Barbara advanced, enthusiastically, looking at the Colonel with arch envy in her eyes.  “Five years you’ve been in Europe, surrounded by the nobility.  Oh, Colonel, what happiness!”

He shook his head.  “Happiness away from old Kentucky, surrounded by a lot of numb-skulls who couldn’t mix a fancy drink to save their lives, who know nothing of that prismatic, rainbow-hued fountain of youth, a mint-julep?  Ah!”

“But, Colonel,” said the girl, “the masterpieces of art!”

“Give me,” said he, “the masterpieces of Mother Nature—­the bright-eyed, rose-cheeked, cherry-lipped girls of old Kentucky!”

There was a general laugh.  The Colonel’s gallantry was ever-blooming.  Frank applauded and the ladies bowed.

“By the way, Frank,” said the Colonel, after they had been made comfortable in a merry group before the cabin-door, “where is that particular masterpiece of Nature which you’ve written us so much about?  Where is the—­Diana?”

Miss Alathea smiled at her somewhat worried nephew.  “The ‘phenomenon,’” said she.

“According to Neb, who told us of her as we worked up that steep trail,” said Barbara, “the ‘deer.’” She laughed, not too good naturedly Neb, who was standing waiting orders near, grinned broadly.

“Neb, you rascal!” exclaimed Frank.

“Come, where is she, Frank; where is she?” asked the Colonel.

The youth was not too much embarrassed, but he gave a quick, side-glance at Barbara.  “She is probably getting ready to receive you,” he replied.  “I told her I expected you and she’s been very much excited over it.”

“Adding to nature’s charms the mysteries of art,” the Colonel said, approvingly.  “We shall expect to be overwhelmed.  And, meantime, while we’re waiting, we might as well explain to you the business which has brought us up here.”

His face showed him to be the bearer of good news.  He rose, excitedly, and went to Frank, to put his hand upon his shoulder.  “Now, my boy, keep cool, keep cool!  I tell you, Frank, it’s the biggest thing out.  It’ll make a millionaire of you as sure as Fate before the next five years have passed!”

Layson was taken wholly by surprise.  No one had in the least prepared him for anything of this sort.  He had supposed the party had come up to see him merely for the pleasure of the trip.  “I don’t understand,” said he.

“Keep cool, keep cool!” the Colonel urged.  “It is colossal, metaphorically.  You see, I was over there in Europe, promoting a South American mine, when I happened to see in a Kentucky paper that the Georgetown Midland was to be put through these mountains near the land your father bought.  That land, my boy, is rich in coal and iron!”

The young man’s face shone with delight.  “He always said so!” he exclaimed.  “I meant, sometime, to investigate.”

“I’ve saved you the trouble.  I came back on the next steamer, organized a syndicate in New York City, sent an expert out to carefully look into things, and, on his report, a company is willing to put in a $200,000 plant to develop your land.  All you’ve got to do is to take $25,000 worth of stock and let your coal-land stand for as much more.”