“I’m glad to hear he’s been so successful,” returned Corliss.
“He might like a share in your gold-mine.”
“Thank heaven it isn’t literally a gold-mine,” he exclaimed. “There have been so many crooked ones exploited I don’t believe you could get anybody nowadays to come in on a real one. But I think you’d make an excellent partner for an adventurer who had discovered hidden treasure; and I’m that particular kind of adventurer. I think I’ll take you in.”
“Do you?”
“How would you like to save a man from being ruined?”
“Ruined? You don’t mean it literally?”
“Literally!” He laughed gayly. “If I don’t `land’ this I’m gone, smashed, finished—quite ended! Don’t bother, I’m going to `land’ it. And it’s rather a serious compliment I’m paying you, thinking you can help me. I’d like to see a woman—just once in the world—who could manage a thing like this.” He became suddenly very grave. “Good God! wouldn’t I be at her feet!”
Her eyes became even more eager. “You think I—I might be a woman who could?”
“Who knows, Miss Madison? I believe——” He stopped abruptly, then in a lowered, graver voice asked: “Doesn’t it somehow seem a little queer to you when we call each other, `Miss Madison’ and `Mr. Corliss’?”
“Yes,” she answered slowly; “it does.”