Part 19 (1/2)
”Oh, father!”
”I told him I could see that the trouble was growing bigger and telling upon him, and proposed that I should take Harry here.” Madelaine had started to her feet.
”Presuming that he does not refuse after his father has made my proposals known, Harry Vine comes here daily to work under Crampton's guidance.” Madelaine's arms were round her father's neck.
”You have made me feel very happy and satisfied, my dear,” said Van Heldre, pressing her to his breast; ”and may heaven speed what is going to be a very arduous task. He will commence in the office next week.”
Just then Mrs Van Heldre raised her head and looked round.
”Bless my heart!” she exclaimed. ”I do believe I have nearly been to sleep.”
CHAPTER EIGHT.
UNCLE LUKE SPEAKS HIS MIND.
”Hallo, Scotchman!”
”Hallo, Eng--I mean, French--What am I to call you Mr Luke Vine?”
”Englishman, of course.”
Uncle Luke was seated, in a very shabby-looking grey aged Norfolk jacket made long, a garment which suited his tastes, from its being an easy comfortable article of attire. He had on an old Panama hat, a good deal stained, and a thick stick armed with a strong iron point useful for walking among the rocks; and upon this staff he rested as he sat outside his cottage door watching the sea and pondering as to the probability of a shoal of fish being off the point.
His home with its tiny sc.r.a.p of rough walled-in garden, which grew nothing but sea holly and tamarisk, was desolate looking in the extreme, but the view therefrom of the half-natural pier sheltering the vessels in the harbour of the twin town, with its busy wharves and warehouses and residences, rising in terrace above terrace, and of the blue, ever-changing sea, was glorious.
He had had his breakfast and taken his seat out in the suns.h.i.+ne, when he became aware of the fact that Duncan Leslie was coming down from the mine buildings above, and he hailed him with a snarl and the above words.
”Glorious morning.”
”Humph! Yes,” said the old man, looking up at the handsome young mine-owner with his face all in lines, ”but what's that got to do with you?”
”Everything. Do you suppose I don't like fine weather?”
”I thought you didn't care for anything but money grubbing.”
”Then you were mistaken, because I do.”
”Nonsense! You think of nothing but copper, spoiling the face of nature with the broken rubbish your men dig out of the bowels of the earth, poisoning the air with the fumes of those abominable furnaces. Look at that!”
The old man raised his stick and made a vicious dig with it in the direction of the mine.
”Look at what?”
”That shaft. Looks like some huge worm that your men disturbed down below, and sent it crawling along the hill slope till it could rear its abominable head in the air and look which way to go to be at rest.”
”What an idea! It isn't pretty looking. I must say.”
”Pretty looking! No. Why do you have it then?”
”It was there when I bought the mine, and it answers its purpose.”