’But what has John done that there should be
any question about all this?’
‘I suppose he was a little—just a
little—what they call fast once.’
‘He got into debt when he was a boy,’
said the wife, ’and then paid off everything
and a great deal more by his own industry. It
seems to me that everybody ought to be proud of him.’
‘I don’t think your mother is proud of
him, my dear.’
‘I hope he’ll go when he’s told
to do so.’
’John! Of course he’ll go if I ask
him. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do
to make me happy. But really when I talk to him
about it at all, I am ashamed of myself. Poor
mamma!’ The result of this visit was, however,
very comforting. Mrs Daniel had seen Mrs. Bolton,
and had herself been witness to the fact that Mrs.
Bolton had mitigated the sternness of her denial when
asked to receive her son-in-law at Puritan Grange.
It was, said Mrs. Daniel, the settled opinion of the
Bolton family that, in the course of another month
or so, the woman would be induced to give way under
the pressure put upon her by the family generally.
It was said at the beginning of the last chapter that
things had gone on smoothly, or with apparent smoothness,
at Folking since the return of the Caldigates from
their wedding tour; but there had in truth been a
small cloud in the Folking heavens over and beyond
that Babington haze which was now vanishing, and the
storm at Chesterton as to which hopes were entertained
that it would clear itself away. It will perhaps
be remembered that Caldigate’s offer for the
sale of his interest in the Polueuka mine had been
suddenly accepted by certain enterprising persons
in Australia, and that the money itself had been absolutely
forthcoming. This had been in every way fortunate,
as he had been saved from the trouble of another journey
to the colony; and his money matters had been put
on such a footing as to make him altogether comfortable
But just when he heard that the money had been lodged
to his account,—and when the money actually
had been so paid,—he received a telegram
from Mr. Crinkett, begging that the matter might be
for a time postponed. This, of course, was out
of the question. His terms had been accepted,—which
might have gone for very little had not the money been
forthcoming. But the cash was positively in his
hands. Who ever heard of a man ‘postponing’
an arrangement in such circumstances? Let them
do what they might with Polyeuka, he was safe!
He telegraphed back to say that there could be no
postponement As far as he was concerned the whole thing
was settled. Then there came a multiplicity of
telegrams, very costly to the Crinkett interest;—costly
also and troublesome to himself; for he, though the
matter was so pleasantly settled as far as he was concerned,
could not altogether ignore the plaints that were made
to him. Then there came very long letters, long
and loud; letters not only from Crinkett, but from
others, telling him that the Polyeuka gold had come
to an end, the lode disappearing altogether, as lodes
sometimes do disappear The fact was that the Crinkett
Company asked to have back half its money, offering
him the Polyeuka mine in its entirety if he chose to
accept it.
