Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/114

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was looking toward the village, did not see his look of hatred and revenge. "I fail to see that application here," said Mr. De Vere.

"It is not necessary that you do. Pardon me for even hinting at the past of one who is deemed worthy to be an instrument for good in the hands of our Heavenly Father."

We always judge others by our own standard. Incapable of baseness himself, Mr. De Vere never suspected it in others. He was greatly attached to Hernando, and this imputation on his character nettled him, but he soon forgot it.

A large force of men was busy at the smelting and reduction works which were to be located at the foot of the mountains. Ore could be brought down in chutes. Work at the coal mines had been resumed, a track to them was nearly completed and fuel from there could be sent down to the works at slight expense.

Hernando's training and experience among mines pre-eminently fitted him for the position he now occupied, and work under his