"The sun shines very little here; that's why we want you to stay at Omar. I wish we might also keep Miss Natalie."
When the callers had gone Eliza told Natalie and Dan:
"He took it so nicely that I feel more ashamed than ever. One would think he didn't care at all. Do you suppose he does?"
"There's no denying that you appeared at an unfortunate time," said her brother.
"Why?"
"Well—I'm not sure we'll ever succeed with this project. Parker says the glacier bridge can be built, but the longer he studies it the graver he gets. It's making an old man of him."
"What does Mr. O'Neil say?"
"Oh, he's sanguine, as usual. He never gives up. But he has other things to worry him—money! It's money, money, all the time. He wasn't terribly rich, to begin with, and he has used up all his own fortune, besides what the other people put in. You see, he never expected to carry the project so far; he believed the Trust would buy him out."
"Well?"
"It hasn't and it evidently doesn't intend to. When it learned of his plan, its engineers beat it out to the glaciers and looked them over. Then they gave up their idea of building in from Cortez, but instead of making terms with us, they moved their whole outfit down to Kyak Bay, right alongside of the coal-fields, and now it has become a race to the glaciers, with Gordon fighting us on the side just to make matters lively. The Trust has the shorter route, but we have the start."