open to take in a younger
man--a man of education, who has some acquaintance with the work
that's done in the Bush. He must take hold now, and hold stock in the
concern. Here's the last letter they wrote me."

He passed it across to Nasmyth, whose face grew eager, and then
suddenly hardened again. The concern in question was, as he had heard,
one of excellent repute, and supposed to be carrying on a profitable
mining business.

"It's out of the question that I should raise the capital," he said.

"The money can be raised," Wisbech broke in quietly. "I'll buy that
stock for you, and, if you insist on it, you can treat it as a loan."

Nasmyth sat very still for a moment or two, and slowly closed one hard
hand. He had never expected such an offer from Wisbech, and he
recognized that it would free him of all his difficulties if he
accepted it. There was, however, an obstacle in the way.

"Well," asked Wisbech very dryly, "isn't the Hecla Minerals good
enough for you?"

Nasmyth looked at Acton. "I must go there--now?"

"That is one of the conditions. They want to fix the thing before
Kekewich, who hasn't been well lately, starts East on a trip to
Montreal. I promised to wire if you were willing to go down and see
them to-morrow."

Nasmyth turned to Wisbech, and his voice was strained.

"I am under many obligations to you already, sir, but I'm sorry I
can't profit by your generosity in this case," he said.

"Why?" queried Wisbech sharply.

"It's a little difficult to explain. You see, the idea of lowering the
river was mine. Some of the boys up yonder have mortgaged their
ranches, and put every dollar they could raise in that way into the
scheme. They look to me to put the thing through; so that they may get
their money back again."

"Is there no one else who could do that?" Acton asked. "It seems to me
there's nothing wrong with that man Gordon. I guess you could leave it
to him."

Nasmyth felt that Wisbech was watching him with a curious intentness.

"Gordon," he answered slowly, "is at least as well fitted to lead the
boys as I am. In fact, I might go farther than that. After all,
however, there is a little more to be said."

He stopped abruptly, and sat silent a moment or two, leaning with one
elbow on the table, and the light full upon his face. There was
trouble in his expressive eyes, but his mouth was tense and grimly
resolute. He remembered the pleasant summer days that he and Violet
Hamilton had