To Jack, isolated as he had been for years from refined, intellectual a.s.sociations, it seemed like a glimpse into another, and not unfamiliar world, and the deference and respect expressed in Miss Gladden"s manner were especially gratifying.
Very easily Miss Gladden led the conversation, avoiding, with intuitive delicacy, all allusions to himself or his surroundings, till at last she said:
"I have taken such an interest in my friend, Lyle, and she has so often spoken of your kindness to her, that I have wished to meet you, for I feel that in her welfare, we have a mutual interest."
Jack smiled gravely, as he replied, "I have endeavored to help her as best I could under existing conditions, and notwithstanding the fact that the ways and means have been exceedingly restricted, she has proven herself an apt pupil, and has made good progress."
"Indeed she has," said Miss Gladden, "and with her ability, it seems a pity that she should not have every possible advantage."
"To me," he replied, "it seems a great pity that so much of her life has already been spent among such disadvantages, the greater part of the most valuable portion of her life wasted."
"Not entirely wasted," said Miss Gladden, "for what you have taught her will be of inestimable value to her always."
"Yes, indeed!" exclaimed Lyle, "what would my life have been without you?"
"I have laid the foundation so far as I was able," said Jack, smiling, "but it was time, long ago, for the superstructure to be builded."
"One reason why I wish to see you," continued Miss Gladden, "was to ask you what you would think of the feasibility of my taking Lyle east with me, when I return."
"If you are willing to do that, Miss Gladden," said Jack, slowly, "I can see nothing in the way of its practicability except to gain the consent of Mr. and Mrs. Maverick, and that might prove a formidable obstacle."
"He does not call them her parents," thought Miss Gladden, "does he know she is not their child?"
Jack continued. "If it had not been for that difficulty, I would gladly myself have furnished the means for a moderate education for Lyle, but I knew Maverick"s decided objection to her possessing even the most rudimentary knowledge. I am of the opinion also, though I may be in error, that he would not allow her to leave home."
"You are right, Jack," said Lyle, "if I were to wait for his consent, I would never leave here, or have any advantages."
"May I inquire," said Jack, addressing Miss Gladden, "at what time you expect to return east?" A faint color tinged Miss Gladden"s cheek, as she replied:
"I have not yet decided just when I will go east, but probably the latter part of the summer."
"Ah, well," he answered, with a slight smile, "I hope that between now and that time, some arrangement can be made to Lyle"s advantage; but if I may make any suggestion, it would be this; that nothing be said at present regarding this subject to either Mr. or Mrs. Maverick, as it would only arouse their opposition, and perhaps lead to some unpleasant results."
After a few moments" further conversation, Miss Gladden thanked Jack for his kindness, and rose to go. At the door they found Mike, and while Lyle chatted merrily with the witty Irishman for a moment, Miss Gladden turned toward Jack, saying in a low tone:
"I would like to have a talk with you regarding Lyle, some time when she is not present; may I come and see you by myself some day?"
"Certainly," he responded, "I would be pleased to see you."
For a moment, Miss Gladden stood in silent admiration, watching this man whose life seemed wrapped in so much mystery, while he replied to some laughing questions of Lyle"s.
He was, even now, a splendid specimen of manhood, although his shoulders were slightly stooped, and silver threads gleamed here and there in the black hair and beard, making him look older than his years. He had a face of remarkable beauty also,--with fine, clear-cut features,--though browned with exposure, and bearing the lines that only the fingers of sorrow can trace. His face did not resemble Houston"s in the least, but something in his manner reminded Miss Gladden of her lover, and she watched him with a sort of fascination.
As she and Lyle walked homeward together, the latter asked:
"What do you think now of my friend, Miss Gladden?"
And Miss Gladden replied thoughtfully, "I think, my dear, that he is one of earth"s heroes."
CHAPTER XXI.
The ten days which Houston was to spend at Silver City had expired, and his work there was completed. He had followed much the same plan as in the office at the camp, doing the work of the company by day, and pursuing his own investigations at night.
Mr. Blaisdell had at first objected to his working evenings, telling him the company had no wish to make a slave of him, but upon Houston"s representing that it was an absolute necessity in order to accomplish the needed work within a given time, he allowed him to have his own way. He had been able to get together much additional proof regarding the fraudulent transactions of the company, even ascertaining in what direction much of the revenue due the New York company had gone.
He was present when the company received the brief but pointed letter from Mr. Winters, in which he stated that the property shown them had not been what they were looking for, and that they had found something more satisfactory in another direction.
"Well, Blaisdell," said Mr. Rivers, in his quick, incisive way, "I"m not in the least surprised."
"Not surprised!" echoed Mr. Blaisdell, "Why not? I confess I"m surprised and disappointed."
"It"s just what I expected," again chirped Mr. Rivers, "just what I told you all along."
"I knew you said you were rather suspicious just in the direction where I felt the surest of them."
"Just so," said Mr. Rivers, "I said all along, "those fish won"t bite worth a nickel.""
"Well," said Mr. Blaisdell, with a heavy sigh, "all we can do is to try again."
"And next time, I"d advise you to have a little more bait, or else don"t tackle so big a fish."
It was Houston"s last evening in Silver City, and he sat in the hotel lobby reading letters which had just come from his uncle and Van Dorn, under cover from the Chicago firm, as usual.
Mr. Cameron was delighted to have met Van Dorn and the Englishman, and had engaged both men to remain in New York, awaiting word from Houston, when he should be ready.
The closing paragraph in Van Dorn"s letter he read and re-read with a smile, it was so characteristic of his friend:
"I have had one of my machines carefully packed, and it now stands addressed, ready to accompany me to your mining camp on short notice, where I will show your people the latest method for the reduction of ores; and if the mining company itself is not pretty well reduced" before we get through, my name is not that of
Your friend, ARTHUR VAN DORN.
P. S. "The mills of the G.o.ds grind slowly, But they grind exceeding small.""
As Houston folded his letters, his attention was attracted by loud talk among a group of men in another part of the lobby. Sauntering in that direction, he heard an excited voice exclaim:
"I tell you, they"re the biggest frauds on the face of the earth. If there"s a dishonest scheme, or a sharp, underhanded little game that they"re not onto, I"d like to know what it is."
"Which company do you mean?" inquired another speaker.
"I mean the mining company represented by Rivers and Blaisdell, with old Wilson as a figure-head. I can"t remember all their long-winded names, but the whole combination is rotten, from beginning to end, nothing but a set of lying, scheming, thieving rascals."
"That"s right," said an old gentleman who had not spoken before, "they"re a tough lot."
"Tough!" echoed the first speaker, "I should say so! One of their little games is to take charge of mining claims for eastern parties.
The parties send on money for development work, but do you suppose it is used in developing the mines? Not much! By and by, the first these parties know, they have forfeited their claims through lack of representation, but don"t you think the company are not watching out, ready to jump the claim the very day the time expires. Sometimes they"ll hire some poor Swede to locate the claim for them, and then a.s.sign it to them for a trifle. In that way, I"ve heard of their getting possession of the same claim over and over again."