“I have no worst to tell, sir,” said Clive quietly. “You have been anxious, then, about the mine?”
“Yes; I couldn’t help it, my dear sir,” said the Major nervously. “This sort of thing is new to me, and it means so much. But there is something wrong about it.”
“Nothing whatever, sir.”
“Thank God,” muttered the Major.
“So far from there being anything wrong, sir, I had a letter this evening announcing, on the basis of our success here, that in a few days the shareholders will receive an interim dividend of twenty per cent, which means, sir, one-fifth of your investment returned already.”
“My dear Reed, you amaze me. It is marvellous. But never mind that now. You said you came upon grave business.”
“Yes, sir,” said Clive, after a pause, “very grave business to me.”
“Yes. Pray speak. You are in want of a little money?”
“No, sir, I do not want money; I want time.”
“What is the matter, then? Your voice is quite changed.”