Her voice grew quite animated.

“Any special people, dearest?”

“So many,” she replied. “I told Lord Grayleigh, and he put their names in his note-book. There’s Mr. and Mrs. Holman, the people who keep the toy-shop; she has a hundred pounds, and she wants to buy some of the gold.”

“The old pair I saw coming to see you yesterday? Are they the Holmans? Yes, I remember they told me that was their name.”

“They came, father. I love ’em so much; and there’s Mr. Rochester and Lady Helen, they want to marry. It’s a secret, but you may know. And nurse, she wants some of the gold, ’cos her eyes ache, and you sent a cablegram, father, and said the gold was there; it’s all right.”

“No, Sibyl, it is all wrong; the gold is not in the mine.”

“But you sent a cablegram.”

“I did.”

“And you said it was there.”

“I did.”