Of course,
everything depends upon the value of it in the china trade.'
'Of course.'
'Very well then, I took the only way that was open to me to find out what
practical men say about it. If they say they will have nothing to do with
it, then we might as well give up our mining scheme and send back our
option to Mr. Von Brent.'
Kenyon read the letter again, and pondered deeply over it.
'You see, of course,' said George once more, 'everything hinges on that,
don't you?'
'I certainly see that.'
'Then, what have you to say?'
'I have to say this--that I shall have to take a trip among the china
works of Great Britain. I think it would be a good plan if you were to
write to the different manufacturers in the United States and find out
how much they use of it. There is no necessity for sending the mineral.
They have to use that, and nothing else will do. Find out from them, if
you can, how much of it they need, what price they will pay for pure
material, and what they pay for the impure material they use now.'
'How do you know, John, that there are not a dozen mines with that
material in them?'
'How do I know? Well, if you want to impugn my knowledge of mineralogy, I
wish you would do so straight out. I either know my business or I do not.
If you think I do not, then leave this matter entirely alone. I tell you
that what I say about this mineral is true. What I say about its scarcity
is true. There are no other mines with mineral so pure as this.
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