LOVE'S ENCOURAGEMENT
It was after dinner and Wannop, lounging comfortably over his cigar in
Frobisher's smoking-room, smiled at Andrew, who sat opposite.
"This is a very nice house and I like your friend," he commented.
"It's lucky he invited us, because I don't know how they'd have put us
up at the hotel."
"What brought you over with Leonard?" Andrew asked bluntly.
"Gertrude wanted to make some visits this winter, which set me free.
I've never been much away from home, and it struck me as a good chance
for seeing Canada; then Jack Cartwright--you may remember him--is in
Toronto. It's twelve years since I've met him, though he has often
urged me to come over; and there's another man I know in Winnipeg."
"I wonder whether that was all?"
Wannop looked amused. He was stout and clumsy, but he had his jovial
air.
"You seem to have been getting smarter since you came to Canada," he
said. "Perhaps I'd better admit that I was anxious to see how you were
getting on."
"Didn't Leonard tell you?"
"Leonard was as guarded and diplomatic as usual. He informed us that
there had been some trouble at the mine and he was afraid you hadn't
experience enough to deal with the situation. Then he gave us the
impression that you were inclined to be rash and might make a mess of
things unless he came over and put you right."
"Ah!" exclaimed Andrew; "I expected something of the sort."
They looked at each other with mutual comprehension.
"Can matters be straightened out?" Wannop asked.
"Not in the few days that Leonard intends to devote to it. It's most
unlikely that the Rain Bluff will ever pay."
"I'm sorry to hear it. A good deal of my money and Gertrude's has gone
into the mine."
"You needn't be alarmed. I don't think the shareholders will suffer."
Andrew's tone was impressive, and Wannop looked at him sharply.
"That doesn't seem to agree with your last remark."
"I've a plan for working a richer lode, but I can't tell you anything
further, because the secret belongs to another man until the minerals
have been recorded; and it wouldn't be fair to Leonard and the
directors, who haven't been consulted about the project yet. When my
plans are ready, they will be disclosed. Perhaps I'm straining your
confidence."
"It will stand some strain. But are you sure that Leonard will be fair
to you?"
"That is another matter," Andrew said quietly.
"Well, I'm glad you have told me something: it gives me a lead. It was
obvious that you and Leonard were at variance. In fact, I've foreseen
a split for some time, and if a side must be taken, I'd rather stand
by you."
"Thanks! But it may get you into trouble."
Wannop lighted another cigar and then looked up with a chuckle.
"We're neither of us sentimentalists, but there's something to be
said. You and I have always got on well, and when I married Gertrude
you didn't lay such stress on the favor shown me in being allowed to
enter the family as your estimable relatives did. Then we're the two
whose abilities aren't held in much esteem, which is some reason why
we should stick together. With all respect for the others, I sometimes
think they're wrong."
Andrew laughed.
"We'll come to business," Wannop went on. "While the Rain Bluff shares
were well taken up by outside investors, a good many are held by the
family; these count as a compact block, a strong voting power--though
it's remarkable that Leonard holds less than any of the rest of us. So
if there's to be a fight between you and him, it will begin among your
relatives; their opinion is more important than that of the general
shareholders."
"Yes," assented Andrew, "Leonard would be powerful if backed by the
solid family vote."
"The point is that he may not get it. Anyhow, Gertrude and I will
support you, and we hold a good deal of stock between us."
"Thanks!" said Andrew. "Still, it may not come to a struggle of that
kind, after all. It must be avoided if possible."
Then Frobisher came in and interrupted them.
Leonard spent a week with Frobisher, driving across to the Landing
each morning on business. He and Andrew now and then discussed the
Company's affairs without open disagreement. His attitude toward
Andrew was friendly, but marked by a tone of good-humored forbearance,
and when he spoke of him to Frobisher it was with a trace of
amusement, as if Andrew were erratic and needed judicious guidance. It
was done cleverly, for Leonard carefully avoided detraction, but his
remarks conveyed the impression that Andrew was something of a
simpleton.
"If Allinson hasn't much judgment, why did you send him over to look
after the mine?" Frobisher once asked him bluntly.
Leonard smiled at this.
"We didn't give him much responsibility; to tell the truth, we wanted
to get him away for a while. There was a young grass-widow that it
seemed possible he might make a fool of himself about. Rather a
dangerous woman, I believe, and Andrew's confiding."
When his guests had returned to the Landing, Frobisher remarked to his
daughter:
"Mr. Hathersage doesn't seem to think much of his brother-in-law."
"So it seems," said Geraldine, with an angry sparkle in her eyes. "He
never missed an opportunity for cunningly disparaging him."
"Then you don't agree with his opinion?"
"I don't know that it was his real opinion," Geraldine replied. "I
wouldn't trust the man." She paused and asked sharply: "Would you?"
"If I had to choose, I think I'd rather put my confidence in
Allinson."
He looked thoughtful when his daughter left him, for he had not spoken
to her without an object, and her indignation had its significance. On
the whole, however, Frobisher saw no cause for uneasiness. He liked
Andrew, and though Leonard's explanation might have had a deterrent
effect, he disbelieved it.
Before returning to England, Leonard had an interview with Mappin at
the hotel.
"Do you know anything of the lode Allinson talks about?" he asked him.
"Nothing except that it lies up in the northern barrens, a mighty
rough country, and that people think it's a delusion of the man who
claims to have discovered it. But didn't your brother-in-law talk it
over with you, if he's interested in the thing?"
"He did not. I may as well admit that there are points upon which his
views don't agree with mine."
"So I imagined," Mappin remarked pointedly.
"He's in favor of closing the Rain Bluff. If that were done, it would,
of course, cost you your contract."
Mappin looked thoughtful. Leonard had already sketched out a plan by
which the notice Andrew had given Mappin might be rendered of no
effect.
"Well," he said, "I'd much rather keep it; but we had better be frank.
You would prefer that Allinson didn't find the lode?"
"I don't want him to waste the Company's time and money on a journey
into the wilds, and expensive prospecting work which will probably
lead to nothing. It would be wiser to keep the Rain Bluff going and
get out as much ore as possible. I needn't point out that this would
be more to your interest."
"That's so," chuckled Mappin. "I begin to see. I'm to make all the
difficulties I can for Allinson?"
Leonard hesitated. He was asked to give his confederate dangerous
powers, but he thought the safety of his position required it. There
did not seem to be much likelihood of Andrew's discovering valuable
minerals, but he might perhaps find somewhat better ore than the Rain
Bluff was turning out, and with a practical scheme for working it gain
support enough to embarrass the directors. If, however, Andrew failed
in his search, it would be easier to discredit him, and the demand he
would no doubt make for the abandoning of the mine could be withstood.
"I think that's what I meant," he said. "You are in charge of our
transport and I expect he'll need a quantity of food and prospecting
tools sent up into the bush. I can leave you to work out details."
Mappin's eyes flashed.
"I guess I can fix it; let it go at that. Now there's another matter I
want to mention."
Leonard acquiesced in the change of subject, feeling that he had done
all that was possible to counteract Andrew's projects. He left with
the Montreal express the next morning.
Two days later Mappin was summoned to Andrew's room at the hotel and
found him studying a list of provisions.
"We shall get off in the next few days," he said. "I want you to send
these supplies up to the mine, where we'll call for them."
"What about the rest of your truck?" Mappin inquired.
"Carnally has sent it off already."
Mappin saw that he could not do as much as he had expected to delay
the party.
"Is there anything else?" he asked.
"Yes," said Andrew. "As we can't transport stores enough for the whole
march, provisions will have to be cached for use on our return. Do you
know where Whitefish Creek is?"
"It's a very long way up and said not to be indicated very correctly
on the map. Two forks, aren't there?"
Andrew nodded.
"A lake lies about two days' march up the east branch, and there's an
island in it with a sandy tongue at one end. Take this list of
provisions and have a cache made there. Get them up in a month from
now. You can do that?"
"Oh, yes; I've some smart packers."
"Then here's another list. To get to the Whitefish you cross the
height of land and there's a low neck in the middle of the long ridge.
I want another cache made at the bottom of the gap. You understand
that? It's important."
"I'll make a careful note of it," Mappin promised. "Your idea is to
travel with light loads, and replenish your stores at the caches as
you come back?"
"Precisely. Carnally and Graham have been calculating our supplies
closely and we shall not have much left when we reach the first cache.
You had better put a barked fir-pole on the top of it; there are trees
about."
"The boys I'll send up will see to it," said Mappin, and after a few
questions took his leave.
A day or two later Andrew walked across the ice in the evening to see
the Frobishers before he started on his journey, and when he had spent
some time with them Geraldine went down with him to the hall. They
were alone, for her father was searching for a compass he wished to
give Andrew. Geraldine stopped when she reached the foot of the stairs
and stood with her hand on the balustrade. Her unstudied pose was
graceful, she made a very attractive picture, and though she saw
Andrew's admiration she was not displeased. It was different from
that which Mappin had bestowed on her.
"I think you are doing a very fine thing," she said diffidently. "You
see, I know something, besides what you have told me, about the mine
and Allinson's. Ethel Hillyard wrote to me not long ago--I knew her in
England--and she said several nice things about you."
"Did she?" said Andrew, with some embarrassment. "Ethel's a good
friend. But it's rather trying to have things said about you."
"Now you're curious," Geraldine replied, "and I'll be indiscreet
enough to mention one. She said you were always sincere, and to be
relied on." She paused a moment and added: "I think that's true; your
going to search for the lode proves it."
Andrew looked at her steadily, his heart throbbing.
"Would you be surprised to hear that you are largely responsible for
the search?"
"I! What could I have to do with it?"
"I'll try to explain. There was a time when I was half afraid to go on
with my plans; I could see nothing but trouble ahead. Then one day
when you were speaking of Carnally you said something about doing the
square thing. That and the song you sang one evening soon afterward
decided me."
"Then I'm afraid I've been very rash; it's a responsibility I should
not have assumed. After all, I know nothing about the difficulties you
may meet with."
"And I know very little, except that they'll certainly be plentiful.
Ignorance is a heavy handicap, and it doesn't make things better when
it's your own fault. Still, whether you meant it or not, you showed me
that there was only one course open--to go straight ahead and leave
the rest to Fate."
His words awoke a responsive thrill in Geraldine, for she knew his
worth. There was courage in him and sterling honesty; he was entering
on a hard fight for the sake of people unknown to him who had trusted
to the honor of his house. He would, she believed, be opposed by
clever trickery, prejudice and strong commercial interests, but if the
world were ruled by right, as she tried to believe, it was unthinkable
that he should be beaten.
"Well," she said, with the color in her face and sympathy in her eyes,
"I wish you good luck. But be careful up there among the rocks and
muskegs. Don't run too many risks. Come back safe."
"Thank you! It would be something to you if we kept out of trouble?"
His gaze was steadily searching and for a moment she turned her head.
Then, though there was a slight change in her manner, she looked
around with a smile.
"Yes, of course," she answered. "I shall be anxious while you are away
and eager for news."
Andrew saw that there was nothing more to be said, and he was glad
that Frobisher came down the stairs with the compass in his hand.
"It's one of the cutest things of the kind I've seen," said the
American. "There's very little oscillation, the card can't come
unshipped, and you can take a bearing correctly with the sights on
this sliding ring."
When Andrew had thanked him for the gift, he left the house. It was a
still night and bitterly cold, but he walked back across the ice to
the Landing with a glow at his heart.