f them spoke.

"It seems to me that there's a way in which we could save something as
well as our credit," he said. "I've had a hint that another big
concern might be willing to take us over."

They looked at one another in a manner which suggested that this was
not altogether a new idea. Weston straightened himself suddenly.

"It will never be done with my consent," he said.

"Then," remarked the first speaker, "it is quite likely that you will
find yourself in a minority of one."

"Mr. Weston can count on at least one supporter," said Wannop,
shortly.

Then there was an awkward silence, until one of the others thrust back
his chair.

"It's becoming quite clear that we can't go on," he said. "This
concern was started wrong. We should have spent more money, taken
first-class offices, and turned out floods of illustrated pamphlets."

"I just want to ask how you're going to spend money that you haven't
got?" said Wannop. "I was quite willing to take the money. You
wouldn't put it up."

There was a little laughter, and the meeting broke up; but Weston
stayed behind with Wannop when the others went down the stairway. The
broker, who sat down again, made a little dejected gesture.

"I guess the game is up. They're going back on us," he said. "In a
way, I don't blame them. The Hogarth people have scared them off.
They're not big enough."

"Have you any idea as to what they'll do?" Weston asked.

Wannop nodded. "Oh, yes," he said. "They'll hold out a month or two,
and piffle away at the adit to save appearances. Then they'll call the
stockholders together, and suggest turning the mine over to the
Hogarth people on such terms as they can get. There are just two
things that could save us--a strike of extra high-grade ore, or a
sudden whim of investors to purchase western mining stock." He smiled
in a wry fashion. "I don't expect either of them."

Weston sat still a moment, and then rose with an air of weariness.

"Well," he said, "I'm going back to the mine tomorrow. We'll hold on
as long as possible."

He left; and a few minutes later Stirling came in. He sat down and
handed Wannop a cigar.

"Now," he said, "we have got to talk."

"If you'd come a little earlier you'd have met Weston."

"Yes," said Stirling, "that's just why I didn't. Now, where's the
trouble?"

"I'll tell you--though to some extent it's a breach of confidence.
It's the shortage of money, and the fact that our stock is tumbling
down."