The engineer whom the subscribers sent North returned with a satisfactory report, and Thirlwell got to work.  He had much to do, and although he was undecided about the future, resolved to stay until he had opened up the vein.  From the beginning he had to grapple with numerous obstacles, for when he drove his adit the water broke in and the rock was treacherous.  Still he had tunneled far enough to escape the frost when winter began, and the snow that stopped all surface work made transport easier.  One could travel straight across divides and frozen lakes, and the sledges ran smoothly on the ice.  When the trail south was broken he built shacks at the camping places and kept a gang of half-breeds felling trees and improving the road.

After some months, he found it necessary to visit the railroad settlement, and reaching it one evening, tired and numbed by cold, followed his sledge to the hotel in a thoughtful mood.  For one thing, he must write to Strange, whose last letter had hinted that he was anxious, and it would be hard to send an encouraging report.  The ore was good, but the vein was thin and expensive to work.  In fact, the working cost was much higher than he had thought.  When he entered the hotel he was dazzled by the light, and the sudden change of temperature made him dizzy.  He stopped, wondering whether his eyes had deceived him, as a man dressed in clothes that were obviously English came forward.

“Hallo, Jim!” said the latter.

“Allott!” exclaimed Thirlwell.  “What are you doing here?”

The other laughed.  “I left Helen at New York.  She’s going to Florida for the winter with her American friends and I thought I’d look you up before I followed.  I’ve news, but it will keep until you have had some food.”

Had Thirlwell not been an important man, he would probably have had to wait until next morning for a meal, but the landlord’s wife bustled about and supper was soon on the table.  There were no other guests, and when Thirlwell’s appetite was satisfied he and Allott pulled their chairs to the stove.  The floor was not covered, the rough board walls were cracked, and a tarry liquid dripped from the bend where the stovepipe pierced the ceiling.

“The hotel is not luxurious and they have very crude ideas about cookery, but they tried to suit my fastidious taste when I told them I was a friend of yours,” Allott remarked.  “However, I don’t suppose you are remarkably comfortable at the mine, and you can change all this when you like.”

Thirlwell looked puzzled and Allott resumed:  “You haven’t opened your mail yet and I didn’t suggest it, because I wanted to talk to you first.  I wonder whether it will be a shock to hear that Sir James is dead?”

“I’m sorry,” Thirlwell answered.  “I think he’d have been kinder if I’d let him.  Perhaps I ought to have indulged him more than I did; but I was obstinate, and—­well, you know, he was harsh to my father—­”