The responsibility of the whole matter
rested heavily on my shoulders, and grew still heavier as the circle
of share-holders without Marut increased. I felt that, should my first
hopes prove unfounded, my friends and many others would suffer losses
which they could ill afford to bear. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my
painful duty to tell you that the dreaded collapse has come. Mr.
Medway, here, the company's chief engineer and mining expert, informed
me yesterday that any continuation of the works was useless and a mere
waste of the share-holders' money. I therefore beg to announce to you
that the Marut Diamond Company Mine is definitely closed."
The Colonel clenched his teeth half-way through the first oath he had
ever allowed himself in the presence of ladies. He was not an
unusually egoistical man, but his first thought was one of unutterable
gratitude that in the moment of strong temptation his wife had held an
obstinate hand on the purse-strings.
The first person to speak was Mrs. Cary. She leaned half-way across
the table.
"And my money?" she said thickly and unsteadily. "Where's my money?
Where's my money? Tell me that!"
Travers shrugged his shoulders.
"I fear it has gone the way of mine and of the other share-holders',"
he said. "Nor can I hold out any hopes of its coming back. The
expenses of the mine have been terribly heavy, the workmen have been
extremely well paid--extremely well paid.
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