"You do. More sweet, more lovable. Oh, Dinah, there was never such a happy fellow before. This place is a paradise after grimy old London, and--oh, here is the Major, I can hear his step." Dinah turned pale. "That is not his step," she said, as she looked excitedly toward the window. Clive rose, went to it, and looked out. "Why, it's Robson," he cried. "Hang it! I hope there is nothing wrong. I'll go and meet him." Before he was outside Dinah was after him, and she hurriedly placed her hand upon his arm. "Eh? Well, come with me then, pet. I have no secrets from you.--Well, Robson, what's the matter? Sturgess worse?" "No, sir, but you are wanted over yonder directly." "Wanted?" "Yes, sir, there's a party of gentlemen come down." "What--visitors? Oh, hang them; they want to see the mine, I suppose?" "No, sir. They say they've come to take possession." "What?" "I suppose they're bailiffs, sir." "And I suppose you're a confounded fool!" cried Clive angrily. "That mine does not owe a penny!" "One of the gentlemen said he was a shareholder, sir, the principal shareholder, and he gave me his card." Clive snatched it, and Dinah read the name thereon-- "Mr Wrigley, New Inn, Strand." "Wrigley?" cried Clive excitedly. "Yes, sir; and he said he must see you at once." "All right; I'll come. Wait for me yonder at the corner, Robson; and I beg your pardon for speaking so roughly just now." "That's nothing, sir. You were cross," said the clerk, smiling; and he walked back down the garden to go and stand watching the trout in the river. "Don't look so scared, dearest," said Clive tenderly; "there is nothing wrong. I'll tell you briefly what it is. You know there was a scare about the mine--a panic." "Yes, dear." "Well, a lot of foolish old friends were frightened--oh, dear me! I'm accusing the Major. Well, there, I can't help it. He did act foolishly. A lot of them, I say, instead of coming to me went and sold their shares, and these were bought up by speculators who have since then been interfering at our board meetings, and wanting to meddle over the management of things. In fact, I was so wroth that I would not go to yesterday's meeting, but determined to come down here and see how things were, and--you know why I came. Now I must go on. I suppose they had their meeting yesterday, and passed some resolution or another; but I'm too big a shareholder to be trifled with, and I'm going to meet these people now and have a row. For they shall have their big dividends, but I'm not going to have any meddlesome fools down here." "But you will keep your temper, dear, and be calm." "I'll take your sweet face with me, love, and--why, here's the Major. Ah, my dear old dad, how are you? Good-bye, Dinah. Come over to the mine with me, sir, and help me to keep my temper; well talk as we go."