"Mr Reed, you are, I fear, the enemy of my daughter's peace, and I say to you, sir, as one who has shown himself to be a man of honour, if there is anything likely to militate against my child's happiness, for heaven's sake, sir, speak out, and let this end at once." "You say you will be frank with me, sir; I will be frank with you. Not many months back I was engaged to be married." "And broke it off?" said the Major sharply. "No, sir; I was a poor weak lover, I suppose. Too much immersed in business. The lady chose again, or, poor girl, was tricked into another engagement, and is married. I came down here, half mad with despair, to forget my cares in work; and instead I have awakened to the fact there is still happiness for me if I can win it." "Ah!" said the Major. "In plain English, then, sir, you wish to speak to Dinah?" "Yes." "You are aware, I suppose, that she has nothing but her own sweet nature with which to endow a man." "I never asked myself that question, sir." "Of course, at my death she will have a few thousands, upon whose interest we live." "Will she?" said Clive quietly. "Yes; and you, Mr Reed, it is my duty as a father to ask you a question or two. Will your position as manager of this mine enable you to keep her, not in affluence, but modest comfort?" "I think so, sir," said Clive, smiling. "That's well. But there, if--I say if this goes on, she shall have half my shares at once. A fair white virgin shall go to the altar with so many `White Virgins' in her train." "My dear Major Gurdon," said Clive, grasping the old officer's hand, "don't you know?" "Know--know, sir! What?" "That exactly one-third of the `White Virgin' shares are mine, beside a great deal of property my father left. I suppose I am what people call a very rich man." "What!" cried the Major, literally dazed, "and you work like you do?" "And why not? It is for myself--for the shareholders--for you. It was my father's wish, sir, that this mine should prove to be a great success, and it is my sacred duty to make it so." "But--but, my dear Reed, you must be a millionaire!" "I suppose so," said Clive quietly. "Then it will be impossible. My poor child could not marry so wealthy a man." "Then I must make myself poor," said Clive. "Bah! what has money to do with it? Major Gurdon, I came down here to find rest and peace; let me find happiness as well, and that the world is not all base." "I hardly dare give consent," faltered the Major. "You are the first, sir, who has ever approached her in this way, and I could not help seeing how day by day she has brightened and seemed to grow more restful and content. It has been as if she felt that with you near she could be at rest, that you were at hand to protect her, and that the poor old father was growing to be nobody now. Ah! Reed, she has ceased to care for me as she used." "Father!" "You there, Dinah? You heard what we said?"