Geoffrey obeyed. He would have done any thing the old man told him then, and they sat smoking in silence, Geoffrey's ears being strained to catch the murmurs of a voice he knew, as it came from an open window, for Rhoda was reading by the invalid's couch. "There, never mind her now," said the old man. "Look here, do you know that she won't have a penny?" "I sincerely hope not," said Geoffrey. "And you've got none," said the old man. "How are you going to manage?" "Set to work again now that I have something to work for," cried Geoffrey, jumping up and again beginning to pace the summer-house. "Sit down, stupid, and do husband some of that vitality of yours. You'll drive me mad if you go on in that wild-beast way." Geoffrey laughed. "Ah, that's better," said the old man. "I haven't seen that grin upon your face for months. But now look here, boy, what are you thinking of doing?" "I don't know," said Geoffrey. "A hundred things. First of all I shall try once more to hunt out the people who bought Wheal Carnac, and see if they will take me on." "What, to lose their money?" "No, sir, but to make money for them." "Then you don't know who bought it?" "No; I tried the agents in town, but they were close as could be." "Of course," said the old man. "They were told to be. He did not want it known." "How do you know?" said Geoffrey. "Because I told them." "Then you know who bought the mine?" "Well, yes, of course. It was I." Geoffrey's cigar dropped from his hand, and he sank back, staring. "Do you know what you have done?" he cried. "Yes, made a fool of myself, I suppose; but I thought I'd have it, and you shall realise all you can for me out of the place. I got it very cheaply. Perhaps I shall build a house there--if I live." "Build! House!" cried Geoffrey. "Why, if old Prawle is right, the mine is rich in copper to a wonderful extent." "And the water?" "Can easily be led away." "Then take it, my boy, and do with it the best you can," said the old man. "I bought it for the merest song, and money has ceased to have any charms for me." "Mr Paul!" "Geoffrey, my dear boy, I've never forgotten those words of yours. You said you were sure that I had a soft spot in my hearty and--God bless you, my lad!"--cried the old man fervently, "you were about the only one, with your frank, bluff way, who could touch it. I'd have given you something, Geoffrey, if you could have married Madge; but there, that's over, and I'm only an old fool after all." CHAPTER SIXTY TWO. LAST CHRONICLES. "I always did believe in her," cried Amos Pengelly proudly, as he saw, some six months later, the rich copper ore being brought up in a mighty yield from out of Wheal Carnac. For old Prawle was right. There were rich veins of copper in the mine, which were easily obtained after an adit had been opened through the zorn to relieve it of the water.