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〃Mystery？ Nonsense。 It is quite simple。 It is a mere matter of emphasis。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 said Larry； 〃or at least I don't see。 But credit me with the earnest and humble desire to understand。〃
〃Well；〃 said his sister； 〃the one〃
〃Which one？〃
〃Switzer。 He is mad to possess her for his very own。 He would carry her off against her will。 He'd bully her to death。〃
〃Ah； you would like that？〃
〃Not I。 Let him try it on。 The other； Romayne； is mad to have her too。 He would give her his very soul。 But he sticks there waiting till she comes and flings herself into his arms。〃
〃You prefer that； eh？〃
〃Oh； that makes me tired！〃 said Nora in a tone of disgust。
〃Well； I give it up；〃 said Larry hopelessly。 〃What do you want？〃
〃I want both。 My man must want me more than he wants Heaven itself； and he must give me all he has but honour。 Such a man would be my slave！ And such a manoh； I'd just love to be bullied by him。〃
For some moments Larry stood looking into the glowing black eyes； then said quietly； 〃May God send you such a man； little sister； or none at all。〃
In a few weeks the Alberta Coal Mining and Development Company was an established fact。 Mr。 Waring…Gaunt approved of it and showed his confidence in the scheme by offering to take a large block of stock and persuade his friends to invest as well。 He also agreed that it was important to the success of the scheme both that Mr。 Gwynne should be the president of the company and that young Switzer should be its secretary。 Mr。 Gwynne's earnest request that he should become the treasurer of the company Mr。 Waring…Gaunt felt constrained in the meantime to decline。 He already had too many irons in the fire。 But he was willing to become a director and to aid the scheme in any way possible。 Before the end of the month such was the energy displayed by the new secretary of the company in the disposing of the stock it was announced that only a small block of about 25；000 remained unsold。 A part of this Mr。 Waring… Gaunt urged his brother…in…law to secure。
〃Got twenty thousand myself； you knowlooks to me like a sound propositionthink you ought to go inwhat do you say； eh； what？〃
〃Very well； get ten or fifteen thousand for me；〃 said his brother… in…law。
Within two days Mr。 Waring…Gaunt found that the stock had all been disposed of。 〃Energetic chap； that young Switzer；got all the stock placednone left； so he told me。〃
〃Did you tell him the stock was for me？〃 enquired Romayne。
〃Of course； why not？〃
〃Probably that accounts for it。 He would not be especially anxious to have me in。〃
〃What do you say？ Nothing in that； I fancy。 But I must see about that； what？〃
〃Oh； let it go；〃 said Romayne。
〃Gwynne was after me again to take the treasurership；〃 said Waring… Gaunt； 〃but I am busy with so many thingstreasurership very hamperingdemands close attentionthat sort of thing； eh； what？〃
〃Personally I wish you would take it；〃 said Romayne。 〃You would be able to protect your own money and the investments of your friends。 Besides； I understand the manager is to be a German； which； with a German secretary； is too much German for my idea。〃
〃Oh； you don't like Switzer； eh？ Natural； I suppose。 Don't like him myself； bounder sort of chapbut avoid prejudice； my boy； eh； what？ Germanthat sort of thingdon't do in this country； eh？ English； Scotch； Irish； French； Galician； Swede； Germanall sound Canadiansmelting pot idea； eh； what？〃
〃I am getting that idea； too；〃 said his brother…in…law。 〃Sybil has been rubbing it into me。 I believe it is right enough。 But apart altogether from that； frankly I do not like that chap； I don't trust him。 I fancy I know a gentleman when I see him。〃
〃All right； all right； my boy； gentleman idea quite right toobut new country； new standards'Old Family' idea played out； don't you know。 Burke's Peerage not known hereevery mug on its own bottom rather touchy Canadians are about that sort of thingdemocracy stuff and all that you know。 Not too bad either； eh； what？ for a chap who has got the stuff in himarchitect of his fortune founder of his own family and that sort of thing； don't you know。 Not too bad； eh； what？〃
〃I quite agree；〃 cried Jack； 〃at least with most of it。 But all the same I hope you will take the treasurership。 Not only will you protect your own and your friends' investments； but you will protect the interests of the Gwynnes。 The father apparently is no business man； the son is to be away； anything might happen。 I would hate to see them lose out。 You understand？〃
His brother…in…law turned his eyes upon him； gazed at him steadily for a few moments； then taking his hand； shook it warmly； exclaiming； 〃Perfectly； old chap； perfectlygood sort； Gwynne good family。 Girl of the finesthope you put it off； old boy。 Madame has put me on； you know； eh； what？ Jolly good thing。〃
〃Now what the deuce do you mean？〃 said Romayne angrily。
〃All rightdon't wish to intrude； don't you know。 Fine girl thoughquite the finest thing I've seencould go anywhere。〃
His brother…in…law's face flushed fiery red。 〃Now look here； Tom；〃 he said angrily； 〃don't be an ass。 Of course I know what you mean but as the boys say here； 'Nothing doing！'〃
〃What？ You mean it？ Nothing doing？ A fine girl like thatsweet girlgood clean stockwonderful motherwould make a wife any man would be proud ofthe real thing； you know； the real thingI have known her these eight yearswatched her grow uprare courage pure soul。 Nothing doing？ My God； man； have you eyes？〃 It was not often that Tom Waring…Gaunt allowed himself the luxury of passion； but this seemed to him to be an occasion in which he might indulge himself。 Romayne stood listening to him with his face turned away； looking out of the window。 〃Don't you hear me； Jack？〃 said Waring…Gaunt。 〃Do you mean there's nothing in it； or have you burned out your heart with those fool women of London and Paris？〃
Swiftly his brother…in…law turned to him。 〃No； Tom； but I almost wish to God I had。 No； I won't say that； rather do I thank God that I know now what it is to love a woman。 I am not going to lie to you any longer； old chap。 To love a sweet； pure woman； sweet and pure as the flowers out there； to love her with every bit of my heart； with every fibre of my soul； that is the finest thing that can come to a man。 I have treated women lightly in my time； Tom。 I have made them love me； taken what they have had to give； and left them without a thought。 But if any of them have suffered through me； and if they could know what I am getting now； they would pity me and say I had got enough to pay me out。 To think that I should ever hear myself saying that to another man； I who have made love to women and laughed at them and laughed at the poor weak devils who fell in love with women。 Do you get me？ I am telling you this and yet I feel no shame； no humiliation！ Humiliation； great heaven！ I am proud to say that I love this girl。 From the minute I saw her up there in the woods I have loved her。 I have cursed myself for loving her。 I have called myself fool； idiot； but I cannot help it。 I love her。 It is hell to me or heaven； which you like。 It's both。〃 He was actually trembling； his voice hoarse and shaking。
Amazement； then pity； finally delight； succeeded each other in rapid succession across the face of his brother…in…law as he listened。 〃My dear chap； my dear chap；〃 he said when Romayne had finished。 〃Awfully glad； you knowdelighted。 But why the howl？ The girl is therego in and get her； by Jove。 Why not； eh； what？〃
〃It's no use； I tell you；〃 said Romayne。 〃That damned German has got her。 I have seen them together too often。 I have seen in her eyes the look that women get when they are ready to give themselves body and soul to a man。 She loves that man。 She loves him； I tell you。 She has known him for years。 I have come too late to have a chance。 Too late； my God； too late！〃 He pulled himself up with an effort； then with a laugh said； 〃Do you recognise me； Tom？ I confess I do not recognise myself。 Well； that's out。 Let it go。 That's the last you will get from me。 But； Tom； this is more than I can stand。 I must quit this country； and I want you to make it easy for me to go。 We'll get up some yarn for Sibyl。 You'll help me out； old man？ God knows I need help in this。〃
〃Rot； beastly rot。 Give her up to that German heel…clicking bounderrather not。 Buck up； old mangive the girl a chance anywayplay the game out； eh； what？ Oh； by the way； I have made up my mind to take that treasurershipbeastly nuisance； eh？ Goin'？ Where？〃
〃Off with the dogs for a run somewhere。〃
〃No； take the cartoo beastly hot for riding； don't you know。 Take my car。 Or； I say； let's go up to the mine。 Must get to know more about the beastly old thing； eh； what？ We'll take the guns and Sweeperwe'll be sure to see some birds and get the evening shoot coming back。 But； last word； my boy； give the girl a chance to say no。 Think of it； a German； good Lord！ You go and get the car ready。 We'll get Sybil to drive while we shoot。〃
Tom Waring…Gaunt found his great； warm； simple heart overflowing with delight at the tremendous news that had come to him。 It was more