to recover, he again begged
him to remain at Sandymere. He had come to lean upon the younger man
and he entrusted him with all the business of the estate, which he no
longer was able to attend to.

"Dick," he said one day, when Blake thought he was too ill to perceive
that he was casting a reflection on his son, "I wish my personal means
were larger, so that I could give Bertram enough and leave Sandymere to
you; then I'd know the place would be in good hands. On the surface,
you're a happy-go-lucky fellow; but that's deceptive. In reality, you
have a surprising grip of things--however, you know my opinion of you.
But you won't go away, Dick?"

The nurse interrupted them, and Blake was glad that he had written to
Harding stating his inability to rejoin him. A week or two later he
had received a cable message: "_No hurry_."

When spring came he was still at Sandymere, for Challoner got better
very slowly and would not let his nephew go. Blake saw Millicent
frequently during those days. At first he felt that it was a weakness,
as he had nothing to offer her except a tainted name; but his love was
getting beyond control, and his resistance feebler. After all, he
thought, the story of the Indian disaster must be almost forgotten; and
Harding had a good chance for finding the oil. If he had not already
started for the North, he would do so soon; but Blake had had no news
from him since his cabled message.

Then, after a quiet month, Blake suggested that as the Colonel was
getting stronger again he ought to go back to Canada.

"If you feel that you must go, I'll have to consent," Challoner said.

"I have a duty to my partner. It's probable that he has already set
off, but I know where to find him, and there'll be plenty to do. For
one thing, as transport is expensive, we'll have to relay our supplies
over very rough country, and that means the same stage several times.
Then, I don't suppose Harding will have been able to buy very efficient
boring plant."

"He may have done better than you imagine," Challoner suggested with a
smile. "A man as capable as he seems to be would somehow get hold of
what was needful."

Blake was surprised at this, because his uncle understood their
financial difficulties.

"Well, there's a fast boat next Saturday," he said. "I think I'll go
by her."

"Wait another week, to please me," Challoner urged him. "You have had
a dull time since I've been ill, and now I'd like you t