"Overcome?" he whispered. "With joy. Yes: our poor boy will live." CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT. THE RUPTURED VEIN. "He's my father-in-law, Wrigley, but he's an old beast," said Jessop, in a low snarling tone, as the Doctor's steps died away in the distance. "I daresay he is," replied Wrigley; "but this is no time for pouring your domestic troubles on my head. What did you mean by telling me that this man, Sturgess, fell down a shaft?" "That's what he told me--a brute! I've no sympathy with him whatever, but I don't, want it to be said that we neglected him, in case he dies. We've got troubles enough." "Rather. It's about as near utter ruin as a man can get. Stockbroker? You're lucky if you don't turn stone-broker." "Mind what you're talking about. You'll have that fellow Robson hear you." "Doesn't seem to matter to me who hears me now. The game's up." "No, no, wait till that fellow comes and makes his examination." "Oh yes. I'll wait. Here by twelve, won't he? But I'm not going to pin my faith to his coming. To me as good an idea as ever man put upon the market has gone dead." "Yes, curse you, and ruined me," growled Jessop. "You always were so cursed clever." "Come, I like that; ruined you, eh? Ruin the ruined. Why, for years past you've never been worth a rap, and have had to come to me to keep you going." "And pretty dearly I've had to pay for it." "Yes; a man who wants his bills discounted, and who is known to be stone broke, does have to pay pretty smartly for the risk that is run. But never mind, Jessop, we must try something else. I say, though, that father-in-law of yours is a tartar. You don't expect to get anything out of him, do you?" "He must leave his daughter his money." "No, he mustn't. There are plenty of hospitals and charities about. He'll never let you have a sou." "Can't you find some other cursedly nasty thing to tell me, Wrig," snarled Jessop. "It's infernally cowardly of you, that's what it is. Thank goodness, here's the engineer." "Then now we shall get out of our difficulties or plunge deeper in. Why couldn't you know something about mining engineering, and so have saved this expense?" "Mr Wrigley?" said a quiet, solid-looking man, riding up to the office door. "My name is Wrigley, sir. Are you Mr Benson?" "Yes; and I came as soon as I could, after I heard from the Woden Mine Company's secretary. What is the question, gentlemen. Deeper sinking? Troubled with water?" "No," said Jessop eagerly. "The lode we have been working has suddenly come to an end in the solid stone." "I see. A blind lead," said the newcomer, dismounting. "And we want advice as to what is best to do so as to hit again upon the ore," said Wrigley. "I hear that you stand at the top of the tree in such matters." "Very kind of people to say so, sir," replied the mining engineer. "I do my best. But you used to have a first-class man here--Mr Clive Reed."