CHAPTER XII.
A PERILOUS CLIMB.
"Is father in ?" inquired the young girl of Solomon, as he stood in the doorway, without moving aside to let Richard pass into the house.
"No, he is not," returned the person addressed, his keen blue eye fixed suspiciously on the stranger.

"As you were so long on your errand, he gave up his lock-work, and has gone off to the pit.

He said he had never known you loiter so." "I did not loiter at all," returned the maiden, indignantly; "if it had not been for the fog, I should have been home an hour ago; but one can't walk through wool as if it were air.

You had the fog here yourselves, hadn't ye ?" It was strange to note the change in the girl's speech; not only were her air and tone quite different from what they had been--her modesty or shyness exchanged for a confidence and even a touch of defiance--but her phraseology had become blunt and provincial.
"Well, any way he was angered, Harry," returned Solomon, "until I told him of the new copper lode, as I whispered to you of this morning (you were the first to learn it, Harry), when off he set, in good-humor enough with all the world .-- You'll come across John Trevethick, if you want him, young man, over at Dunloppel, though I doubt whether you will find him much of a customer--unless you are in the iron and steel line." "I am in the knife-and-fork line just at present," answered Richard, good-humoredly; "and, if you will be good enough to move aside, I should like to order my dinner." "I ax pardon," said Solomon, sulkily, withdrawing himself from the doorway.

"I did not know I was hindering custom .-- Who is this young spark, Harry ?" added he, in a low tone, as the other entered the house.
"Well, he's a young gentleman, Solomon, as you could see very well if you chose," answered the girl, angrily.