human
Marie, I am finishing my letter to Mr. Winslow. What is there from your father he would like to hear?
gpt
Père wrote to me that Len Lawson had lost a good deal of his money trying to improve the Blue Vein mine. It is not so good now, as the vein is very small, and the stone is not so fine. Len has had the water fever for some time, and between the two he is changing.
human
I have told him that you think you cannot leave your father for so long a time again. He does not show any sign of decline, but as he is so old you think that you should not be away from him so much.
gpt
Yes, and père hopes to see Mr. Winslow this year.
human
I will tell him so. I think that we will see him this year.
gpt
It is late for him to return from that country, is it not?
human
Yes, but he says that he will have to come south at once.
gpt
Why does he return this year? He said that it would take him another year to complete his work.
human
Yes, he wrote to me that he could not expect to come home before next summer.
gpt
Grace, do you think that he is in bad health? It is a terrible country, even for strong men,
human
His last letter does not say why he is returning so soon.
gpt
He must be sick, Grace. That dreadful country, and he has been working so hard.
human
I fear he has overworked himself, Marie, and he is compelled to return this year, a year earlier than he first intended.
gpt
If he is not well, my dear father may not see him, even if he returns.
human
He would not spend the summer here, and he could not do better than to go to Pierre Island, even in the autumn.
gpt
I hope he will come,