“How are you, son?”
“Well, thank you,” answered Steve, and both voices trembled a little.
That was all, but it restored the old frank relations. They talked with great interest about the purchase and went as soon as possible with the expert to get his opinion upon it. When careful tests of the property had been made, the expert was enthusiastic.
“I believe it will prove to be a rich coal deposit, and if well managed ought to bring you a small fortune.”
That night when they returned to the little “hotel,” so named, Mr. Polk and Steve talked long and interestedly over plans for developing the mine. Mr. Polk had pretty well-defined ideas for the immediate organization of a company and the beginning of operations.
Finally he turned to Steve and said:
“Son, I have grown since you left,––I hope, some wiser, and that little woman made me see before I left home that I had no right to dictate to you what you should do with your life. I know you have worked hard these three years, or you never could have saved money enough to buy this piece of land, even at so small a price, and I don’t doubt you have done good at the same time. But I still feel that you might do just as good work perhaps by earning money for the cause you are so greatly interested in, so I am going to make a proposition to you. Suppose 188 you take the oversight of this mining business, handling the money and seeing that everything goes straight. We could well afford to pay you a good salary for this service and give you some shares in the company too. Then you can live right here and exert your influence upon your people, as you call them, at the same time.”
Steve listened intently, and the thought of money, and Nancy and music lessons, while he remained in the mountains, made his brain whirl.
Finally he put out his hand. “You hev allus been kind an’ generous ter me,” he said uncertainly, with emotion which carried him back for an instant to the old-time speech. Then lifting his head he smiled and added, “Let me think of this till to-morrow.”