"Making hats. I did one for Miss Horsfield, and afterwards friends of hers sent me some more to trim. She said she'd try to get me some work from one of the big stores." "But you're not a milliner, are you?" said Vane, who felt grateful to Jessie for the practical way in which she had kept her promise to assist. "Celia's something better," Kitty broke in. "She's a genius." The others laughed, and Vane, anxious to turn the conversation away from Miss Horsfield's action, led them on to general chatter, under cover of which he drew Drayton to the door. "The girl looks far from fit," he said. "Has the doctor been over lately?" "Two or three days ago," answered Drayton. "We've been worried about her. It's out of the question that she should go back to the hotel, and she can only manage to work a few hours daily. There's another thing--the clerk of the fellow who owns these shacks has just been along for his rent. It's overdue." "Where's he now?" Drayton laughed, for the sounds of a vigorous altercation rose from farther up the unlighted street. "I guess he's yonder, having some more trouble with his collecting." "I'll fix that matter, anyway," said Vane, who disappeared into the darkness. It was some time later when he re-entered the shack, and waited until a remark of Celia's gave him a lead. "You're really a partner in the lumber scheme," he said. "I can't see why you shouldn't draw some of your share of the proceeds beforehand." "The first payment isn't to be made until you find the spruce and get your lease," the girl reminded him. "You've already paid a hundred dollars we had no claim upon." "That doesn't matter; I'm going to find it." "Yes," said Celia, with a look of confidence, "I think you will. But," and a flicker of colour crept into her thin face--"I can't take any more money until it's done." Vane, failing in another attempt to shake her resolution, dropped the subject, and soon afterwards he and Carroll took their departure. They were sitting in their hotel, waiting for dinner, when Carroll, who lay in a luxurious chair, looked up lazily. "What are you thinking about so hard?" he inquired. Vane glanced meaningly round the elaborately furnished room. "There's a contrast between all this and that rotten shack. Did you notice that Celia never stopped sewing while we were in?" "I did," said Carroll. "I suppose you're going to propound another conundrum of a kind I've heard before--why you should have so many things you don't particularly need while Miss Hartley must go on sewing, when she's hardly able for it, in her most unpleasant shack? I don't know if the fact that you found a mine answers the question; but if it doesn't the thing's beyond your philosophy." "Come off," Vane bade him with signs of impatience. "Your moralising gets on one's nerves. Anyhow, I straightened out one difficulty--I found the rent man, who'd been round worrying her, and got rid of him."