This will recoup him for his outlay, because the working capital
has not been touched. The mica has more than paid the working of the
mine, and all the rest is clear profit. Therefore, if you are willing, we
will let our third go this year, and then we can take our large dividend
next year with a clear conscience. I enclose the balance-sheet.'
To this letter there came an answer in due time from Wentworth, who said
that he had placed John's proposal before Mr. Smith; but it seemed the
gentleman was so pleased with the profitable investment he had made that
he would hear of no other division of the profits but that of share and
share alike. He appeared to be very much touched by the offer John had
made, and respected him for making it, but the proposed rescinding on
his part and Wentworth's was a thing not to be thought of. This being
the case, John sent a letter and a very large cheque to his father. The
moment of posting that letter was, doubtless, one of the happiest of his
life, and this ends the formidable array of letters which appears in
this chapter.
CHAPTER XL.
Wentworth had written to Kenyon that Mr. Smith absolutely refused to take
more than one-third of the profits of the mine. It was true that the
offer had been declined, but Wentworth never knew how much tempted the
Mistress of the Mine had been when he made it. Her one great desire was
to pay back the thirty thousand pounds to her father, and she wanted to
do it as speedily as possible.
Pages:
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350