E. Phillips Oppenheim

“ My father knows nothing about mining himself, and he has not even had an expert's opinion upon it. He goes entirely upon the Count's word, and what the Count chooses to show him. Why, the mine isn't being worked—hasn't been worked for thirty years."
"Perhaps," I suggested, "the Count hasn't the capital to work it. Labour out here's mighty cheap, but up-to-date mining takes a lot of money." ”

“ You are a utilitarian people. It is you who work hand-in-hand to-day with the great forces of the world. But with us here it is different. We are guilty of the terrible weakness of leaning upon our past. The people round here are my people. ”

“ The Count shrugged his shoulders. Suddenly he came close up to my side and looked round to be sure that we were alone.
"Come," he said, "you are an American; you are a people of great affairs; you like, I think, that one talks business with you. Whatever your name may be, you are here to make a report upon my mine—the Great Fortuna Mine. Is it not so?"
"My dear Count," I said, "I guess you are a long way off this time. I know no more about mines than a babe unborn. I'm junior partner and buyer for a firm of dry goods men in Boston, and I'm on my way to Genoa to buy silk. ”

“ I asked.
"The sort of person who goes straight ahead. It's a characteristic of your country-people, isn't it?"
"When one's mind is made up," I said, firmly, touching, as though by accident, the back of her chair.
"There are some necessary explanations," she murmured. "Afterwards——"
She looked at me. I withdrew my hand.
"Please go on," I said.
She certainly went straight to the point. "My father's name is Derwent," she said. "He has come out here to look at a silver mine belonging to Count Perlitto. He wants to buy it." ”

“ The Great Fortuna Mine is not worth twenty thousand pence."
"What a fraud the Count is," she sighed, "and what a lot of money people will lose."
"Yes, but Charlie!"
She laughed softly.
"Oh, it makes no difference to Charlie," she said. "I believe he had to pay an awful lot of money for those favourable reports, but he's sold out to a syndicate for a hundred-thousand pounds. He got the signatories and raised the money of them to buy the mine. The syndicate will sell to a company, and, of course, the public who buy shares will be the people who will lose their money. ”

“ Her father, who only yesterday had responded to some attempted advances on my part with truly British hauteur, stopped at my table and smiled genially upon me.
"If you are taking your coffee outside this evening," he said, "will you join us? This is my friend, Count Perlitto, who is a large landowner in the neighbourhood; my daughter I believe you have already met." ”

“ The moment the money comes, my father will sign the deed of purchase."
"Has he no friends?" I asked, "whose opinion he would take?"
"Not one," she answered. "He has always been so foolish that I think everyone is tired of advising him. He always goes his own way in the long run. He is so painfully obstinate. I do not think that there is anybody who can help me—except you."
Her hand fell upon my coat-sleeve, and mine promptly closed over it. She made no movement to draw it away. I felt that I would have pitched the Count down one of his own shafts with pleasure if she had asked me. ”

“ I suggested, "about this mine of the Count's?"
"Exactly!" he admitted. "Now I am free to confess that I am not a mining expert. I came out to have a look at the property, meaning—er—to have an independent opinion in case I thought it likely to interest me. I find, however, that there is no room for any delay in the matter. Our good friend the Count—very decent, hospitable sort of fellow he seems—is, between ourselves, hard pressed. He means to sell, and to sell at once. He says that his brother is even now in London with a power of attorney. ”

“ I said, encouragingly "The Count looks like the sort who have silver mines to sell. We got plenty of them out in Boston."
"My father thinks he is a good business man," she continued. "As a matter of fact, he has lost nearly all his money speculating in things which he doesn't understand a bit. He has about twenty thousand pounds left. That is all we have to live upon. The Count is asking twenty-thousand pounds for this mine. If my father buys it we shall be penniless." ”

“ The old man with whom she had entered, a decrepit, weak-faced, but aristocratic looking, Englishman was shaking hands with an Italian, whom I had been told was a native of the place, and who had evidently come in to dine. ”

“ The Count fixed me with his little black eyes.
"For the purposes of a business," he said slowly, "no! It is not worth the paper on which it is written. But I will show you how frank I am. Mr. Derwent, he, too, knows that you are Mr. Anderson, the mining expert. He will come to you for your verdict. He will, perhaps, try to buy your report. Now, you have had no opportunity to inspect the property properly. It may be—I cannot tell—that you have even prepared an unfavourable report. If so I will buy it from you. I do not wish to cause the good Mr. ”

“ Veronica nodded to me from underneath her parasol, and crossed the square at a pace which the Count must have found maddeningly slow. Mr. Derwent leaned over towards me and opened the ball straight off.
III. "I—er—was hoping to have a few minutes' conversation with you this morning, Mr. Anderson," he said, slowly adjusting his eye-glass. "from something which my daughter let drop in—er—the course of conversation, I gathered that you were to some extent interested in—in short, in mining properties." ”