"He's my father-in-law, Wrigley, but he's an old beast," said Jessop, in
a low snarling tone, as the Doctor's steps died away in the distance.
"I daresay he is," replied Wrigley; "but this is no time for pouring
your domestic troubles on my head. What did you mean by telling me that
this man, Sturgess, fell down a shaft?"
"That's what he told me--a brute! I've no sympathy with him whatever,
but I don't, want it to be said that we neglected him, in case he dies.
We've got troubles enough."
"Rather. It's about as near utter ruin as a man can get. Stockbroker?
You're lucky if you don't turn stone-broker."
"Mind what you're talking about. You'll have that fellow Robson hear
you."
"Doesn't seem to matter to me who hears me now. The game's up."
"No, no, wait till that fellow comes and makes his examination."
"Oh yes. I'll wait. Here by twelve, won't he? But I'm not going to
pin my faith to his coming. To me as good an idea as ever man put upon
the market has gone dead."
"Yes, curse you, and ruined me," growled Jessop. "You always were so
cursed clever."
"Come, I like that; ruined you, eh? Ruin the ruined. Why, for years
past you've never been worth a rap, and have had to come to me to keep
you going."
"And pretty dearly I've had to pay for it."
"Yes; a man who wants his bills discounted, and who is known to be stone
broke, does have to pay pretty smartly for the risk that is run. But
never mind, Jessop, we must try something else. I say, though, that
father-in-law of yours is a tartar. You don't expect to get anything
out of him, do you?"
"He must leave his daughter his money."
"No, he mustn't. There are plenty of hospitals and charities about.
He'll never let you have a sou."
"Can't you find some other cursedly nasty thing to tell me, Wrig,"
snarled Jessop. "It's infernally cowardly of you, that's what it is.
Thank goodness, here's the engineer."
"Then now we shall get out of our difficulties or plunge deeper in. Why
couldn't you know something about mining engineering, and so have saved
this expense?"
"Mr Wrigley?" said a quiet, solid-looking man, riding up to the office
door.
"My name is Wrigley, sir. Are you Mr Benson?"
"Yes; and I came as soon as I could, after I heard from the Woden Mine
Company's secretary. What is the question, gentlemen. Deeper sinking?
Troubled with water?"
"No," said Jessop eagerly. "The lode we have been working has suddenly
come to an end in the solid stone."
"I see. A blind lead," said the newcomer, dismounting.
"And we want advice as to what is best to do so as to hit again upon the
ore," said Wrigley. "I hear that you stand at the top of the tree in
such matters."
"Very kind of people to say so, sir," replied the mining engineer. "I
do my best. But you used to have a first-class man here--Mr Clive
Reed."
"Yes; but he is dangerously ill, or I should have called him in," said
Wrigley; and Jessop's countenance cleared. "Well, sir, shall we go down
the mine?"
"Better let me go alone, sir," said the engineer. "I cannot tell you
what you want to know in a minute. Perhaps it will take me a week."
"Take your time, only get to work, and let's have the full truth, as
soon as you can," said Wrigley, and the engineer nodded, had himself put
into communication with the underground foreman, and passed the whole of
the following week in the mine. At the end of that time he announced
that he was ready with his report, and an adjournment was made to the
little office, where Wrigley threw himself into a chair, and Jessop lit
a cigar which kept going out, and had to be re-lit again and again, as
the expert began to read his carefully written report of his work from
day to day.
"My dear sir," said Wrigley at last, impatiently, "we do not want to
hear what time you went into the mine each day, or when you came out,
nor yet about how you tested the surroundings of the great lode in
different places. Let's have your final decision, and the position."
"Very good, gentlemen. I'll give you both together. The lode ends dead
against the barren rock."
"Which we had already discovered," said Wrigley sarcastically.
"Through a geological fault," continued the engineer; "and I have tried
hard to make out whether the vein of silver lead, where it was snapped
off in some convulsion, or gradual sinking, went down or up."
"Down or up," said Jessop, who was listening eagerly, trying with
nervous fingers to re-light his cigar from time to time.
"If it went downward, by constant search and sinking--"
"Money?" interrupted Wrigley.
"I mean shafts, sir," said the engineer, smiling; "but you may include
money; you might perhaps hit upon the lode again; but I am inclined to
think, from the conformation of the strata, that the vein was snapped in
two and thrust upward."
"What!" cried Jessop, "then it must be close to the surface?"
"I should say, sir, it was on the surface, and all cleared away hundreds
upon hundreds of years ago."
"But you would sink shafts to try if it had gone down?" said Wrigley,
eyeing the engineer keenly.
"No, sir; if it were my case I would be content with the money I had got
out of the mine."
"General burst up, Jessop, my lad," said Wrigley coolly. "The `White
Virgin's' reputation is smirched, and she is not immaculate after all.
Thank you, Mr Benson, I am quite satisfied with your judgment. There,
you must have your cheque. There will not be many more for any one."
Just about the same time, after a week's trembling in the balance, Clive
Reed had taken a turn which filled all at the cottage with hope. His
senses returned upon that day a week earlier; but after some hours' calm
sleep, he woke in so enfeebled a state that it required all the efforts
of nurse and doctor to keep him from sinking calmly away into the great
sleep of all.
Now he was undoubtedly amending, and getting better hour after hour,
though still so weak that he was unconscious of who it was who tended
him night and day. Nothing seemed to trouble him. Nature had
prescribed utter rest so that she might have time to rebuild the waste,
and the Doctor's chief efforts were directed towards keeping him free
from the slightest trouble which might ripple the placid lake of his
existence.
"There now," he said, "let him sleep all he can. That is the best."
He walked over to the mine, arriving there soon after the engineer had
gone, and avoiding Jessop, went straight into the room occupied by
Sturgess, who lay waiting for him eagerly.
"Better, arn't I, Doctor?"
"Yes; getting stronger fast. The festering wound looks healthy now."
"What festering wound?" said the man, with a stare.
"The one in your shoulder, which you said was caused by a fall."
Sturgess scowled.
"Lucky for you I was fetched to you in time, and then dressed the wound
in your leg. Your flesh was in a bad way, my man. You should never
neglect the bite of a dog."
"Fear he should go mad?" said Sturgess grimly. "No fear o' that one
going mad now."
"Shot him, I suppose."
"Yes," said Sturgess, smiling. "I shot him, Doctor. When may I get
about again?"
"Oh, not for a week or two yet--perhaps three. You mustn't hurry."
"Can't you get me up in a week, sir?" said the man anxiously. "I have
got a good deal to do."
"Not in the mine. That's at an end."
"Yes, I heard that. But no, it arn't that. It's business I want to
settle about some one I know."
"Ah, well, we shall see," said the Doctor. "Be patient."
He walked back to the cottage, and not seeing either the Major or his
child, hung up his hat, and went to Clive's chamber, where he stopped
short at the door, startled by the scene within. For Dinah was in the
act of advancing to the bed just as Clive lay half dozing.
The sharp crack of a floor board roused him into wakefulness, and he
opened his eyes wonderingly, so that they fell upon Dinah's sweet, sad
face.
The result was startling to the Doctor, and filled Dinah with agonising
despair. For as the light of recognition came into the suffering man's
countenance, his features contracted, his brow wrinkled and twitched,
and he turned his eyes away with a look of disgust and horror, while
Dinah uttered a low moan, covered her face with her hands, and fled from
the room, her whole attitude and every movement suggesting utter
despair.