It was evident that the man understood all that was meant, but he rose with an apparent effort.  “And now I have a good deal to do,” he said.

Alice Deringham also rose with a little stateliness, and when he had gone out sank down contemplatively into the chair again.  Her hands lay open in her lap, and it is possible that she saw nothing of the sewing they rested on as she grappled with the question why had the man told her what he had done.  There were two apparent reasons, for Alice Deringham realized that there was a certain greatness behind his simplicity.  Granting that, she could see his standpoint clearly, though it was more difficult to understand why such a man had made it evident to her.  He was, she knew, not one to stoop even to win a woman’s good opinion, and would have seen that in this direction silence became him best, unless he felt that while so much was due to honour there was something due to her.

He had told her simply that it was not to please himself he was going out to look for the silver just then, and the deduction was that the expedition had no attractions for him because he wished to stay at the ranch.  Allowing that, the revelation of his motive had not been purposeless.  It was only his responsibility drove him away from her, and there was a vague but effective compliment in the implication that she would recognize it.  Still, this train of reasoning had led Alice Deringham far enough, and she sought distraction from it in her embroidery, which during the next hour progressed but indifferently.

It was a day or two later when Alton drew Deringham into his room when he came in bemired all over from the settlement, and the financier noticed that the table and most of the floor was littered with books, survey plans, and miscellaneous papers.

“I’ll have to leave this place for a little,” he said.  “I’m going up to find the silver, but the ranch and all that’s in it is at your service just as long as it pleases you.  If all goes as I expect it, I shall be back in a month or so, and would be glad to find you still at Somasco.  Then, if you are ready, Charley and I will go back to the old country with you.  A lawyer in Vancouver has written to an English accountant for me, and with him to help us we can fix up all about Carnaby.”

Now Deringham had up to that moment still retained a hope that he could arrive at an understanding with Alton respecting Carnaby on the spot.  As it was, unless he could gain time, exposure and even worse things stared him in the face.  It had been comparatively simple to hoodwink his co-trustee, but it would be very different with an accountant of reputation, and he had also grown afraid of Alton’s instinctive grasp of whatever subject he turned his attention to.  There was, of course, much the rancher did not know, but that left him with attention the more concentrated upon issues of importance.

Deringham, however, showed but little evidence of dismay or astonishment.  Had he been liable to do so, he would not have held his own so long in the occupation he followed.  His breath came a trifle more quickly, and his hand trembled a little, but he rested it upon the table, and all that Alton noticed was a curious little movement about the corner of his eyes.  The rancher, however, remembered it.