“Would it not be better,” urged Vance, “to give it all up and leave these wild mountains and return to civilization, so to speak, where your father could enjoy the remaining years of his life in peace and contentment?” His words were full of earnestness, and he spoke with great deliberation.
“If such an opportunity should present itself,” said Louise, “I know my father would refuse it, for he is so high-spirited, and moreover, he believes that a little more work, and a little more time and expense on Gray Rocks, and his prophecy will be fulfilled.”
Vance rose to go, but still lingered near the beautiful girl, as if she were a balm to his evident disappointment. Finally he said: “You say it will require $6,000. Now, if you had $6,000, Miss Louise, and it was every dollar you had in the world, what would you do with it?”
“I would sink the shaft on Gray Rocks to the 500 foot level,” she replied quickly. “Shall I tell my father,” she asked, as Vance started to go, “that you are favorable to Mr. Grim’s proposition?”
“No,” replied Vance, doggedly, “I have no confidence in Rufus Grim. You may tell your father that I say not to worry any more. With your permission, I will return in a couple of hours, and will then be glad to see him.”
Louise seemed ignorant of any knowledge of Vance’s passionate love for her. Her mind and thoughts were so entirely in sympathy with her father, whom she loved so dearly and so devotedly. As Vance bade her good-bye, she took his outstretched hand as if he had been her benefactor, instead of only her father’s friend.
“Your judgment,” said Vance, “has decided me; we will go on blasting—down, down, down—through solid rock toward an unknown doom. How it will end remains to be seen.” Before Louise could make a reply, he had turned and walked rapidly away toward his hotel.
Looking carefully over his accounts, he found he still had to his credit, in the Chemical National Bank of New York city, barely $6,000. He paced the floor for a full half-hour in deep thought. Finally he paused and said aloud, “she would advance her last dollar to sink the shaft to the 500 foot level—a weak, little, lovely woman, yet stronger in her affections and devotion than a regiment of soldiers. Yes, I will do it; I will gamble my last dollar—for it is nothing better than a gamble, and yet—well, who knows? We may strike it after all.”
He drew a check for the amount, making it payable to Colonel Ben Bonifield. Before signing it, he looked at it long and thoughtfully. “Why do I do this? Is it my faith in Gray Rocks? No. Is it my faith in Colonel Bonifield? No. Is it my faith in Louise? Yes, a thousand times, yes.” His hand trembled a little as he signed his name to the check. It was the last throw of the dice. He felt that he had in a measure passed his word to Louise. There was a question of daily bread that must now be solved. The question was immediately ahead of him. He would call on Colonel Bonifield and then devote himself to the bread question. Yes, he would solve it.
Strong with resolution, and with a judgment sadly warped because of his love for Louise, he returned to the Bonifield home. Louise met him at the door, and he went with her into the spacious parlor, where a wood fire was burning brightly in the open grate.