The cottage and its occupants were soon as if they were non-existent to Clive, who went at once into the temporary office which he had had erected, wrote and sent off two telegrams to the nearest town for despatch, several letters, and then, after changing his clothes, went out to descend the mine. He had accidentally arranged his time so that he met Sturgess, who had just ascended. "Ah! Sturgess," he said, "I wanted to see you. Those rails ought to have been taken down first thing this morning, so that a line might be begun for the small trucks." "Oh, yes, I know," said the man roughly. The engineer looked at him wonderingly. "Then see about it at once." "Plenty of time, sir; plenty of time," said Sturgess insolently. "There is not plenty of time, sir," said Clive, in a tone of voice which rather startled the man; "and have the goodness to understand this:--My late father engaged you on the strength of your recommendations, but I am in supreme authority here, and I submit to insolence from no person in my employ." "I didn't mean to be insolent," grumbled the man. "Then please understand that you were, and don't venture upon it again, or we part at once. Now go and see that those rails are taken down directly, and that a gang of men begin to lay them at once toward the opening to the great cavern where the water flows." "No use to lay 'em down there," grumbled Sturgess. "You heard my orders, sir. I shall be in that direction before long." Sturgess went out without a word, but with an ugly look upon his countenance. "All right!" he muttered. "Make much of it. People who get up very high have the farther to fall. Curse him! I'll let him see." "He must have been drinking," thought Clive, as soon as he was alone. The next minute he was wrapt in the management of the mine, and giving orders to different men, ending by going to the bucket to be let down, and noting that Sturgess was looking at him searchingly as he rose from bending over the labourers who were lifting the rails. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. MAJOR GURDON'S VENTURE. "My dear boy, you are quite a glutton at work," said the Major one day when a miner had shown him into Clive's office. "Ah! Major," cried the engineer, looking up from a plan he was making, "glad to see you;" and he shook hands. "Hope Miss Gurdon is better." "Who is to believe that, when you never come near us. Eh? My daughter! Yes, thank heaven, I think that she is a little better. She is gradually losing that scared, frightened look. Nerves growing stronger." "I am very glad, sir. You must forgive my neglect. You know what calls are made upon my time. If I am absent, the work stands still, and I have been forced to run up to town four times since I saw you, to hunt up the machinists. I am coming some day for a few hours' rest and a bit of trout-fishing."