Spring sometimes, and
he apparently took rather a fancy to me, while on my part I didn't dislike
him."

"Martin Lorimer turned mine-owner! This is news," I said, and Calvert
laughed.

"Yes, and of the Day Spring, too; I'm to manage it in his interest. Now
you see the method in his madness. It appears that the Colonel had pretty
well come to the end of his tether--he is by no means as well off as he
used to be--and in his customary lordly way he told a financial agent to
get from any one whatever he could over a fixed limit. It was, as a matter
of necessity, a low limit. I warned Mr. Lorimer that though there was a
prospect of fair milling ore we had found very little so far, but he's a
remarkably keen old fellow, and had been talking to the miners, especially
the unfortunate one who had been holding out against the Colonel's
attempts to squeeze him off his claim. Mr. Lorimer agreed with him to let
it lapse and re-record it. So I went with him and his agent to sign the
agreement, and felt half-ashamed when Colonel Carrington came in. Of
course, I had no need to. He always treated me with a contemptuous
indifference that was galling, and a man must earn his bread. Still, I had
taken his pay, and it hurt me to see him beaten down upon his knees.

"He came near starting when he saw your uncle, but made no sign of
recognition, as, turning to his broker, he asked in his usual haughty way,
'Will you tell me what this man's business is?'

"'Mr. Lorimer takes over the Day Spring,' said the agent, and I fancy the
ruler of Carrington swore softly between his teeth, after which he said:
'You told me it was Smithson you were negotiating with. Is there any
means whatever by which I can annul the bargain?'

"'Smithson bid beneath your limit, and then bought it acting as broker for
Mr. Lorimer,' was the answer. 'I have applied for a record of conveyance,
and the sale was made by your orders. It cannot be canceled now without
the consent of the purchaser, and a new record.'

"The two men looked at each other, your uncle drawing down his thick
eyebrows, which is a trick he has, and the Colonel gnawed his lip. If it
had happened in the early gold days there would have been pistol shots.
Then my new employer said, 'I will not sell,' and Colonel Carrington
flecked off a speck of dust with his gloves.

"'You have bought it for less than a fourth of what I spent on the
property,' he said very coolly, 'but if the mine yields as it has d