“Who is to believe that, when you never come near us. Eh? My daughter! Yes, thank heaven, I think that she is a little better. She is gradually losing that scared, frightened look. Nerves growing stronger.”
“I am very glad, sir. You must forgive my neglect. You know what calls are made upon my time. If I am absent, the work stands still, and I have been forced to run up to town four times since I saw you, to hunt up the machinists. I am coming some day for a few hours’ rest and a bit of trout-fishing.”
“Do. Pray come. I shall be delighted. But, my dear sir, what a change you have made here in a month. It is wonderful. You have turned a desert into a beehive.”
“Well, we are progressing,” said Clive, with a smile of pride, as he let his eyes follow the Major’s over engine and boiler houses, furnace, and smelting sheds; tramway and lifting machinery finished and in progress. “We shall begin raising ore very shortly.”
“And making money for your shareholders, I hope.”
“Oh, yes, I hope so,” said Clive, with a confident smile.
“I see you are sanguine,” said the Major.
“Oh, yes, fairly so, my dear sir.”
“I sincerely hope that you will not be disappointed, Mr Reed; but you, as an experienced mining engineer, know what mines are. Don’t burn your fingers.”
“Oh, no, sir, I’ll take care. Have you any money to invest? Would you like a few shares?”