"You don't know what sort of people these miners are, my dear," he said when Minnie had made known to him in as few words as possible what she wished to do. "And as for reforming them, I don't think that possible, I don't indeed. You had better leave that to the missionary, I think, or to some one who knows the sort of folks they are, and how to deal with them." "But they have proved that they don't know how to deal with them, they have all failed, so I mean to try a different plan from any of the common methods, besides I shall only have to do with the children at first; I want to try to influence the older people through them. Come, papa, _do_ let me have the cottage and make a trial, and I promise if the result does not please you to give it up at the end of a month." Mr. Kimberly shook his head a good deal, and grumbled a little that she might find something better to occupy her time than amusing a lot of dirty ragamuffins who would never thank her for her trouble, but finally gave in, to the unbounded delight of Minnie, who, it may be remarked, had never entertained a doubt as to the final issue of the debate, knowing well that her father would refuse her nothing on which she had so strenuously set her heart. "And how about the jacket?" he inquired, when she laid before him her financial scheme, in a business-like manner which greatly amused and delighted him. "O, you know, I can do without that quite well. You don't imagine, surely, that it is because a sealskin is warmer or for any reason of that description that I want it. It is only because it looks finer, and it is so great a satisfaction to have such a thing that I wanted it--in fact, only to gratify my vanity, which is gratified too much already by a certain old gentleman who evidently thinks there never _was_ such another girl as his daughter." "Come, now, young lady, don't abuse your old father in that insinuating manner, for he won't stand it, and as for your vanity, you don't overstate it a bit; but we'll see whether the inhabitants of Hollowmell won't contrive to rid you of some of that." "Just one thing, papa," said Minnie, as she kissed and thanked him again, before retiring for the night. "Please keep it a secret from the boys. You know how they would tease me about it if they knew." "Very well, it is not likely it would have occurred to me to mention it to them, but it is just as well to be on guard. When do you begin operations?" "As soon as we can have everything in working order." "Well, here's some money to start with, and see you make a good use of it. We'll arrange about your own money when I have more time." Minnie ran off with her prize--a bright, golden sovereign--and found herself scarcely able to sleep that night for dreaming of the wonders which were to be affected through her agency in Hollowmell.