The game's up.

My directors have lost their nerve.

The Grenfell Consolidated must go down in the next few months." It was evident to Ida that whatever could be done must be done by her, or the man would go away again without a word, and this time he would, as he had said, not come back at all.

For a moment or two she sat very still.
"Ah," she murmured, "I needn't tell you that I'm sorry." "No," said Weston, simply.

"I know you are." Then there was, for a minute or two, a silence that both found almost intolerable and that seemed emphasized by the snapping of the fire.
There was before the girl a task from which she shrank, but it was clear to her that, since she could not let him go, one of them must speak.
"What are you going to do in the west ?" she asked.
"Push on the heading until we have to let the mine go." "And then ?" Weston spread out his hands.
"I don't know.