ine? Oh, there's trouble there, I am afraid. Switzer--you have
heard of Switzer?"

"Oh, yes, I know all about him and his tragic disappointment. He's the
manager, isn't he?"

"The manager? No, he's the secretary, but in this case it means the same
thing, for he runs the mine. Well, Switzer wants to sell his stock. He
and his father hold about twenty-five thousand dollars between them. He
means to resign. And to make matters worse, the manager left last week.
They are both pulling out, and it makes it all the worse, for they had
just gone in for rather important extensions. I am anxious a bit. You
see they are rather hard up for money, and father raised all he could on
his ranch and on his mining stock."

"How much is involved?" inquired Rowena.

"Oh, not so much money as you people count it, but for us it is all we
have. He raised some fifty thousand dollars. While the mine goes on and
pays it is safe enough, but if the mine quits then it is all up with
us. There is no reason for anxiety at present as far as the mine is
concerned, however. It is doing splendidly and promises better every
day. But Switzer's going will embarrass them terribly. He was a perfect
marvel for work and he could handle the miners as no one else could.
Most of them, you know, are his own people."

"I see you are worrying," said Rowena, glancing at his face, which she
thought unusually pale.

"Not a bit. At least, not very much. Jack is a levelheaded chap--Jack
Romayne, I mean--my brother-in-law. By the way, I had a wire to say that
young Jack had safely arrived."

"Young Jack? Oh, I understand. Then you are Uncle Larry."

"I am. How ancient I feel! And what a lot of responsibility it lays upon
me!"

"I hope your sister is quite well."

"Everything fine, so I am informed. But what was I saying? Oh, yes,
Jack is a level-headed chap and his brother-in-law, Waring-Gaunt, who is
treasurer of the company, is very solid. So I think there's no doubt but
that they will be able to make all necessary arrangements."

"Well, don't worry to-night," said Rowena. "I want you to have a good
time. I am particularly anxious that you should meet and like Professor
Schaefer."

"A German, eh?" said Larry.

"Yes--that is, a German-American. He is a metallurgist, quite wonderful,
I believe. He does a lot of work for father, and you will doubtless have
a good deal to do with him yourself. And he spoke so highly of Canada
and of Canadians that I felt sure