"I am disappointed, I confess", said Grind. "But angry excitement never helped a cause, good or bad. We must have possession of this child somehow. Martin came down from Reading this morning. I saw him but an hour ago." "Indeed! What does he say?" "The indications of coal are abundant. He made very careful examinations at a great number of points. In several places he found it cropping out freely; and the quality, as far as he was able to judge, is remarkably good." "Will he keep our secret?" said Jasper. "It is his interest to do so." "We must make it his interest, in any event. No time is now to be lost." "I agree with you there. A single week's delay may ruin every thing. The coal is our discovery, and we are, in all equity, entitled to the benefit." "Of course we are. It's a matter of speculation, at best; the lucky win. If we can get an order for the sale, we shall win handsomely. But, without producing the child, it will be next to impossible to get the order. So we must have her, by fair means or by foul." "We must," said the lawyer, compressing his lips firmly. "And have her now." "Now," responded Grind. Jasper rose to his feet. "It's easy enough to say what we must have," remarked Grind, "but the means of gaining our ends are not always at hand. What do you propose doing?" "I shall get the child." "Don't act too precipitately. Violence will excite suspicion, and suspicion is a wonderful questioner." "We must play a desperate game, as things now are, or not play at all," said Jasper. "True; but the more desperate the game, the more need of coolness, forethought, and circumspection. Don't forget this. How do you mean to proceed?" "That is yet to be determined." "Will you make another effort to influence Claire?" "No." "Do you regard him as altogether impracticable?" "No influence that I can bring would move him." "You will, then, resort to stratagem or force?" "One or the other--perhaps both. The child we must have." "Let me beg of you, Jasper, to be prudent. There is a great deal at stake." "I know there is; and the risk increases with every moment of delay." Grind showed a marked degree of anxiety. "If the child were in our possession now," said Jasper, "or, which is the same, could be produced when wanted, how soon might an order for the sale be procured?" "In two or three weeks, I think," replied the lawyer. "Certain preliminary steps are necessary?" "Yes." "If these were entered upon forthwith, how soon would the child be wanted?" "In about ten days." "Very well. Begin the work at once. When the child is needed, I will see that she is forthcoming. Trust me for that. I never was foiled yet in any thing that I set about accomplishing, and I will not suffer myself to be foiled here." With this understanding, Jasper and the lawyer parted.