The White Virgin Part 47

"Yes, sir, that was their _modus operandi_."

"And they caught all the fools, including my stupid old self," growled the Major. "But wait a bit. I daresay I shall have a settlement with Master Jessop Reed one of these days, and when that day does come, let him look out."

"No, Major, you will leave this to me," said Clive quietly. "Now, then, I'm going to throw over this piece of worry, and have a calm quiet day with our darling. As I tell you, it does not interfere with my monetary position in the least, and it will save me a great deal of hard work; but to-morrow morning I must go back to town and see the other shareholders, for this state of affairs ought not to continue, though I must own that Sturgess is a clever manager, and does his work well."

The Major unslung a satchel from his shoulder at the door.

"Why, you have been carrying that heavy lot of specimens all the time,"

said Clive, smiling.

"Yes, I forgot all about them," said the Major; and he tossed the contents out into a basket in the tiny hall.

"Lead ore," said Clive, looking curiously at a little block of dull grey stone.

"Yes, there's plenty of that stuff on my wild bit of mountain land. It all interests me, and of course much more since I have been a shareholder in the mine--I mean," said the Major hastily, "since I was once."

"You are, Major. Once for all, no more words about that. A certain number more shares have been transferred to you, and they stand as yours in the company's books. Not another word. Ah, Dinah! I seem to have neglected you sadly. Now, no more business; the whole day is ours.

To-morrow morning I must be off back to town."

The parting was sad enough the next morning quite early, for, to Dinah, it was as if she were losing her protector for many days to come, and she could not drive away the forebodings of looming troubles as she clung to Clive after accompanying him with the Major for some distance along the mountain track leading to Blinkdale. But Clive was cheerful and bright, and at last he tore himself away, insisting upon their returning, as he would have to hasten on.

"Take care of her, Major," he cried, "and I'll send you plenty of letters. Keep a good heart--it will all come right in the end. Now-- goodbye."

He sprang away, and they stood watching him as he stopped from time to time to wave his hand before plunging down into a hollow, and disappearing from their sight.

They turned then, and walked back in silence to the cottage, each too much occupied with painful thoughts to attempt to speak, for a shadow seemed to have fallen over their lives which was gradually darkening; and there were moments when Dinah looked forward, and then clung spasmodically to her father's arm, for he broke out into angry mutterings from time to time, and as she looked in his face she could see that it was black with suppressed pa.s.sion.

At last they reached the river path, and the Major broke out:

"I see it all plainly enough," he cried. "Clive was right; that scoundrel of a brother was down here as a spy, and, curse him, I entertained him for his sake. He has won round that fellow Sturgess, and they think they are going to do as they like; but if I am to be a shareholder, confound them! they shall find that I can be a sharp one too, so let them beware."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

FOX AND WOLF.

The days went by slowly and sadly. Letters came regularly enough, but they were not hopeful, for Clive told how he was hemmed in by difficulties which prevented his stirring: and, as he said, it would be madness to do anything which would involve legal proceedings and injure the prospects of the mine. There was nothing for it but to wait: for Wrigley had laid his plans only too well, and he and Jessop had everything in their own hands.

To the Major he said emphatically that as far as money matters were concerned there was nothing to mind, for the new management was bound for their own sake to do their best, as any lapse and falling off of the returns would be fatal to their position.

To Dinah there were tender breathings of devotion, and the a.s.surance that though absent he was with her always in spirit; and at the first opportunity he would run down.

Ten days had pa.s.sed, and one afternoon the Major had encountered Robson, whom he was pa.s.sing with a short nod; but, after glancing round to see whether they were observed, the young man followed the Major and said quickly--

"I'm kept on at the mine, sir, because I know so much of the books, and they can't very well get along without me; but you looked at me so differently to what you used, sir, that I thought I'd speak."

"Yes, sir: you belong to the enemy's camp," said the Major sharply.

"No, I don't, sir, though I'm there, and I wish to goodness Mr Clive Reed was back, for Sturgess is unbearable with his bullying ways; and as for Mr Jessop, he's no more like his brother than chalk's like cheese.

Think there's any chance of Mr Clive coming back?"

"Yes, my lad, every chance, if we're true to him," cried the Major; "and I beg your pardon, Mr Robson, I thought you were one of the scoundrels.

I'm very glad to find you are not."

"I thank you, sir," cried the young man; "and if you write to Mr Clive Reed, please tell him so long as I'm in the mine office the books shall be kept just as he wished, so that any one can see at a glance how matters stand."

"And I thank you too, Mr Robson. I, as a shareholder, am very glad that we have so good a man in your administrative post. But tell me, how are the returns?"

"Wonderful, sir. They increase every day. The profits will be enormous."

"And is this man Sturgess doing his duty?"

"Oh! yes, sir, splendidly," said Robson, laughing. "By his new agreement he is to get a percentage upon the metal smelted. I don't like him, but there's no mistake in his working."

"Humph, that's right," growled the Major.

"And now, sir, if you'll excuse me, I'll go, for if it was known that I talked about the mine affairs, I should be packed off; and for Mr Clive Reed's sake I want to stay."

"Right: good day. I daresay we shall run up against each other again."

They parted, and none too soon, for, hammer in hand, the Major had just plunged down into a gully when Robson caught sight of a tiny cloud of smoke rising above a ridge before him.

Quick as thought he threw himself down among the heather, and lay peering between two tufts, till Jessop came into sight directly after, puffing away at a big cigar as he walked sharply along the track, pa.s.sing the spot where the clerk lay, and evidently going in the direction of the cottage.

Robson looked uneasy, and his forehead began to wrinkle with the thoughts which entered his brain. He was puzzled at first; then suspicious; and at last determined.

He waited until Jessop was well out of sight, and with his mind made up, he was about to scramble to his feet, but he dropped down again, feeling sure he must have been seen, for he was conscious of a figure higher up the slope, coming slowly towards him; and soon after Sturgess, with his arm still in a sling, came close by, went down to the shelf-track, and there seated himself in a nook amongst some ferns. This forced the young clerk to slowly worm himself along among the heath and whortleberry tufts for a couple of hundred yards before the rising ground was well between them, when he went off at a sharp walk in the direction taken by the Major.

Meanwhile Jessop had gone on smoking heavily till he reached the river side, where he stopped gazing down into the sparkling water, evidently thinking deeply, and drawing hard at his cigar, till it was nearly done, when he threw it to fall with a loud hiss into the stream.

Then, with a quiet, satisfied aspect he went on for a few steps, and turned up the tiny gully hard by the Major's garden.

Fortune favoured him, for Dinah was seated in the shady porch working; and she started up in alarm as he came close up.

"Don't be frightened," he said, with a smile, and holding out his hand.

"Surely you have not forgotten me?"

"No," said Dinah, recovering herself, though her heart beat heavily from apprehension. "You called here once before."

"To be sure I did; but you will shake hands?"

"As a friend of Mr Clive Reed, under the present circ.u.mstances, surely, sir, it is better not," she replied with dignity.

"Sir--under the present circ.u.mstances," he cried bitterly. "The old story. Blackguard again. Ah," he said, with a stamp of the foot, "is that man to go through the whole of his life spreading malicious slanders about his brother?"

Dinah was silent.

"Then you will not shake hands with one who spared no effort to get himself appointed to stay down here--whose sole thought has been of her whom he met once--only once--but whose impression was fixed so deeply upon his heart that ever since he has thought of her night and day."