four men from White Pine were received at the
door of the Darrell house by a dignified young lady, simply but
becomingly dressed in the usual costume of her sex. Looking directly
at one of them, she said:

"I bid you welcome, Mr. Peveril, to your own Copper Princess."

CHAPTER XXVII

A NIGHT WITH A MADMAN

When left alone at the bottom of the ancient shaft, with the
impenetrable gloom of the prehistoric workings crowding him close,
Peveril had found a few minutes in which to reflect upon the strange
happenings of the past half-hour. "Darrell's Folly" was the Copper
Princess, the mine in which he owned a half-interest--the one for
which he had searched so long and had almost given up hopes of
finding. Was it of any value? Or did the name, applied in derision,
rightly describe it? And the old man who had twice attempted to take
his life, whom he had just rescued from a living tomb, was his
partner! How could they ever work harmoniously together? He certainly
should not agree to the carrying on of further smuggling operations,
and so there was a barrier to their amicable relations at the very
outset.

But was that man the person with whom he would have to deal, after
all? He was evidently crazy, and probably had been from the very
first; for Peveril now remembered that Mr. Ketchum had hinted at
something of the kind during their last interview. As a crazy man
could not legally transact business, his dealings would then be with
Ralph Darrell's heirs or legal representatives. Who were those heirs?
Were there any other besides this daughter, Mary? He hoped not. What a
brave, splendid girl she was, and how pleasant it would be to discuss
business plans with her! How absurd of him not to have recognized her
at once, even in her boyish costume, and how stupid she must think
him!

He wished those fellows up above had not been in such a hurry with
that rope, for there were a lot more questions he wanted to ask her.
So many that he would not have objected if he and she had been left
down there together ever so much longer. How different the old mine
seemed now to what it had when he first knew it! Hereafter it would
always be associated in his mind with memories of a slight figure that
he had been permitted to hold for a single minute, a flushed face, a
pair of glorious eyes, and a voice that he should never forget. How
shy she was, and at the same time how dignified; how sweet and womanly
in her anxiety about her