"Still, at the rate I'm progressing, several months will hardly see me through." Ida had formed a reasonably accurate notion of what was in his mind, and she was half vexed with him and half pleased.

He was, at least, consistent, and meant to persist in the attitude he had adopted; but it was significant that he evidently was afraid to venture an inch outside his defenses.

After all, she decided that it was probably advisable that he should remain behind them in the meanwhile.

It was, however, more or less of a relief to her when her father came in.

He did not appear in the least astonished to see Weston, and shook hands with him as though it were the most natural thing to find him sitting there.
"Business in this city ?" he asked.
"Yes," said Weston, "I've been endeavoring to sell a mine." "Then you struck the lode ?" "I've been abusing Miss Stirling's good-nature with an account of how we did it." Stirling made a little gesture that might have meant anything, but Ida was pleased with the fact that he expressed no astonishment.