The work had all been trusted to Davidson, while he, often,
had never even seen it. He had been entirely occupied with the girl. He
experienced that sudden sinking feeling which always comes to a man
whom neglected duty wakes from pleasure.
What was Davidson's object? Could it be that he hoped to "buy in" a
rich claim at a low figure, and to that end had sent poor samples East?
The more he thought of this the more reasonable it seemed. His
resignation was for the purpose of putting him in the position of
outside purchaser.
He resolved to carry through the affair diplomatically. During the
afternoon he ruminated on how this was to be done. Mary could not
understand his preoccupation. It piqued her. A slight strangeness
sprang up between them which he was too _distrait_ to notice. Finally,
as he tumbled into bed that night, an idea so brilliant came to him
that he sat bolt upright in sheer delight at his own astuteness.
He would ask Dr. McPherson for a copy of the assays. If his suspicions
were correct, these assays would represent the richest samples. He
would send them at once to Bishop with a statement of the case, in that
manner putting the capitalist on his guard.
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