"Misfortunes never come singly," he said. "As I daresay you have heard, my foreman Sturgess has met with a nasty accident, and Robson, my clerk, sends me word that he has been delirious and wandering a good deal. He fell down one of the inner shafts where he could have no business, and ought to be thankful that he escaped with his life. Now I do not want to be exacting, darling, but if you could do any little thing to soften the man's misfortune, I should be glad. He is an ill-conditioned fellow, but he is my employe, and I want to do my duty by him as far as I can." Dinah, in her agony of spirit, wanted to rush off to her own room and hide herself from the sight of all. For this appeal seemed more than she could bear; but the Major was present, and at that moment spoke about the contents of his own letter. "Reed wants us to see and help his foreman, who is lying at one of the cottages ill from a fall. We must do all we can, my dear. He's a good fellow, is Clive. Very thoughtful of others. Dear, dear, if I had only been a little more strong-minded." "Have you suffered so very heavily, father?" said Dinah, who forced herself to be calm and speak. "Suffered! Oh, yes, my dear, in mind as well as pocket. You were right, my child; he is all that is honourable and true. But it is very humiliating--very lowering to the spirit of an old soldier." "To find that you have mistrusted him, father?" "Er--er--yes, my dear; but--but--there I will be frank with you. I did not mean that." "Father, you are keeping something from me." "Yes, my dear, I am," said the Major hurriedly; "but Dinah, my dear, I have not accepted yet. The fact is, I have lost all, my dear--at least all but a beggarly pittance saved out of the wreck; and Clive--God bless him for a true gentleman!" Dinah's arms were round her father's neck, as the love-light shone in her eyes, and she laid her cheek upon his shoulder. "Well, yes, my dear, he is; and I suppose with all his simplicity and want of ostentation he is very rich. His house in town is--ah, well, never mind that! He insists upon giving me as many shares in the mine as I fooled away." "But you cannot accept them from him, dear father," cried Dinah, raising her head, and looking at him anxiously. "No, my darling, I told him so; that it would be a cruel humiliation; and that I would never accept them." "Yes; that was quite right, dearest," said Dinah, with her eyes flashing. "But he said--" "Yes, what did he say?" "That I was foolishly punctilious, that I was going to give him something of more value than all the riches in the world, and that I refused to take a fitting present from him." The warm blood glowed in Dinah's cheeks, and there was a look of pride and happiness in her eyes which were gradually softened by the gathering tears.