Nance looked upon him merely as a part of the mines, and therefore to
be detested along with the noisy engine-house, the pumps, the damp and
dirty miners, and all the rest of it--the coming of which had so
completely spoiled her much-loved Sark.

Tom disliked him because he made him feel small and boorish, and of a
commoner make. And feelings such as that inevitably try to disprove
themselves by noisy self-assertion.

Accordingly Tom--after various jocular remarks in patois to Peter, who
would have laughed at them had he dared, but, knowing Nance's feelings
towards her brother was not sure how she would take it--loudly and
provocatively to Gard--

"Expect to make them mines pay, monsieur?"

"Well, I hope so. But it's too soon to express an opinion till I've seen
them."

"They put a lot of money in, and they get a lot of dirt out, but one
does not hear much of any silver."

"Sometimes the deepest mines prove the best in the end."

"And as long as there's anybody to pay for it I suppose you go on
digging."

"If I thought the mines had petered out--"