes,” she said.  “We are that, anyway, and because we’re most of us working twelve hours every day just for the right to live, we’ve sent out our men to make the roads that are to bring the dollars that will make things easier in.  The Government don’t help us, we’re doing the work ourselves, and we’ll go out, too, with the drill and shovel if the men are beaten.”

There was a deprecatory murmur that had yet in it grim approval, and the surveyor smiled a little.

“That, I think, is the spirit which is going to make this province the greatest in the Dominion,” he said.  “Well, I may tell you that I was sent up here with a tolerably wide discretion, and after seeing the rock cutting by the lake I’m going to use it now.  Nothing better has been done in the province, and the man who planned it for you had courage as well as genius.  It is a most daring and successful piece of engineering.”