"Pretty badly hated, isn't he?" said Jack.
"By the blackguards, yes." Hill spoke with characteristic grimness. "He's
none the worse for that."
"All the better, I should say," remarked Adela. "But what is he like? Is
he an old man?"
"About my age," said Hill.
"I wish you'd give us an introduction to him," she said, with animation.
"I've always wanted to see that mine. You'd like to, too, wouldn't you,
Dot?"
Dot started a little. She had been sitting quite silent in the
background.
"I expect it would be quite interesting," she said, as Hill looked
towards her. "But perhaps it wouldn't be very easy to manage it."
"I could arrange it if you cared to go," said Hill.
"Could you? How kind of you! But it would mean spending the night at
Trelevan, wouldn't it? I--I think we are too busy for that." Dot glanced
at her brother in some uncertainty.
"Oh, it could be managed," said Jack, kindly. "Why not? You don't get
much fun in life. If you want to see the mine, and Hill can arrange it,
it shall be done."
"Thank you," said Dot.
Adela turned towards her. "My dear, do work up a little enthusiasm!
You've sat like a mute ever since you came in. What's the matter?"
Dot was on her feet in a moment. This sort of baiting, good-natured
though it was, was more than she could bear. "I've one or two jobs left
in the kitchen," she said. "I'll go and attend to them--if no one minds.
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