Part 18 (1/2)

”Well,” he said, drily, ”I was going to ask you.”

The blood surged into Brooke's forehead, and for the time he forgot his six thousand dollars and that the man who made the suggestion had plundered him of them. He had, during the course of his English education, shown signs of a certain originality and daring of thought which had slightly astonished those who taught him, and then had lounged three or four years away in the quiet valley, where originality of any kind was not looked upon with favor. The men and women he had been brought into contact with in London were also, for the most part, those who regarded everything from the accepted point of view, and his engagement to the girl his friends regarded with disapproval had, though he did not suspect this at the time, been in part, at least, a protest against the doctrine that no man of his station must do anything that was not outwardly befitting and convenient to it.

The revolt had brought him disaster, as it usually does, but it had also thrust upon him the necessity of thinking for himself, though even during his two years' struggle on the worthless ranch he had not realized what qualities he was endued with, for it was not until he met Barbara Heathcote by the river that they were wholly stirred into activity. Then ambition, self-confidence, and l.u.s.t of conflict with men and Nature a.s.serted themselves, for it was, in point of fact, a sword she had brought him. Still, he was as yet a trifle inconsequent and precipitate in his activities, for at times the purpose which had sent him to the Canopus mine faded into insignificance, and he became oblivious to everything beyond the pleasure he found in the grapple with natural difficulties he was engaged in. Those who had known Brooke in England would have had little difficulty in recognizing him morally or physically as he stood, brawny and sinewy, in ragged jean, high above the thundering river.

”Then I'll undertake it,” he said, with a little vibration in his voice.

Devine looked hard at him again. ”Feel sure you can do it? You'll want good nerves.”

”I think I can,” said Brooke, with a quietness the other man appreciated.

”Then you can go down to the Mineral Development's new shaft, where they have one of those tramways working, and see how they swing their ore across the valley. I'll give you a line to the manager. Start when you're ready.”

Devine said nothing further as they turned back towards the mine, but Brooke felt that the bargain was already made. His companion was not the man to haggle over non-essentials, but one who knew what he wanted and usually went straight to the point. Brooke left him presently, and, turning off where the flume climbed to the dam, came upon Jimmy, tranquilly leaning upon his shovel while he watched the two or three men who toiled waist-deep in water.

”I was kind of wondering whether she wouldn't be stiffer with another log or two in that framing?” he said, in explanation.

”Of course!” said Brooke, drily. ”It's more restful than shovelling.

Still, that's my affair, and you'll have to rustle more and wonder less.

I'm going to leave you in charge here.”

Jimmy grinned. ”Then I guess the way that dam will grow will astonish you when you come back again. Where're you going to?”

Brooke told him, and Jimmy contemplated the forest reflectively.

”Well,” he said, ”n.o.body who saw you at the ranch would ever have figured you had snap enough to put a contract of that kind through.

Still, you have me behind you.”

”A good way, as a rule,” said Brooke, drily. ”Especially when there is anything one can get very wet at to be done. Still, I shouldn't wonder if you were quite correct. I scarcely think I ever suspected I had it in myself.”

Jimmy still ruminated. ”A man is like a mine. You see the indications on the top, but you can't be sure whether there's gold at the bottom or dirt that won't pay for was.h.i.+ng, until you set the drills going or put in the giant powder and shake everything up. Still, I can't quite figure how anything of that kind could have happened to you.”

Brooke flashed a quick glance at him, but Jimmy's eyes were vacant, and he was apparently watching a mink slip in and out among the roots of a cedar.

”There is a good deal of gravel waiting down there, and only two men to heave it out,” he said.

”Oh, yes,” said Jimmy, tranquilly. ”Still, it's a good while until it's dark, and I was thinking. Now, if you had the dollars you threw away over that ranch, and me for a partner, you'd make quite a smart contractor. While they're wanting flumes and bridges everywhere, it's a game one can pile up dollars at.”

Brooke's face flushed a trifle, and he slowly closed one hand.

”Confound the six thousand dollars, and you for reminding me of them!”

he said. ”Get on with your shovelling.”

XIII.

THE OLD LOVE.

Next morning Brooke set out for the Mineral Development Syndicate's new shaft, which lay a long day's ride nearer the railroad through the bush, and was well received by the manager.