"Oh," he exclaimed, "you must have heard enough about the lode to make you tired of it! However, I expect I shall have to go back to England before long."
Geraldine wondered whether the curt announcement was meant to alarm her, and decided that it was not. The man was too modest to make sure of her affection for him. Nevertheless it caused her some concern.
"Will it be a visit, or do you think of staying there?" she asked.
"I can't tell," said Andrew moodily. "If I can get things straightened up, I may come back to the new mine; but I shall not know until I arrive."
"Yes," he answered emphatically, "very much indeed."
"Then you will no doubt find an excuse for doing so. It shouldn't be difficult to a fertile mind."
"Unfortunately, mine often seems to suffer from sterility. It has been subjected to stimulating influences here, and I'll miss them on the other side."
"If needful, couldn't you take Carnally with you?" Geraldine spoke with a touch of raillery.
"Carnally's useful, as far as he goes, but I'm not sure that he'd be much help in England; and he's not the only person I've, so to speak, come to lean on."
Geraldine regarded him with faint amusement.
"Then perhaps it's better that all outside support should be withdrawn and you learned to stand on your own feet. Don't you think you could do so, if you made an effort?"
"It's possible; I've no doubt I'll have to try. But when it's been generously given, one gets into a habit of looking for help and applause."
"That's unfortunate. Criticism's much more bracing. I'm afraid you haven't had enough of it."
"Haven't I?" said Andrew. "I got nothing else at home, and it's damping to have somebody always ready to point out how much better you might have managed things. If I do any good when I get back it will be because of the encouragement I've had here."
"That's a very poor reason. You ought to do what you intend because you feel it's right."
"No doubt," said Andrew with a stern smile. "Still, you see, it needs a good deal of nerve."
Geraldine mused for a few moments. He had played up to her, as she thought of it, but in his half-humorous manner there had been a touch of gravity, and she knew what her commendation had been worth to him. She was glad that he valued it, but she could not have him guess this, and she shrank from showing too much earnestness.