“I will admit, Col. Bonifield, that I am somewhat disappointed, and of course you are. Under the circumstances, what do you advise?”
"Yo’ honor me, suh, indeed yo’ do, Mr. Gilder, to ask my advice, because, suh, I know my advice is good. Whether yo’, Mr. Gilder, will so regard it, remains to be seen. If yo’ can furnish about four thousand dollars mo’ money, I will start to-morrow mornin’ fo’ the 400 foot level, and we will then cross-cut, suh, into a vein of pow’ful rich ore. I assure yo’, suh, I never was mo’ sincere in my life than I am in makin’ this statement, suh.”
Vance possessed the confidence of youth, and his belief in Gray Rocks was not to be shaken at the first disappointment, while before him rose up, as from a mist, the pleading face of Louise, and he fancied she was asking him to still believe in her father.
He took his check book from his pocket and wrote a check for $4,000, and signing it, handed it to the old miner, saying: “How long, with the present force of men, will it take to reach the 400 foot level?”
“My dear Mr. Gilder,” said the colonel, accepting his check, and clasping his hand, “yo’ quite ovehpow’r me, yo’ do indeed, suh. Yo’ may have been bawn in the nawth but yo’ are a Virginian still at heart, with the warm blood cou’sin’through yo’r veins I think, suh, that within three or fou’ mouths we can reach the fou’ hund’ed foot level. I told yo’r father that Gray Rocks was a sure winner, and I am proud, suh, to repeat the statement to you.”
“I don’t know,” said Vance, “whether you will strike it at the four hundred foot level or not, but I assure you, Colonel Bonifield, that I have every faith in your sincerity, and I am anxious to develop the mine as rapidly as possible. If my investment should prove a total loss, I assure you I would never hold you responsible.”
“I am gettin’ along in years, Mr. Gilder,” said the Colonel, “and while I have not struck it yet, I have every confidence, suh, that we will if we stay by Gray Rocks. My little Louise, of cou’se, was disappointed like myself. We both feared, suh, yo’ would be veihy much disappointed; and I assure yo’, suh, we cared a great deal mo’ about yo’r disappointment than we did about our own. To tell yo’ the truth, suh, that little girl of mine had mo’ faith in yo’r looking at this matteh philosophically than I did; but,” continued the Colonel, pressing Vance’s hand, “I misjudged yo’, Mr. Gilder, I did indeed, suh, and I apologize fo’ it.”