They were silent for a few minutes, and then Scott resumed: "I
understand Miss Strange means to look for the vein next summer and you
are going. Why is that, since you don't believe her father's tale?"

"She's resolved to go and I can help. When she's persuaded the ore can't
be found she'll be content to give the notion up. I don't want the thing
to occupy her thoughts until it becomes a kind of mania, as it did with
Strange."

"I imagine she's an attractive girl."

"She is attractive; but that has nothing to do with it," Thirlwell
replied with a frown. "I'm not in love with Miss Strange. To begin with,
I can't support a wife, and marriage hasn't much charm for me. Then I
think she's clever enough to make her mark, and will stick to her
occupation until she does, if she gets rid of this foolish notion of
looking for the ore."

"I see," said Scott, with some dryness. "You feel sorry for the girl and
want to save her from getting like Strange? Well, it's a chivalrous
object; but there's a thing you don't seem to have thought of yet.
Prospecting a big belt of country is a long job, and if you're away much
of the summer, how are you going to keep your engagement with me?"

"I have thought of it," Thirlwell replied. "It's awkward--"

Scott smiled at his embarrassment. "Well, I'll let you go. In fact, I
don't mind taking a stake in the expedition, in the way of food and
tools."