'By "we" I mean the china company to which I belong. This mineral is useful in making china. That I suppose you know.'
'Yes, I was aware of that,' answered Longworth, although he heard it now for the first time.
'Very well, then; I should like to know who is the owner of the mine.'
'The owner of the mine at present is some foreigner whose name and address I do not know. The two young men you speak of have an option on that mine for a certain length of time—how long I don't know. They have been urging me to go in with them to form a company for the floating of that mine for two hundred thousand pounds on the London market.'
'Two hundred thousand pounds!' said Melville. 'That seems to me rather a large amount.'
'Do you think so? Well, the objection I had to it was that it was too small.'
'Those two men must have an exaggerated idea of the value of this mineral if they think it will pay dividends on two hundred thousand pounds.'
'This mineral is not all there is in the mine. In fact, it is already paying a dividend on fifty thousand pounds or thereabouts, because of the mica in it. It is being mined for mica alone. To tell the truth, I did not know much about the other mineral.'
'And do you think the mine is worth two hundred thousand pounds?'
'Frankly, I do not.'