"We shall make a fortune out of it in three months," replied Philip, with a bright smile--"you, and all of us."
"On the first day I saw you----"
"When you pulled the centipede out of my hair," interrupted Philip. "A lucky day for me, that was. Good luck to you, old fellow! Yes: on the first day you saw me--go on."
"I offered you, if you remember, a hundred and twenty pounds for a small share in the claim."
"I remember."
"And you refused, saying you would want twenty times as much."
"I spoke like a fool; I didn't know you then." Again Mr. Hart paused.
"Philip," he said presently, in a tremulous tone, "why do you make me this offer?"
Philip hung his head upon his breast, and with a slight trembling of his lower lip, replied softly:
"Because I love you."