CHAPTER XXI.
When John Kenyon entered the office of his friend next morning, Wentworth said to him:
'Well, what luck with the Longworths?'
'No luck at all,' was the answer; 'the young man seemed to have forgotten all about our conversation on board the steamer, and the old gentleman takes no interest in the matter.'
Wentworth hemmed and tapped on the desk with the end of his lead pencil.
'I never counted much on that young fellow,' he said at last. 'What appeared to be his reason?'
'I don't know exactly. He didn't give any reason. He merely said that he would have nothing to do with it, after having got me to tell him what our option on the mine was.'
'Why did you tell him that?'
'Well, it seemed, after I had talked to him a little, that there was some hope of his going in with us. I told him point-blank that I didn't care to say at what figure we had the option unless he was going in with us. He said of course he couldn't consider the matter at all unless he knew to what he was committed; and so I told him.'
'And what excuse did he make for not joining us?'