It belonged to a surveyor named Thomas Whitcomb, who had purchased the Northern Claim years earlier.
When the three men realized how valuable the copper could become, they devised a plan to gain control of the property.
They forged papers.
Altered survey boundaries.
And secretly transported ore through an abandoned passage.
For almost two years, the deception worked.
Then the surveyor returned.
He discovered the false records.
And threatened to expose them.
Clara listened with growing horror.
"What happened to him?"
Edgar looked toward the sealed wall at the back of the chamber.
Samuel followed his gaze.
"No."
The old man said nothing.
Samuel approached the wall.
It had been constructed from heavy stones packed with old mortar.
One section appeared darker than the rest.
He touched it.
Then looked at Edgar.
"What did you do?"
The old man's face tightened.
"We were young."
Samuel turned.
"What did you do?"
Edgar swallowed.
"There was an argument."
Clara stepped forward.
"An argument?"
"He threatened to destroy us."
"And?"
The old man lowered his eyes.
"Your father struck him."
Samuel felt something inside his chest go still.
Edgar continued.
"The surveyor fell. Hit his head against the rail."
Clara whispered, "Did he die?"
The old man hesitated.
Samuel stared at him.
"Did he die?"
Edgar looked toward the wall.
"We thought he had."
The silence that followed was terrible.
Clara looked again at the stonework.
She imagined the dark passage.
The sealed doorway.
The man Samuel remembered begging for water.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
"You buried him alive."
Edgar closed his eyes.
"No."
Samuel stepped toward him.
"Then why was he asking for water?"
The old man's eyes snapped open.
"What?"
Samuel's voice trembled.
"I heard him when I was seven."
Edgar stared.
Samuel pointed toward the wooden door.
"I heard a man begging behind that door. My father told me it was the mountain."
For the first time, genuine fear appeared on Edgar Vale's face.
He shook his head.
"That's impossible."
Samuel took another step.
"Why?"
"Because..."
Edgar stopped.
Clara watched him.
"Because what?"
He looked at the sealed wall.
"Because we didn't put him there."
For a moment, the chamber seemed to lose all sound.
Even the wind above them had gone quiet.
Samuel stared at Edgar.
"What do you mean?"
The old man slowly sat on the edge of the cot.
His hands trembled.
"When the surveyor fell, your father and Nathaniel carried him out through the northern entrance."
Clara frowned.
"My father?"
Edgar nodded.
"They told me they were taking him to the county doctor."
Samuel shook his head.
"But you just said you thought he was dead."
"I did."
"Then why would they take him to a doctor?"
Edgar rubbed his face.
"Because that was what they told me."