cool in a tight place than the one
who has never been accustomed to anything of the kind."

He was evidently expatiating on this subject merely because he felt
that it was safe ground, but Ida, who partly agreed with what he said,
felt that, after all, there was probably something in the insular
English notion that he was too proud to uphold. This man, at least,
possessed a courage that made him willing to carry the fight into the
market-place with wholly unaccustomed weapons, and a pride that
impelled him to lay a stern restraint upon his passion. She fancied
that there were men in Canada who would not have been deterred by her
money had they wished to marry her, and, for that matter, one or two
in England had delicately permitted the fact to become apparent. In
the meanwhile she had decided that he should have his wish. It would
perhaps be possible to offer support in some shape later on, if it
became apparent that he was badly beaten.

"I suppose it is not a very easy matter to dispose of an undeveloped
mine?" she inquired.

Weston smiled rather dryly.

"It can be done without much trouble if you're content to give the
thing away, but it's rather different if you wish to sell it. In fact,
until the last week I'd no idea how hard the latter was."

"Then you have been here a week?"

There was a hint of reproach in her tone, and Weston, who understood
her to mean that she was a little astonished that he had not presented
himself earlier, realized that here was an opportunity that he might
have profited by had he only succeeded in selling the mine. As it was,
he let it pass, for he felt that if once he let himself go he would
probably say a good deal more than was advisable.

"Yes," he said, with a laugh. "Still, at the rate I'm progressing,
several months will hardly see me through."

Ida had formed a reasonably accurate notion of what was in his mind,
and she was half vexed with him and half pleased. He was, at least,
consistent, and meant to persist in the attitude he had adopted; but
it was significant that he evidently was afraid to venture an inch
outside his defenses. After all, she decided that it was probably
advisable that he should remain behind them in the meanwhile. It was,
however, more or less of a relief to her when her father came in. He
did not appear in the least astonished to see Weston, and shook hands
with him as though it were the most natural thing to find him sitting
there.

"Business