Carroll asked no further questions. He did not think it would serve any purpose, and he contented himself with making arrangements for their departure, which they took early on the morrow. Vane had a brief interview with Mabel, who shed some tears over him, and then by her contrivance secured a word or two with Evelyn alone. "Now," he said, "it's possible that you may hear some hard things of me, and I count upon your not contradicting them. After all, I think you owe me that favour. There's just another matter--as I won't be here to trouble you, try to think of me leniently." He held her hand for a moment and then turned away, and a few minutes later he and Carroll left the Dene. CHAPTER XII VANE GROWS RESTLESS. Vane had been back in Vancouver a fortnight when he sat one evening on the verandah of Nairn's house in company with his host and Carroll, lazily looking down upon the inlet. Nairn referred to one of the papers in his hand. "Horsfield has been bringing up that smelter project again, and there's something to be said in favour of his views," he remarked. "We're paying a good deal for reduction." "We couldn't keep a smelter going at present," Vane objected. "There are two or three low-grade mineral properties in the neighbourhood of the Clermont that have only had a little development work done on them," Nairn pointed out. "They can't pay freight on their raw product; but I'm thinking we'd encourage their owners to open up the mines, and get their business, if we had a smelter handy." "It wouldn't amount to much," Vane replied. "Besides, there's another objection--we haven't the dollars to put up a thoroughly efficient plant." "Horsfield's ready to find part of them and do the work." "I know he is," said Vane. "He's suspiciously eager. The arrangement would give him a pretty strong hold upon the company; there are ways in which he could squeeze us." "It's possible. But, looking at it as a personal matter, there are inducements he could offer ye. Horsfield's a man who has the handling of other folks' dollars, as weel as a good many of his own. It might be wise to stand in with him." "So he hinted," Vane answered shortly. "Your argument was about the worst you could have used, Mr. Nairn," Carroll broke in, laughing. "Weel," said Nairn, good-humouredly, "I'm no urging it. I would not see your partner make enemies for the want of a warning." "He'd probably do so, in any case; it's a gift of his," said Carroll. "On the other hand, it's fortunate he has a way of making friends: the two things sometimes go together." Vane turned to Nairn with signs of impatience. "It might save trouble if I state that while I'm a director of the Clermont I expect to be content with a fair profit on my stock in the company." "He's modest," Carroll commented. "What he means is that he doesn't propose to augment that profit by taking advantage of his position."