Mrs. Nairn left him, but she afterwards once or twice glanced thoughtfully at Vane and Evelyn, who had once more drawn together.
[CHAPTER XXII—EVELYN GOES FOR A SAIL.]
It was about the middle of the morning and Vane sat in Nairn’s office. Specimens of ore lately received from the mine were scattered about a table, and Nairn had some papers in his hand.
“Weel?” he said, when Vane, after examining two or three of the stones abruptly flung them down.
“The ore’s running poorer,” Vane admitted. “On the other hand, I partly expected this, and there’s better stuff in the reef. We’re a little too high; I look for more encouraging results when we start the lower heading.”
He went into details of the new operations and, when he had finished, Nairn, who had been jotting down some figures, looked up.
“Yon workings will cost a good deal,” he pointed out. “Ye’ll no be able to make a start until we’re sure of the money.”
“We ought to get it.”
“A month or two ago I would have agreed with ye, but general investors are kittle cattle, and the applications for the new stock are no numerous.”
“The plain English of it is that the mine is not so popular as it was,” said Vane impatiently.