"Did I, though?"

"And helped us kindly in many a way."

"Not a bit of it," said Geissler shortly. "Here--take this." And he
took out some _Daler_ notes.

Geissler was not the man to take things for nothing, that was plain.
And he seemed to have plenty of money about him, from the way his
pocket bulged. Heaven only knew if he really had money or not.

"But she writes all's well and getting on," said Isak, coming back to
his one thought.

"What?--Oh, your wife!"

"Ay. And since the girl was born--she's had a girl child, born while
she was there. A fine little one."

"Excellent!"

"Ay, and now they're all as kind as can be, and help her every way,
she says."

"Look here," said Geissler, "I'm going to send these bits of stone
in to some mining experts, and find out what's in them. If there's a
decent percentage of copper, you'll be a rich man."

"H'm," said Isak. "And how long do you think before we could apply for
a pardon?"