Part 19 (1/2)

”After that, I'd better say that I exonerated you--I think it's the right word--as soon as we'd had our first talk. I saw that you were being made a tool of.”

”You were right,” said Andrew. ”It isn't a pleasant situation. I don't mind its not being flattering; that's the least trouble.”

”What are you going to do about it?”

”The square thing, so far as I'm able. Allinson's, so to speak, guaranteed the undertaking.”

There was some extra color in Andrew's face and pride in his voice, though he spoke quietly, and Frobisher sat silent a moment or two.

”Have you made any plans yet?” the American then asked.

Andrew told him that he proposed to take Carnally and Graham north to search for the silver lode; and Frobisher looked grave.

”There's a point to be remembered,” he cautioned. ”Minerals in Canada belong to the State, which makes a grant of them to the discoverer on certain terms. The lode will therefore become the property of whoever first locates and records it, which will be open to any member of your party.”

”I've thought of that. The expedition will be financed by me, and I'll have an understanding with Graham and Carnally as to their share before we start.”

”Three claims could be staked, and your companions could make them over to you when the development work was done. If properly patented, you would be the legal owner.”

”I intend to become the owner.”

Frobisher looked as if the statement surprised him.

”Then you'd better cut your connection with Rain Bluff before you set off,” he advised. ”It might prevent some complications. The directors might contend that you were not ent.i.tled to undertake private mining operations while you represented the Company and drew its pay.”

”I don't think you understand. I mean to hold the claims in my own name, so as to strengthen my position, which will need it. I expect to have serious trouble over the Company's affairs.”

Frobisher laughed softly.

”You're no fool! You feel that you undertook to look after the shareholders' interests when you came over, and you have to make good?”

”Yes,” Andrew a.s.sented; ”I feel something of the kind.”

”Then we'll a.s.sume that you find the lode and that it's as rich as Graham believes--which is taking a good deal for granted. Your shareholders, learning that Rain Bluff is worthless, would probably jump at a proposition that would give them back their money, or even part of it. You could buy them out and afterward repay yourself handsomely by developing the new mine.”

Andrew's face hardened.

”When these people gave us their money, they did so expecting to get any profit that could be made. It's their due and, so far, Allinson's has never broken faith with those who trusted it.”

Frobisher was not surprised at the answer. There was, he had seen, a clean pride in the man, whom he felt disposed to pity. Allinson had obviously little knowledge of business, and would have to meet the determined opposition of the clever tricksters who had floated the Company. He was entering on a hard fight with unaccustomed weapons.

Nevertheless, Frobisher would not venture to predict his defeat.

Courage such as Allinson showed often carried one a long way, and he had the right upon his side. Frobisher's business experience had not made him an optimist, but he was prepared to watch this altruistic champion's struggles with friendly interest and to a.s.sist him as far as he could.

”You have undertaken a pretty big thing,” he said. ”To begin with, it's a lonely country that you're going into, and though having the lakes and rivers frozen may simplify traveling, you'll find it tough work living in the open with the thermometer at forty below. Winter's a bad time for prospecting; but as timber's plentiful, you may be able to thaw out enough of the surface to test the lode, and something might be done with giant-powder. Provisions will be your chief difficulty. You will need a number of packers.”

”If possible, I must make the trip with no companions except Carnally and Graham. Everybody at the Landing has heard about the lode, and if we took up a strong party and failed to locate it, we'd have shown them roughly where it lay. That would give the packers a chance for forestalling our next attempt. Their right to record the minerals would be as good as ours.”

Frobisher was somewhat surprised. Allinson had thought out the matter in a way that would have done credit to a more experienced man.

”Suppose we go down now,” he suggested after a while. ”I'll get Geraldine to sing for us.”