A COUNTESS FROM CANADA

A Story of Life in the Backwoods

BY

BESSIE MARCHANT

Author of "Three Girls in Mexico" "Daughters of the Dominion""Sisters of Silver Creek" "A Courageous Girl" &c. 

ILLUSTRATED BY CYRUS CUNEO

Contents

CHAP. 

 I. BEYOND THE SECOND PORTAGE II. A CURIOUS ACCIDENT III. OUTWITTING THE ENEMY IV. A NIGHT OF ROUGH WORK V. A SACRED CONFIDENCE VI. BUSINESS BOTHERS VII. ANOTHER CLUE VIII. THE FIRST RAIN IX. THE FLOOD X. THE STRANGER PROVES A FRIEND IN NEED XI. A WOMAN OF BUSINESS XII. THE FIRST OF THE FISHING XIII. MARY XIV. WOULD THEY BE FRIENDS? XV. MR. SELINCOURT IS INDISCREET XVI. "WE MUST BE FRIENDS!" XVII. 'DUKE RADFORD'S NEW FRIENDXVIII. STANDING ASIDE XIX. AN AWKWARD FIX XX. KATHERINE MAKES A DISCOVERY XXI. MATTER FOR HEARTACHE XXII. A BUSINESS XXIII. THE MAJORITY DECIDES XXIV. MR. SELINCOURT IS CONFIDENTIAL XXV. THE RIFT IN THE CLOUDS XXVI. FIGHTING THE STORM XXVII. A BEARER OF EVIL TIDINGSXXVIII. THE GLADNESS XXIX. WINTER AGAIN XXX. PREPARATIONS XXXI. THE WEDDING

Illustrations

The Rescue of Jarvis Ferrars'Duke Radford Meets with an AccidentKatherine and Miles Spearing for Fish"With all her strength Katherine hauled at the rope"Bartering with the IndiansDrifting Down the River

CHAPTER I

Beyond the Second Portage

"Oh dear, how I should love to go out!"

Katherine Radford stretched her arms wearily above her head as shespoke. There had been five days of persistent snowfall; but thismorning the clouds had broken, showing strips and patches of bluesky, and there was bright sunshine flooding the world again, withhard and sparkling frost. 

"Why don't you go?" demanded Phil, who was the youngest. "Milesand me don't mind having a holiday at all. "

"Speak for yourself if you like, " growled Miles, who was thirteen;"but I want to get this schooling business over and done with, sothat I can start doing something useful. "

"And speak grammatically, please, or else keep silent. You shouldhave said, 'Miles and I', " remarked Katherine with quite crushingdignity, as she turned from the window to take her place at thetable once more. Phil thrust his tongue in his cheek, after themanner beloved of small boys, and subsided into silence and anabstracted study of his spelling book. 

The schoolroom was a small chamber, partitioned off from the storeby a wall of boards so thin that all conversation about buying andselling, with the gossip of the countryside thrown in, was plainlyaudible to the pupils, whose studies suffered in consequence. Thestovepipe from the store went through this room, keeping itcomfortably warm, and in winter 'Duke Radford and the boys sleptthere, because it was so terribly cold in the loft. 

Katherine had come home from college in July, determined to teachschool all winter, and to make a success of it, too, in a mostunpromising part of the world. But even the most enthusiasticteacher must fail to get on if there are no scholars to teach, andat present she had only Miles and Phil, her two brothers, aspupils. This was most trying to Katherine's patience, for, ofcourse, if there had only been pupils enough, she could have had aproperly constituted school, and a salary also. She might evenhave had a regular schoolhouse to teach in, instead of beingcompelled to use a makeshift such as this. But everything musthave a beginning, and so she had worked on bravely through theautumn, hoping against hope for more pupils. In the intervalsbetween teaching the boys she kept the books for her father, andeven attended to the wants of an occasional customer when 'DukeRadford was busy or absent. 

The store at Roaring Water Portage was awkwardly placed forbusiness. It stood on a high bank overlooking the rapids, and whenit was built, five years before, had been the centre of a miningvillage. But the mining village had been abandoned for three yearsnow, because the vein of copper had ended in a thick seam of coal, which, under present circumstances, was not worth working. Now thenearest approach to a village was at Seal Cove, at the mouth of theriver, nearly three miles away, where there were about half a dozenwooden huts, and the liquor saloon kept by Oily Dave when he was athome, and shut up when he was absent on fishing expeditions. 

Although houses were so scarce, there was no lack of trade for thelonely store in the woods. All through the summer there was aprocession of birchbark canoes, filled with red men and white, coming down the river to the bay, laden with skins of wolf, fox, beaver, wolverine, squirrel, and skunk, the harvest of the winter'strapping. Then in winter the cove and the river were often crowdedwith boats, driven to anchorage there by the ice, and to escape thefearful storms sweeping over the bay. The river was more favouredas an anchorage than the cove, because it was more sheltered, andalso because there was open water at the foot of the rapids even inthe severest winter, and had been so long as anyone could remember. 

As the morning wore on, Katherine's mood became even more restless, and she simply yearned for the fresh air and the sunshine. She wasusually free to go out-of-doors in the afternoons, because the boysonly worked until noon, and then again in the evening, when it wasnight school, and Katherine did her best with such of the fisherfolk as preferred learning to loafing and gambling in Oily Dave'ssaloon. 

Even Miles seemed stupid this morning, for he was usually such agood worker; while Phil was quite hopeless. Both boys were bittenwith the snow mania, and longing to be out-of-doors, in all theexhilarating brilliancy of sunshine, frost, and snow. Noon came atlast, books were packed away; the boys rushed off like mad things, while Katherine went more soberly across the store and entered theliving-room, which was sitting-room and kitchen combined. 

An older girl was there, looking too young to be called a woman, but who nevertheless was a widow, and the mother of the twin girlswho were rolling on the floor and playing with a big, shaggywolfhound. She was Nellie, Mrs. Burton, whose husband had beendrowned while sealing when the twins were twelve months old. Mrs. Burton had come home to live then, and keep house for her father, so that Katherine might go to Montreal to finish her education. 

"Did you see Father as you came through the store?" Mrs. Burtonasked, as she rapidly spread the dinner on the table in the centreof the room, while Katherine joined in the frolic that was going onwith the twins and the dog. 

"No, he was not there, " Katherine answered. 

"He wants you to go up to the second portage with him thisafternoon. Another boat got in this morning with some mails onboard, and there are stores to be taken for Astor M'Kree, " saidMrs. Burton. 

"That will be lovely!" cried Katherine, giving Lotta a toss up inthe air, after which Beth had to be treated in a similar fashion toprevent jealousy. "I am simply yearning to be outside in thesunshine and the cold. I have been wishing all the morning that Iwere a man; then I could go off hunting, trapping, or evenlumbering, and so breathe fresh air all day long. "

Mrs. Burton smiled. "I expect if you were a man you would just doas other men do; that is, smoke a dirty little pipe all day long, and so never breathe fresh air at all. "

"That is not the sort of man I would be, " retorted Katherine, witha toss of her head. 

Then she put the twins into their high chairs: her father and theboys came in, and dinner began. It was a hasty meal, as earlydinner has to be when half of the day's work lies beyond it, and inless than half an hour Katherine was getting into a thick pilotcoat, fur cap, mittens, and a big muffler; for, although the sunwas so bright, the cold was not to be trifled with. 

'Duke Radford, short for Marmaduke, was a sombre-looking man offifty. Twenty-five years of pioneer life in the Keewatin countryhad worn him considerably, and he looked older than his years. Buthe was a strong man still, and to-day he had loaded a sledge withstores to draw himself, while Katherine looked after the four greatdogs which drew the other sledge. 

The track for the first three miles was as bad as a track could be. 'Duke Radford went first, to beat or pack the snow a little firmerfor Katherine and the dogs; but even then every movement of hersnowshoes sent the white powdery dust flying in clouds. The dogsfollowed close behind, so close that she had often to show a whipto keep them back, from fear that they would tread on her snowshoesand fling her down. 

It was five good long miles to the abode of Astor M'Kree, beyondthe second portage, but the last two miles were easy travelling, over a firm level track. "Astor M'Kree has been hauling timber orsomething over here to-day. I wonder how he managed it?" calledout Katherine, as her father's pace on the well-packed snowquickened, while she flew after him and the dogs came racing onbehind. He shouted back some answer that was inaudible, then racedon at a great pace. Those last two miles were pure enjoyment allround, and when they drew up before the little brown house of theboatbuilder, Katherine was sparkling, glowing, and rosy, with alife and animation which she never showed indoors. 

Mrs. M'Kree was a worn-looking little woman, with three babiestoddling about her feet, and she welcomed her visitors with greateffusiveness. 

"Well, now, I must say it is right down good of you to get throughall this way on the very first fine day. My word, what weatherwe've been having!" she exclaimed. "I was telling Astor only lastnight that if we had much more of that sort I'd have to keep him onsawdust puddings and pine-cone soup. That fetched a long face onto him, I can tell you; for it is downright fond of his food he is, and a rare trencherman too. "

"It is bad to run short of stores in keen weather like this, " said'Duke Radford, who with the help of his daughter was bringing bags, barrels, and bundles of goods into the house from the two sledges, while the dogs rested with an air of enjoyment delightful to behold. 

When the stores were all safely housed, Mrs. M'Kree insisted ontheir drinking a cup of hot coffee before they returned; and justas she was lifting the coffee pot from the stove her husband camein. He was tall, thin, and sombre of face, as men who live in thewoods are apt to be, but he had a genial manner, and that he was notyrant could be seen from the way his children clung about his legs. 

"Dear me, these youngsters!" he exclaimed, sitting down on thenearest bench with a child on each knee. "I wish they were oldenough to go to your school, Miss Radford, then I'd get some peacefor part of the day at least. "

"I wish they were old enough, too, " sighed Katherine. "It isreally quite dreadful to think what a long time I have got to waitbefore all the small children in the neighbourhood are of an age toneed school. "

"By which time I expect you won't be wanting to keep school atall, " said Mrs. M'Kree with a laugh. Then to her husband she said:"Mr. Radford brought some letters, Astor; perhaps you'll want toread them before he goes back. "

"Ah! yes, I'd better perhaps, though there will be no hurry aboutthe answers, I guess, for this will be the last mail that will getthrough the Strait before the spring. " He stood up as he spoke, sliding the babies on to the ground at his feet, for he could notread his letters with the small people clutching and clawing at hishands. The others went on talking, to be interrupted a few minuteslater by a surprised exclamation from the master of the house. 

"Now, would you believe it! The Company has been bought out!"

"What company?" asked 'Duke Radford. 

"Why, the fishing-fleet owners, Barton and Skinner and that lot, "rejoined Astor M'Kree abstractedly, being again buried in hisletter. He was a boat-builder by trade, and this change in thingsmight make a considerable difference to him. 

"Who is it that has bought the company out?" demanded Mrs. M'Kreeanxiously. Life was quite hard enough for her already; she did notwant it to become more difficult still. 

"An Englishman named Oswald Selincourt, " replied Astor. "He isrich, too, and means to put money into the business. He wants meto have four more boats ready by the time the waters are open, andsays he is coming himself next summer to see into matters a bit. Now that looks hopeful. "

Katherine chanced at that moment to glance across at her father, and was startled by the look on his face; it was just as ifsomething had made him desperately afraid. But it was only for amoment, and then he had got his features into control, so shehastily averted her head lest he should see her looking, and thinkthat she was trying to pry into what did not concern her. Heswallowed down the rest of his coffee at a gulp and rose to go. But his manner now was so changed and uneasy that Katherine musthave wondered at it, even if she had not caught a glimpse of thatdreadful look on his face when Astor M'Kree announced the change inthe ownership of the fishing fleet. 

The journey home was taken in a different style from the journeyout: the two sledges were tied together, and both pairs ofsnowshoes piled on the hindmost; then, Katherine and her fathertaking their places on the first, the dogs started off at a tearinggallop, which made short work of the two miles of level track, andgave Katherine and her father plenty of occupation in holding on. But when they reached the broken ground the pace grew steadier, andconversation became possible once more. 

'Duke Radford began to talk then with almost feverish haste, but hecarefully avoided any mention of the news contained in theboatbuilder's letter, and a sickening fear of something, she knewnot what, crept into the heart of Katherine and spoiled for her theglory of that winter afternoon. The sun went down in flamingsplendours of crimson and gold, a young moon hung like a sickle ofsilver above the dark pine forest, and everywhere below was thewhite purity of the fresh-fallen snow. 

Supper was nearly ready when they got back to Roaring WaterPortage, but there were two or three customers in the store, andKatherine went to help her father with them, while Milesunharnessed and fed the four dogs. Oily Dave was one of the peoplegathered round the stove waiting to be served with flour and bacon, and it was his voice raised in eager talk which Katherine heardwhen she came back from the sitting-room into the store. 

"If it's true what they are saying, that Barton, Skinner, & Co. Arein liquidation, then things is going to look queer for some of uswhen the spring comes, and the question will be as to who can claimthe boats, though some of them ain't much good. "

"I suppose that you'll stick to your'n, seeing that it is by farthe best in the fleet, " said another man, who had a deep, rumblinglaugh. 

Katherine looked at her father in dumb surprise. She had beenexpecting him to announce the news of the fishing boats having beenbought by the Englishman with the remarkable name, instead of whichhe was just going on with his work, and looking as if he had nomore information than the others. 

Lifting his head at that moment he caught his daughter's perplexedglance, and, after a moment, said hastily: "I wouldn't be in toomuch hurry about appropriating the boats if I were you. "

"Why not?" chorused the listeners. 

"Barton & Skinner have been bought out, and the new owner might notapprove of his property being made off with in that fashion, " 'DukeRadford replied. 

"Who's bought it? Who told you? Look here, we want to know, " oneman burst out impatiently. 

"Then you had better go up to the second portage and ask AstorM'Kree, " rejoined 'Duke Radford slowly. "It was he who told meabout it, and he has got the order to build four more boats. "

"Now that looks like business, anyhow. Who is the man?" demandedRick Portus, who was younger than the others, and meant "to makethings hum" when he got a chance. 

'Duke Radford fumbled with the head of a flour barrel, and for amoment did not answer. It was an agonizing moment for Katherine, who was entering items in the ledger, and had to be blind and deafto what was passing round her, yet all the time was acutelyconscious that something was wrong somewhere. 

The head of the barrel came off with a jerk, and then 'Dukeanswered with an air of studied indifference: "An Englishman, AstorM'Kree said he was; Selincourt or some such name, I think. "

A burst of eager talk followed this announcement, but, her entriesmade in the ledger, Katherine slipped away from it all and hurriedinto the sitting-room, where supper was already beginning. But thefood had lost its flavour for her, and she might have been feedingon the sawdust and pine cones of which Mrs. M'Kree had spoken forall the taste her supper possessed. She had to talk, however, andto seem cheerful, yet all the time she was shrinking and shiveringbecause of this mysterious mood displayed by her father at themention of a strange man's name. 

'Duke Radford did not come in from the store until it was nearlytime for night school, so Katherine saw very little more of him, except at a distance, for that evening; but he was so quiet andabsorbed that Mrs. Burton asked more than once if he were feelingunwell. She even insisted on his taking a basin of onion gruelbefore he went to bed, because she thought he had caught a chill. He swallowed the gruel obediently enough, yet knew all the timethat the chill was at his heart, where no comforting food nor drinkcould relieve him. 

CHAPTER II

A Curious Accident

The nearest Hudson's Bay store to Roaring Water Portage was fifteenmiles away by land, but only five by boat, as it stood on an angleof land jutting into the water, three miles from the mouth of theriver. 'Duke Radford's business took him over to this place, whichwas called Fort Garry, always once a week, and sometimes oftener. Usually either Miles or Phil went with him, although on rareoccasions Katherine took the place of the boys and helped to rowthe boat across the inlet to the grim old blockhouse crowning theheight. 

It was a week after the trip to the house of Astor M'Kree that thestorekeeper announced his intention of going to Fort Garry, andsaid that he should need Miles to help him. 

"I must go by land to-day, which is a nuisance, for it takes somuch longer, " he declared, as he sat down to breakfast, which atthis time of the year had always to be taken by lamplight. 

"Shall I come instead?" asked Katherine, who was frying potatoes atthe stove. "I am quicker on snowshoes than Miles, and he has gotsuch a bad cold. "

"You can if you like, though it isn't work for a girl, " he answeredin a dispirited tone. 

"It is work for a girl if a girl has got it to do, " she rejoined, with a merry laugh; "and I shall just love to come with you, Father. When will you start?"

"At dawn, " he replied brusquely; and, finishing his meal insilence, he went into the store. 

"Katherine, what is the matter with Father? Do you think he isill?" Mrs. Burton asked in a troubled tone. "He has been so quietand gloomy for the last few days; he does not eat well, and he doesnot seem to care to talk to any of us. "

Katherine shivered and hesitated. She knew the moment from whichthe change in her father's manner dated, but she could not speak ofit even to her sister. "Perhaps the cold weather tries him a greatdeal just at first; it has come so suddenly, and we are notseasoned to it yet, you know, " she answered evasively. 

"I hope it is only that, " answered Mrs. Burton, brightening up atthe suggestion. "And really the cold has been terribly trying forthe last week, though it won't seem so bad when we get used to it. I am glad you are going with Father, though, for Miles has such adreadful cold, poor boy. "

"His own fault, " laughed Katherine. "If he will go and sit in atub half the day, in the hope of shooting swans, he must expect toget a cold. "

"Boys will do unwise things, I fancy. They can't help it, so it isof no use to blame them, " Mrs. Burton said with a sigh. 

Katherine laughed again. Mrs. Burton had a way of never blaminganyone, and slipped through life always thinking the very best ofthe people with whom she came in contact, crediting them with goodintentions however far short they might prove of good in reality. The sisters were alike in features and in their dainty, womanlyways, but in character they were a wide contrast. Katherine, underher girlish softness and pretty winning manner, had hidden a firmwill and purpose, a sound judgment, and a resourcefulness whichwould stand her in good stead in the emergencies of life. Sheliked to decide things for herself, and choose what she would do;but Mrs. Burton always needed someone to lean upon and to settlemomentous questions for her. 

'Duke Radford was ready to start by the time dawn arrived, andKatherine was ready too. It was so very cold that she had twisteda cloud of brilliant scarlet wool all over her head and ears, inaddition to her other wrappings. There were some stores to take toFort Garry, and there would be others to bring back, asconsiderable trading was done between the fort and the settlement. Very often when 'Duke Radford ran out of some easy-to-sellcommodity he was able to replenish his stock from the fort, whilehe in his turn accepted furs in barter from his customers, which hedisposed of to the agent when next he visited the fort. As on thejourney to the second portage, 'Duke Radford went first, drawing aladen sledge, followed by Katherine, who looked after the dogs. There would be no riding either way to-day, and the daylight wouldbe only just long enough for the work, the snow on the trail notbeing hard enough as yet to make the going very easy. 

Fort Garry was reached without incident, although, to Katherine'ssecret dismay, her father had not spoken to her once, but had justgone moodily forward with his head hanging down, and dragging thesledge after him. He roused up a little when the fort was reached, and talked to Peter M'Crawney, the agent, an eager-faced Scot withan insatiable desire for information on all sorts of subjects. Mrs. M'Crawney was an Irishwoman who was always sighing for themild, moist climate and the peat reek of her childhood's home. ButPeter knew when he was well off, and meant to stick to his postuntil he had saved enough money to live without work. 

"Teaching school, are you? Well it's myself that would like to beone of your scholars, for it's bonny you look with that scarletthing wrapped round your head!" exclaimed Mrs. M'Crawney in anadmiring tone, when Katherine sat down to have a talk with herwhilst 'Duke Radford did his business with the agent. 

"You can come if you like; we don't have any age limit at RoaringWater Portage, " Katherine answered with a laugh. She had to bebright and vivacious despite the heaviness of her heart, for itwould never do to display her secret uneasiness on her father'saccount, or to betray his changed condition to strangers. 

"And pretty I should look at my age, sitting among the babieslearning to do strokes and pothooks, " the Irishwoman said, echoingthe laugh. Then she began to question Katherine eagerly concerningthe news which had filtered through into the solitudes from thegreat world outside. "They are saying that the Mr. Selincourt whohas bought the fishing fleet will come here when the waters open;but wherever will he stay?"

"I don't know; perhaps he will have one of the huts down at SealCove, although they are very dirty. I think if I were in his placeI should have a new hut built, or else live in a tent, " Katherineanswered. 

"He will have a hut built, I expect; then perhaps if he likes theplace he will come every year. Although it's funny the whims richpeople have, to be coming to a place like this, when they might beliving in a civilized country, with everything that heart coulddesire within a hand's reach, " said Mrs. M'Crawney with a toss ofher head. 

"I suppose being able to have all they want spoils them so muchthat they are always wanting a change. But if we don't start weshall be late in getting home, and travelling is very bad over thebroken ground at the end of the bay, " Katherine said, as she roseand began to draw her scarlet cloud closer round her head again. 

Her father was still talking to Peter M'Crawney when she came insearch of him, but he looked so much relieved at the interruptionthat she could only suppose the agent had been talking overmuchabout the rich Englishman who was expected in that remote quarterof the world next spring, when the waters were open. 

"Are you ready to go now?" Katherine asked, a sudden pang of pitystabbing at her heart, for in the strong light her father's facelooked worn and furrowed, more than she had ever seen it before;indeed, a look of age had crept over his countenance during thelast few days that was very marked, while his dark hair showedstreaks of grey which had certainly not been there a week ago. Hehad momentarily taken off his cap, to do something to one of thelappets which was not comfortable; but now he put it on again, covering his head, ears, and a good part of his face as well. 

"Yes, I am ready, and rather keen on starting, for there is a dampsmell coming in the air which may mean a slight thaw or more fall, and either would be bad for us to-day, " he answered, lifting hishead and sniffing, like a dog that scents a trail. 

"Can't the dogs pull you a piece, Miss?" asked the agent in a toneof concern. "It is a shocking long way for a bit of a girl, eventhough she is on snowshoes. "

"It is not longer for me than for Father, and I don't even have todrag the sledge as he does, " Katherine replied brightly, as shefitted her moccasined feet into the straps of her snowshoes. 

The dogs were in a great hurry to start, and one, a greatbrown-and-white beast which always followed next the leader, keptflinging up its head and howling in the most dismal manner untilthey were well on their way. The noise got on Katherine's nervesto such an extent that she was tempted to use her whip to the dog, and only refrained because it seemed so cruel to thrash a creaturefor just being miserable. To cheer the animals for the heavy workbefore them, she talked to them as if they were human beings, encouraging them so much that they took the first ten miles at atremendous rate, following so close on the track of the firstsledge that presently 'Duke Radford held up his hand as a signalfor stopping, then turned round to expostulate in a peevish tone:"What do you mean by letting the dogs wear themselves out at such arate? We shall have one of them dropping exhausted presently, andthen we shall be in a nice fix. "

"I haven't used the whip once, Father, but I thought it was betterto get them on as fast as I could, for I have felt and seen ever somany snowflakes in the last half-hour, " Katherine said penitently. 

'Duke Radford turned his face rather anxiously windward, and wasconsiderably worried to find that a few small snowflakes camedancing slowly down, and that the slight draught of the morning waschanging to a raw, cold wind from off the water. 

"It is a fall coming, and by the look of it, it may be heavy. Youhad better keep the dogs coming as fast as you can. But stop if Ithrow up my hand, or you will be running me down. "

"Shall we change places for a time?" asked Katherine. "I am not abit tired, but you look just worn out. "

"No, no, I can't have you dragging a sledge. But be careful andkeep the dogs from rushing down the slopes and overrunning me, " heanswered, then started forward again. 

The flakes were falling faster now, but they were so fine that theywould have scarcely counted had it not been for the number of them. At the end of the next half-hour the fall was like a fog ofwhirling atoms, and the travellers looked like moving snow figures. The dogs were still running well, and Katherine found it hard workto keep them back, especially on the slopes, where they wouldpersist in trying to make rushes, so getting thoroughly out ofhand. She was keeping them back down one long bad slope whichabounded in pitfalls, when to her horror she heard her father cryout, then saw him and his sledge disappear, shooting into awhirling smother of snow. 

 [Illustration: 'Duke Radford meets with an accident]

With a sharp order to the dogs to stop, which they promptly obeyedby dropping in four panting heaps on the snow, she went forwardalone to see what had happened to her father. It was a simpleenough accident, and one that had to be constantly guarded againstin drawing a sledge when travelling on snowshoes. In going downthe slope the sledge had travelled proportionally faster than theman, and, catching against the framework of one of the snowshoes, had flung him with tremendous force between two trees. The trees, which were really two shoots from one root, grew so close togetherthat when 'Duke Radford was pitched in between them he was wedgedfast by the force of the impact, while the sledge, coming onbehind, bounded on to his prostrate body. He groaned whenKatherine dragged the sledge away, and cried out with the pain whenshe tried to help him out. 

"Did it hurt you so badly? Oh, I am sorry! But I will be morecareful next time, " she said; and, stepping carefully backwardsafter that first vain attempt, she slipped her feet clear of thesnowshoes and went closer to the tree, so that she might try tolift him out of the fork by sheer strength of arm. But the snowwas so soft that she sank in over her ankles, going deeper anddeeper with every attempt which she made to wriggle herself free. 

"This won't do, " she said sharply. "I won't be long, Father dear, but I must pack the snow a bit before I can get firm standingground. "

Slipping her father's snowshoes, one of which was broken, from hisfeet, she took the broken part and proceeded to beat the snow firmall round the trees. This took perhaps ten minutes, although sheworked so hard that she perspired despite the cold. The snow wasfirm now; she could stand without sinking, and going round in frontof her father she exerted all her strength and lifted him up alittle. He was bleeding from a wound on his face, and seemed to bequite dazed. 

"Can you help yourself at all?" she asked urgently, knowing that itwas quite impossible for her unaided strength to get him clear ofthe fork. But his only reply was a groan, and Katherine began togrow frightened. It was quite impossible to leave him while shewent to summon aid, and equally impossible to get help withoutgoing for it. Meanwhile the cold was so intense that every momentof waiting became a risk. Even the dogs were whining and restless, impatient to get off again for the last stage of their journey. 

"Father, you must help yourself, " the girl cried despairingly. "Ican't possibly get you out of the tree alone, and you will justfreeze to death if you are not quick. "

The urgency of her tone seemed to rouse him a little, and, seeingthat he appeared to be coming to himself again, she rubbed his facebriskly with snow, which quickened his faculties, and incidentallymade the wound on his cheek smart horribly; but that was a minormatter, the chief thing being to make him bestir himself. Then bya great effort she lifted him up again, and this time he put outhis hand and clutched at the trunk of the tree, and so kept himselffrom slipping back into the fork, while she ran round and pulledhim clear of the trees, making him lean upon her whilst she debatedon her next move. 

"I don't know how we shall get home; I can't walk, " he said feebly. 

"Of course you can't; that is entirely out of the question, " shesaid briskly. "I must unload the two sledges, and cache the thingsclose to this tree, under your sledge; then the dogs can draw youhome. There is not much over three miles to be done, so we shallnot be long. "

She made him sit on the snow while she set about her preparations, for he seemed too weak to stand alone. Most of the goods weretaken from the dog sledge and piled in a heap at the foot of theforked trees. The other sledge was brought alongside and unloadedalso, then Katherine dragged the hand sledge on to the top of thepackages, with the runners sticking upwards, so that a curious wolfmight think it was a trap of a fresh shape, and avoid itaccordingly. All this took time, however, and when she had got herfather packed into the sledge in readiness for a start it wasalmost dark, while the snow was coming down thicker than ever. Thebrown-and-white dog was howling dismally again, while the black onewhich had a cropped ear seemed disposed to follow suit. 

It was of no use trying to guide the dogs now, and, falling intothe rear, Katherine shouted to them to go forward, and left it totheir instinct to find the way home. She had to keep shouting andsinging to them the whole of the way. If from very weariness hervoice sank to silence, they dropped into a slow walk; but when itrang out again in a cheery shout, they plunged forward at a greatpace, which was maintained only so long as she continued shouting. But at last, after what seemed an interminable time, she heard thenoise of the water coming over Roaring Water Portage; the dogsheard it too, and the need for shouting ceased, for they knew theywere almost at the end of the journey. 

CHAPTER III

Outwitting the Enemy

Among his neighbours at Seal Cove, 'Duke Radford counted one verypronounced enemy, and that was Oily Dave, master of one of thesealing boats, and keeper of the only whisky saloon within twentyor thirty miles of Roaring Water Portage. The cause of the enmitywas now nearly two years old, but like a good many other things ithad gained strength with age. Oily Dave had been supplying the redman with liquor, and this in defiance of the law which forbade suchsales; 'Duke Radford reported him, and Oily Dave was mulcted in afine so heavy that it consumed all the profits from his Indiantraffic, and a good many other and more legitimate profits also. Since then Oily Dave had hated the storekeeper with a zest andenergy which bade fair to become the ruling passion of his life;but except for a few minor disagreeables, that could hardly be saidto count, his ill will had thus far not gone beyond sneer andinvective. 

Katherine was always afraid of him, and of what he might do to herfather if he had the chance; for his nature was small and mean, sosmall and so mean that, though he might not risk a reprisal whichwould bring him within the reach of the law, he would not hesitateat any small, mean act of spite which might injure his victim, yetwould not reflect on himself. Since knowing of her father'strouble, she had been more afraid of Oily Dave than ever, for therewas a sinister look about the man, and she feared she knew not what. 

When the dogs, with their master in the sledge, and Katherinefollowing close behind, dashed up to the door of the store thatevening, Oily Dave was the first person to step forward to lend ahelping hand in getting 'Duke Radford housed and his hurtsexamined. There were six or seven men loafing about the store thatevening, and they all helped; so Katherine, when she had kicked offher snowshoes, was able to dart indoors to warn Mrs. Burton aboutwhat had happened. 

"He ought to be put to bed at once, Nellie. Night school must gofor to-night, and if he has to keep his bed to-morrow, why, I mustteach in here, or even in the store, " she said hurriedly, decidingeverything on the spot as was her wont, because Mrs. Burton alwaysfound it so difficult to make up her mind on any subject. 

"Do you think that would be best, or shall we give him ourbedroom?--though that would be frightfully inconvenient, and Ishould be so worried to be obliged to put the children to bed inthat other room at night, so far away from us, after the store isclosed, " sighed Mrs. Burton, who stood still in the middle of theroom, clasping and unclasping her hands in nervous distress, whileKatherine dragged off her encumbering wraps, tossing them in a heapon the floor. 

"Come and help me to make the bed, Nellie, " she said, turning awayand leaving Mrs. Burton's plaintive questions unanswered. 

The elder sister at once did as the younger requested, sighing alittle as she went, yet relieved all the same because the matterhad been settled for her. By this time some of the men had brought'Duke Radford into the store, and, sitting him on the bench by thestove, were peeling off his outer wraps. Some of the others hadunharnessed the dogs, while Phil carried out their supper. Miles, meanwhile, was looking sharply after the store; for, although theseneighbours were so kind and helpful, some of them were not to betrusted farther than they could be seen, and would have helpedthemselves to sugar, beans, tobacco, or anything else which tooktheir fancy if the opportunity had been given them for doing so. 

Whilst two of the men took 'Duke Radford's clothes off, and got himsafely into bed, another man approached Miles and asked for aparticular kind of tobacco. The boy sought for it in the placewhere it was usually kept, but, failing to find it, turned toKatherine, who stood in impatient misery by the stove, waiting togo to her father when the men had done with him. 

"Katherine. Where is the Black Crow tobacco kept now? It alwaysused to be on the shelf below the tea packets. "

"We are out of it, " she replied. "But we shall have plentyto-morrow. I had to cache most of the stores we were bringing; butthey are safe enough, for I turned the little sledge upside down onthe top of them, so I guess neither wolf nor wolverine will be ableto get at them to tear the packets to pieces. "

"You won't be able to get them either, for with all this snow youwill never be able to find them, " said the man in a disappointedtone, for he was a great smoker who cared for only one sort oftobacco. 

"Oh! make your mind quite easy on that score, " replied Katherine. "I hung Father's broken snowshoe in a branch of the tree, to markthe place, and I shall go over quite early to-morrow to bring thegoods home. "

Directly she had spoken she repented her words; for she saw, without appearing to see, a look full of meaning which passedbetween Oily Dave and the customer who had been disappointed. Itwas only a glance, and might stand for nothing, but she had seen itand was angry with herself for the indiscretion which had made herutter words which had better not have been spoken. The men cameout of the bedroom then, so she and Nellie were able to go in. 

'Duke Radford was considerably battered. He had a broken collarbone; one shoulder was bruised so badly that it looked as if it hadbeen beaten with a hammer; and one side of his face had a deepflesh wound. Mrs. Burton was a capital nurse: she and Katherinebetween them soon had the sufferer as comfortable as it waspossible to make him; then they fed him with strong hot broth, after which Mrs. Burton remembered that Katherine had had nosupper, and hustled her off to the other room in search of food. Katherine noticed as she went back through the store that Oily Davehad gone, also the man who had wanted to buy the Black Crow tobacco. 

"Miles, can you leave Phil to look after things, and come with mefor five minutes?" she said, with a thrill of anxiety in her tone. She was faint and spent with hunger and fatigue, the prospectbefore her seemed too dreadful to be faced, yet deep down in herheart was the stern determination not to be outwitted if she couldhelp it. But she must first of all get rid of this stupidtrembling, which made her feel as if her limbs were not strongenough to bear the weight of her body; so sitting down at the tableshe prepared to get a good square meal as the first step towardsthe successful accomplishment of what was to come after. Miles wasa minute later in coming, because he had been attending to acustomer. "What is the matter; is Father very bad?" he asked, witha quaver of fear in his tone. Accidents, or sickness of any kind, always seemed so much worse in winter, and then death and disasterhad already worked havoc in the family. 

"Poor Father is bad enough, but I dare say he will do very wellwith care, and Nellie is a famous one for looking after sickfolks, " Katherine answered, as cheerfully as she could, quick tounderstand what was in the mind of Miles, and feeling genuinelysorry for him. Then she said briskly: "But I have gone and done afearfully stupid thing to-night, and I want to know if you feelbrave enough to help me out of a very big muddle?"

Miles bristled up in an offended fashion. "I suppose I've got asmuch pluck as most people; anyhow I'm not quite a coward. "

"Of course you are not, or I should not have dreamed of asking youto help me to-night, " Katherine said, with a nervous laugh; then ina jerky tone she went on: "I want you to get the store shut up assoon as possible, then, directly the people have cleared off, wehave got to go and bring those stores home that I had to cache. "

"But we can't go at night, and in a snowstorm!" expostulated Miles;but his eyes glowed and his nostrils dilated, as if the verythought of such an expedition sent thrills of delight all throughhim. 

"It is not snowing so badly now, and luckily the moon will help us. Moreover, if we don't go tonight it will not be of much use to goat all; for if we wait until the morning I fancy we shall find thatmost of the stores have disappeared, especially the Black Crowtobacco, " Katherine replied, then told him of the look she had seenpass between the man who wanted the tobacco and Oily Dave, aftershe had been so foolishly frank in explaining where the stores wereto be found. 

"I'll go and shut up sharp, then we'll start as soon as possible, "Miles said, with a jump of irrepressible joyfulness, for nothingappealed to him like adventure. 

"Don't let anyone even guess what we are going to do!" criedKatherine, who felt that enough indiscretion had been committedthat night to last them for a long time to come. 

"Trust me for that!" replied Miles. "I shall pull a face as long asa fiddle, and yawn my head half off while I'm clearing up. Oh, itwill be rich to out-wit that precious pair! I had been wonderingwhy Stee Jenkin should go off so quiet and early with Oily Dave, but I should never have guessed at the reason. I shall be throughwith the shutting-up in about twenty minutes, and I've had mysupper, so there won't be anything to wait for. "

Katherine felt better when she had eaten her supper; the thought ofwhat was before her was less of an ordeal, and she was more thanever determined that Oily Dave and the other man must be outwitted, cost what it might. There was to be no night school that night, so, directly the door of the store was shut and barred, Miles andKatherine were able to set out. The twins were in bed, and fastasleep. Mrs. Burton was still busy in her father's room, so therewas only Phil to look after things. 

"Tell Nellie when she comes out of Father's room that Miles and Ihave got some work to do outside which may take us an hour ormore, " Katherine said to her youngest brother. "Meanwhile you mustjust make yourself as useful as possible--clear away supper, washthe cups and plates, take care of the fire, and look after thingsgenerally. You will have a school holiday to-morrow, so no lessonsneed be learned to-night. We shall have to do the store work whileFather is ill, so you and Miles will have to be satisfied withnight school with the men instead of having lessons in the day. "

"Hooray!" chirruped Phil, who had no love of learning, but alwaysyearned for action. Then he asked anxiously: "Couldn't you stay inand look after things to-night, while I go and help Miles with theoutside work?"

Katherine laughed and shook her head. "No, no, the outside workwould be too heavy for you to-night; you might even get your nosefrozen. But you must stay up until we come back, because Nelliemay need you to help her. "

"I'll stay, " replied the boy, but he manifested so much curiosityabout the nature of the outside work that had to be done thatKatherine had finally to command him to stay inside the house. 

Neither she nor Miles wished anyone to know what they were going todo: there were so many reasons for keeping their errand secret. Mrs. Burton would have wept and wailed at the mere thought of sucha journey at night, while Phil simply could not keep a secret. 

The dogs were tired and sleepy, very unwilling to be turned out andharnessed again, but directly they were fairly out of their shedthe cold seemed to rouse them, and they set off at a great pace. Katherine and Miles were riding in the empty sledge now, with theirsnowshoes tucked in beside them. The snow-storm had spent itself;the moon shone out of a cloudless sky, while myriads of stars lenttheir aid to the illumination of the night. Even the cold was lessnoticeable than in the afternoon, when the damp wind blew off thewater and the snow was falling so fast. 

"It was worth while your being indiscreet for once, seeing that ithas brought us out on a night like this, " Miles said, as hecrouched low in the sledge, holding on with both thickly mittenedhands, for Katherine was driving, and the dogs were going withleaps and bounds, which made the sledge bounce and sway in a veryerratic fashion. 

"You won't say the indiscretion was worth while if it turns outthat we are the second arrivals and not the first, " Katherineanswered. But her tone was buoyant and hopeful; for she had littledoubt about getting to the scene of her father's accident beforeOily Dave and Stee Jenkin had succeeded in locating the spot. 

"Wolves! listen to them!" exclaimed Miles, as a hideous yapping andhowling sounded across the snowy waste. 

"They are a good way off though, and I brought a pair Of Father'srevolvers in case of accident, " Katherine replied, her heartbeating a little quicker, although in reality she would much ratherhave met two or three wolves just then than have encountered OilyDave and the man who had wanted to buy the Black Crow tobacco. 

"I'm glad you thought to bring them, " said Miles. "Nick Jones toldme the wolves are uncommonly hungry for so early in the year, andthey are in great numbers too. He trapped twenty last week. "

"That means twenty less to bother us to-night, which is a greatcomfort, " she answered, laughing nervously, for the yapping andhowling seemed to be coming nearer and nearer. Then, recognizing alandmark, she cried out joyfully: "Oh, here is the place, and therehangs the broken snowshoe!"

"What is that?" cried Miles sharply, as a shadowy something slidaway out of sight among the trees, a something that was so muchlike its surroundings as to be hardly distinct from them. 

"A wolf. Look at the dogs. Mind what you are about, Miles, orthey'll bolt!" she called quickly. They were both on the groundnow, and the boy was trying to hold in the dogs, which werebarking, raging, howling, and whining, making a violent uproar, andall striving to get free in order to rush at that something whichhad slid out of sight among the trees a minute before. 

"We must tie them up. I can't hold the brutes. They pull as ifthey were mad, " said Miles breathlessly, while the dogs struggledand fought, nearly dragging him off his feet, as he tried to keepthem from dashing away in pursuit of what they deemed a legitimatequarry. 

Katherine swung a rope with a running noose over the head andshoulders of the leader, a huge white dog with a black patch on itsback like a saddle. 

"There, my fine fellow; now perhaps you will understand that thisis not playtime, but a working day extending into the night, " shesaid, as she patted the great beast in an affectionate manner toshow that it was repression, not punishment, which was intended bythe tightening of the rope. 

The dog whined, licking her mitten, but left off struggling, as ifit realized the uselessness of such a course. The other dogs werefastened in like manner, for they had all been trained to huntwolves, and might bolt at an unexpected moment, wrecking the sledgeand scattering the things which were loaded upon it. Then came tenminutes of hard work clearing away the snow and getting at thepackages which Katherine had been obliged to cache a few hoursbefore. One package had been torn open, and its contentsscattered, which showed that the wolf had already started thievingoperations; so that even if Oily Dave and his companion hadcontemplated no raid on the cache, there would not have been muchleft later which was worth carrying away. 

"I don't like you having to draw that sledge. Suppose it overrunsyou, and you get hurt, like Father did this afternoon, " Miles saidin a troubled tone, as Katherine prepared to go forward with thehand sledge, while he followed behind with the dogs. 

"I don't intend to let it overrun me, so there is no need to worry. In fact there is much more danger for you if the dogs hear thewolves and try to bolt. But let us get along as fast as we can, orNellie will be in a fine state of anxiety about us, " Katherinereplied. Then, gathering the lines of the sledge round her arms, as her father had taught her, she set out at a good pace, followedby Miles and the dogs. 

For a time little was to be heard save the creaking of the babichelacing of the snowshoes, for the dogs were running silently, andMiles, saving his breath for the work of getting along, wascontrolling them merely by dumb show, flourishing the whip to holdthem back when they took on a spurt, or beckoning them along whenthey showed signs of lagging. They were less than a mile fromhome, and going well, when suddenly a hideous uproar broke out nearat hand--the long-drawn howling of wolves, human shouts and cries, and the crack of a revolver. 

CHAPTER IV

A Night of Rough Work

"Phil, where is Katherine?" asked Mrs. Burton, coming out of herfather's room about half an hour after the two had started to bringhome the stores. 

"She has gone to help Miles to do some work outside, though what itcan be I'm sure I don't know, " grumbled Phil, who was sleepy andwanted to get to bed. He had washed the supper things after afashion, had cleared up the kitchen for the night, according to hisown ideas of tidiness, and now was sitting in the rocking-chair bythe stove, trying very hard to keep his eyes open. 

"Oh dear, how unwise of her!" exclaimed Mrs. Burton in a plaintivetone. "I am always so afraid for her to go outside at night whenit is freezing so sharply, for her face would be quite spoiled ifshe were to get it frostbitten, and she is so pretty. "

"Is she?" Phil's voice had a drowsy drawl, as if the subject ofKatherine's looks had very little interest for him, as indeed ithad. But an unexpected lurch of the chair, coming at that moment, landed him in a squirming heap on the floor. 

"Oh, Phil, I am so sorry that I upset you, dear, but I had to catchat the chair to save myself from falling over the broom! What madeyou leave it lying on the floor?" asked Mrs. Burton, who had beenthe innocent cause of his collapse. 

Phil rose to his feet and dusted the ashes from the sleeve of hisjacket with a rueful air. "Did I leave the broom there? Oh, Isuppose I forgot it! I remember I had it to sweep up thefireplace, because I could not find a brush. "

"There is the brush hanging close to the stove, " remarked Mrs. Burton. Then she broke out again: "I wonder what Katherine can bedoing out-of-doors at this time of the night, and Miles too?"

"Perhaps they are gone to a surprise party. Don't you rememberthere was one at Astor M'Kree's last winter?" suggested Phil, whosetumble had dispelled some of his sleepiness, although he stilltalked in a drowsy tone, and rumpled his hair wildly all over hishead. 

"Katherine would not go to a surprise party with Father lying insuch a condition, " replied Mrs. Burton severely. Then she wenton: "Besides, she must be pretty well worn out, poor girl, for shehas done thirty miles on snowshoes since the morning, with all theworry and trouble of Father's accident thrown in. "

"Perhaps she has gone to help Miles to look after his wolf traps. I wanted to go instead, only she wouldn't let me. I told her thatgirls ought to stay indoors to wash cups and things, while boys didthe outside work, " Phil explained, in a rather injured tone. 

Mrs. Burton laughed softly. "I'm glad Katherine did not let youturn out to-night, laddie, though I am sorry she had to go herself. Now make haste and get off to bed; I have put everything ready foryou. But you must be very quiet, because I think Father isinclined to go to sleep. "

"Katherine said I was not to go to bed until she came in, and I'mnot so very tired, " replied Phil, choking back a yawn with a greateffort. 

"I am, though. And if you are in Father's room I shall be able tosit down here by the stove and rest without any worry. So runalong, laddie, and be sure that you come to rouse me if Fatherwants me, " Mrs. Burton said. Then, drawing a big shawl round hershoulders, she sat down in the rocking-chair vacated by Phil towait for the return of her sister and brother. 

She wondered why they had gone out, but did not worry about it, except on the score of Katherine's complexion. Even that ceased totrouble her, as she swayed gently to and fro in the comfortablewarmth flung out by the stove, and very soon she was fast asleep. 

'Duke Radford, who lay in restless discomfort from the pain of hishurts, was the first to hear sounds of an arrival, and he tried torouse Phil to see what all the commotion was about. But the boyalways slept so heavily that it was next to impossible to wake him. The dogs were barking. Katherine called out to Miles, who answeredback. Then there were other voices and a great banging at the doorof the store. That was when Mrs. Burton first became aware thatsomething was going on, and started up out of the rocking-chairunder the impression that she had been there the whole night andthat morning had come already. 

A glance at the clock showed her, however, that it was not so verylate yet, and still a long way from midnight. Then, rememberingthat Katherine and Miles were out, she guessed it was they who weremaking such a clamour at the door of the store, and hurried to letthem in. 

"I hope we haven't frightened Father with all the noise we have hadto make, but you seemed so dead asleep that we had to make a greatriot in order to get in, " Katherine said, as she and Miles towedthe sledge inside the store to be unloaded at leisure when morningcame. 

"I will go and see to Father, but Phil is with him now. Where haveyou been, Katherine? And oh, I do hope you have not frosted yourface!" Mrs. Burton said, with sisterly concern. 

Katherine laughed, but even Mrs. Burton noticed that the sound wasstrained and unmirthful. "My complexion has not suffered, I canassure you. But Nellie, dear, could you get a cup of hot coffeequickly for two men? They have been having a rather terrible timeof it, and are a good bit shaken. "

"Bring them into the kitchen and I will have the coffee readydirectly, " Mrs. Burton said promptly. But first of all she justlooked into her father's room to tell him there was nothing toworry about. Then she hurried into the kitchen to rouse up the fireand put the coffee pot on to boil. 

Oily Dave and Stee Jenkin accepted Katherine's invitation to walkin, following her through the dark store and into the lighted roombeyond with a sheepish expression on their faces, which certainlyno one had ever seen there before. Stee Jenkin had his outergarments nearly torn off him, there was blood on his face, and hesank on to the nearest bench as if his trembling limbs refused tosupport him any longer. 

"Why, your face is bleeding! What have you been doing--notfighting, I hope?" T here was a touch of severity in Mrs. Burton'stone; for she knew the man did not bear a very good character, andshe was not disposed to give herself much trouble on account ofanyone who had brought his misfortunes upon his own head. 

"Yes, ma'am, I have been fighting, and for my life too, which is avery different thing from a round of fisticuffs with yourneighbour, " growled Stee Jenkin in a shaken tone, and the hand withwhich he tried to lift the steaming coffee to his lips shook soviolently that he spilled the hot liquid on his clothes. 

Katherine and Miles had gone back to the store again, so it wasOily Dave who explained the nature of the fight in which both menhad been involved. 

"We'd a perticular bit of business on hand to-night, " he said, inresponse to the enquiring look which Mrs. Burton turned upon him, for Stee was plainly too much upset to be coherent. "I'd got arevolver certainly, but Stee had nothing but a knife, for we didn'texpect any trouble with wolves so early in the season, though it isa fact we might have done, for everyone knows the place is justabout swarming with them this winter. "

"Did the wolves attack you? Oh, how truly horrible!" exclaimedMrs. Burton, with so much genuine sympathy that both men wincedunder it, hardened offenders though they were; for they knew verywell that they deserved the fate which had so nearly fallen uponthem. 

"About ten of the cowards closed in on us as we were going througha patch of cotton woods, where we couldn't move fast because ofcatching our snow-shoes, " Oily Dave went on, winking and blinkingin a nervous fashion. "And we were fairly cornered before we knewwhere we were. One great brute came at me straight in the face. Iknocked him off with my fist and fumbled for my barker, but shotwild and did no more damage than to singe the hair off anotherbrute's back; but I managed to edge a bit closer to Stee, who wasgetting it rough, and hadn't even a chance to draw his knife. Butwe should have been down and done for to a dead certainty, if ithadn't been for Miss Radford and Miles. They let the dogs loosefrom the sledge when they heard the rumpus, and that turned thescale in our favour. That great white dog with the black patch onits back came tearing into the cotton woods roaring like a bull, and then I can tell you there was a stampede among the brutes thatwere baiting us. " Oily Dave drew a long breath as he finished hisnarration, but the other man groaned. 

"Katherine, what were you doing so far away from home at this timeof night?" gasped Mrs. Burton, in a shocked tone, as her sistercame into the room. "Why, the wolves might have attacked you. "

"Not likely; we had the dogs with us, you see. But we had to goabout three miles along the trail to bring home the things I had toleave behind when Father had his accident, " said Katherine, as shestood beside the stove slowly unwinding her wraps. Now that thestrain and excitement were over, she looked white and tired, buther face was set in hard, stern lines, which for the time seemed toadd years to her age. 

"It is dreadful that you should have to go out at night like that. Wouldn't to-morrow have done as well?" asked Mrs. Burton in a toneof distress. 

"No, " replied Katherine slowly, as she wrestled with an obstinatefastening of her coat, keeping her gaze carefully on the ground thewhile. "We were almost too late as it was. A wolf had found outthe cache and was beginning to tear the packages to pieces, inspite of my care in turning the hand sledge upside down on the topof them. "

Oily Dave rose to his feet with a jerky movement. "I think we hadbest be moving now, " he said gruffly. "Perhaps you'd lend us acouple of the dogs to help us down to Seal Cove; we'll give 'em agood feed when we get there. But neither Stee nor I can face threemiles' tramp without something to protect us. "

"Yes, you can have two of the dogs on leash; but remember they aredreadfully tired, poor things, for they have had a long, hard day. You had better leave your sledge here to-night, then there will beno temptation for you to let the dogs draw you, " Katherine said, ina hard tone. 

Mrs. Burton looked at her in surprise, even meditated a word ofexcuse, because her attitude was so unfriendly towards theseneighbours who had been in such direful peril. But the word wasnot spoken, for Katherine's face was too stern for the elder sisterto even suggest any change in her manner. Miles tied two of thedogs on a leash while the men put on their snowshoes, then hecarefully drew their sledge inside the door of the store, which wasafterwards securely barred. 

"Katherine, what is the matter? Why did you and Miles go stealingoff in that fashion to bring the stores home without telling me?And why, oh! why, did you treat those men as if they were the dirtbeneath your feet?" demanded Mrs. Burton, as she plied her sisterand brother with hot coffee and comforting food, to make up to themfor all the toil and hardship which had gone before. 

"Because I regard them as the scum of the earth, " Katherineanswered with a yawn, as she stretched out her feet to the glowingwarmth of the fire. 

"They are not very noble characters certainly, but when men havebeen face to face with such a terrible death, one feels it is aduty to be kind to them, " Mrs. Burton said, in gentle reproof. 

Miles burst out laughing, but Katherine shook her head at him andproceeded to explain. "It was because I was afraid those two weregoing to steal our stores that we started off in such a hurry toget the lot home, and we were on our way back when we heard thewolves, then cries and shots. We let the first two dogs go then, and had to hold on to the others with all our might to keep themfrom going too. I wish you could have seen how silly those menlooked, when they discovered to whom they owed their lives. Icould have laughed at the spectacle if I had not been so angry. "

"It suits you to be angry, I think, " broke in Miles. "You orderedthose two round just as if you had been a duchess, and they simplysquirmed before you, like the worms that they are. "

"Silly boy, you have never seen a duchess, so you can't know howshe would order people about. Indeed she might be mild as milk, which I am not. But I hate to feel as angry as I have been doingto-night, so I am going to creep in and have a look at Father. That will make me feel better and more amiable, I hope. "

"Don't disturb him if he is at all sleepy. I am so afraid he willbe feverish to-morrow if he does not get a good night, " Mrs. Burtonsaid, in a warning tone. 

"I shan't disturb him, " answered Katherlne; then, taking a lamp, she stole across the dark store to the little room at the otherend, where her father was lying. 

One look at his face showed her how little chance of sleep therewas for him at present; and guessing that it was anxiety as well aspain which kept him awake, she sat down beside him and relatedagain the story of that night's adventures. He laughed, in spiteof his pain, at her description of how the precious pair had lookedwhen they found to whom they owed their lives. 

"But I don't like you having such hard, rough things to do, Katherine. I wish you and Miles could change places in age, " hesaid, with a sigh. 

"I don't, " she answered with a shrug. "But you must go to sleepnow, Father, or you will be feverish to-morrow. Do the bruiseshurt much?" she asked tenderly. 

"The bed is full of sore places, " he answered, with a whimsicaltransposition of terms. "But I shall go to sleep presently, Ithink. "

"And wake up in the morning feeling better, I hope, " she forcedherself to say brightly, though it worried her to see how ill hewas looking. 

"I don't know about that, " he said gravely. "When a man has liveda hard life like mine, a knock-down blow, such as I have hadto-day, very often sets a lot of mischief in motion; but there isno need to fear disaster until it actually comes. Get away to yourbed now, child. I shan't want anything more until the morning. "

Katherine bent and kissed him. With all the strength of her heartshe loved her father. In her early girlhood he had been her hero. Since her mother's death he had been her good comrade, and neverhad there been a shadow between them until that day when they hadtaken the last mail of the season up to the second portage, andheard the news about the change in the ownership of the fishingfleet from Astor M'Kree. Perhaps he had been taken with somefeeling of illness that day, and this continuing ever since had ledto his altered ways and gloomy looks. But even with this idea tocomfort her Katherine went to her bed with a heavy heart thatnight, and a dread of the morning to which before she had been astranger. Her father had said that it was of no use to feardisaster until it really came, but her heart quailed that night asshe lay sleepless, thinking of the days which stretched in front ofher. Until her father grew strong again she would have to let theday teaching go, even though it might be possible to keep the nightschool together. Her days would have to be spent in buying andselling, in bartering barrels of flour and pork for skins of wolf, of ermine, and of beaver. She would have to stand between home andthe difficulties that menaced from the outside, and if her heartfailed her who could wonder at it?

CHAPTER V

A Sacred Confidence

'Duke Radford was very ill. For a week he hovered between life anddeath, and Mrs. Burton's skill was taxed to the uttermost. Therewas no doctor within at least a hundred miles. One of the fishersat Seal Cove had set the broken collar bone, the work being verywell done too, although the man was only an amateur in the art ofbone-setting. But it was not the broken bone, nor any of hisbruises and abrasions, which made 'Duke Radford's peril during thatblack week of care and anxiety. He was ill in himself, so ill infact that Mrs. Burton lost heart, declaring that her father'sconstitution had broken up, and that half a dozen doctors could notpull him through if his time had come. 

Katherine would not share this gloomy view, and was always hopingagainst hope. If only the waters had been open, a doctor mighthave been procured from somewhere; but in winter time, when thesmall lakes and many of the lesser rivers were all frozen, nothingin the way of outside help was available, and the dwellers inremote places had to depend upon their own skill, making up innursing what was lacking in medicine. 

By the time the second Sunday came, the sick man showed signs ofmending. Mrs. Burton grew hopeful again, while Katherine wasnearly beside herself with joy. It had been a fearfully hard weekfor them all, though the neighbours had been as kind as possible. Stee Jenkin's wife came up from Seal Cove one day, and, after doingas much work as she could find to do, carried the twins off withher to her little house at the Cove, which was a great relief toMrs. Burton and Katherine. Mrs. M'Kree was ill herself, so coulddo no more than send a kindly message; but even that was betterthan nothing, for sympathy is one of the sweetest things on earthwhen one is in trouble. 

Sunday was a blessed relief to them at the end of their troubledweek. Finding her father so much better, Mrs. Burton betookherself to bed at noon for the first real untroubled rest she hadenjoyed for many days. The boys were stretched in luxuriousidleness before the glowing fire in the kitchen, and Katherine wasin charge of the sickroom. She was half-asleep herself; the placewas so warm and her father lay in such a restful quiet. It hadbeen so terrible all the week because no rest had seemed possibleto him. But since last night his symptoms had changed, and now helay quietly dozing, only rousing to take nourishment. Presently hestirred uneasily, as if the old restlessness were coming back, thenasked in a feeble tone:

"Are you there, Nellie?"

"Nellie has gone to lie down, Father; but I will call her if youwant her, " Katherine said, coming forward to where the sick mancould see her. 

"No, I don't want her; it is you I want to talk to, only I didn'tknow whether she was here, " he replied. 

"I don't think you ought to talk at all, " she said, in a doubtfultone. "Drink this broth, dear, and then try to sleep again. "

"I will drink the broth, but I don't want to go to sleep again justyet, " he said, in a stronger voice. 

Katherine fed him as if he were a baby, and indeed he was almost asweak as an infant. But she did not encourage his talking, althoughshe could not prevent it, as he seemed so much better. 

"There is something that has been troubling me a great deal, and Iwant to tell you about it, " he said. "I could not speak of it toanyone else, and I don't want you to do so either. But it will bea certain comfort to me that you know it, for you are strong andmore fitted for bearing burdens than Nellie, who has had more thanher share of sorrow already. "

Katherine shivered. There was a longing in her heart to tell herfather that she wanted no more burdens, that life was already sohard as to make her shrink from any more responsibility. But, looking at him as he lay there in his weakness, she could not saysuch words as these. 

"What is it you want to tell me, Father?" she asked. Her voice wastender and caressing; he should never have to guess how she shrankfrom the confidence he wanted to give her, because her instincttold her that it was something which she would not want to hear. 

"Do you remember the day we went up to Astor M'Kree's with the lastmail which came through before the waters closed?" he saidabruptly, and again Katherine shivered, knowing for a certaintythat her father's trouble was proving too big for him alone. 

"Yes, I remember, " she replied very softly, "That was a black day for me, for it brought dead things to life ina way that I had thought impossible. I used to know that OswaldSelincourt who has bought the fishing fleet. "

"That one? Are you sure it is the same?" she asked in surprise. "The name is uncommon, still it is within the bounds of probabilitythat there might be two, and you said the one you knew was a poorman. "

"I fancy there is no manner of doubt that it is the same, " 'DukeRadford said slowly. "The day we went to Fort Garry, M'Crawneytold me he had a letter from Mr. Selincourt too, in which the newowner said he was a Bristol man, and that he had known what it wasto be poor, so did not mean to risk money on ventures he had nochance of controlling, and that was why he was coming here nextsummer to boss the fleet. "

"Poor Father!" Katherine murmured softly. "Ah, you may well saypoor!" he answered bitterly. "If it were not for you, the boys, poor Nellie, and her babies, I'd just be thankful to know that I'dnever get up from this bed again, for I don't feel that I havecourage to face life now. "

"Father, you must not talk nor think like that, indeed you mustnot!" she exclaimed, in an imploring tone. "Think how we need youand how we love you. Think, too, how desolate we should be withoutyou. "

"That is what I tell myself every hour in the twenty-four, and Ishall make as brave a fight for it as I can for your sakes, " hesaid in a regretful tone, as if his family cares were holding himto life against his will. Then he went on: "Oswald Selincourt andI were in the same business house in Bristol years ago, and I didhim a great wrong. "

Katherine had a sensation that was almost akin to what she wouldhave felt if someone had dashed a bucket of ice-cold water in herface. But she did not move nor cry out, did not even gasp, onlysat still with the dumb horror of it all filling her heart, untilshe felt as if she would never feel happy again. Her father hadalways seemed to her the noblest of men, and she had revered himso, because he always stood for what was right and true. Then someinstinct told her that he must be suffering horribly too, andbecause she could not speak she slid her warm fingers into histrembling hand and held it fast. 

"Thank you, dear, I felt I could trust you, " he said simply, andthe words braced Katherine for bearing what had to come, more thananything else could have done. 

"What is it you want me to know?" she asked, for he had lain forsome minutes without speech, as if the task he had set himself washarder than he could perform. 

"I wanted to tell you about the wrong I did Selincourt, " the sickman said in a reluctant tone. He had brought himself to the pointof confiding in his daughter, yet even now he shrank from it as iffearing to lower himself in her eyes. "We were clerks in onebusiness house, only Selincourt was above me, and taking a muchhigher salary; but if anything happened to move him, I knew thathis desk would be offered to me. I was poor, but he in a sense waspoorer still, because he had an invalid father and young sistersdependent on him. "

"Father, surely there is no need to tell me of this dead-and-buriedaction, unless you wish it, for the telling can do no good now, "burst out Katherine, who could not bear to see the pain in herfather's face. 

"A wrong is never dead and buried while the man lives who did it, "'Duke Radford answered with a wan smile, "for his conscience has atrick of rounding on him when he least expects it, and then thereis trouble, at least that is how it has been with me. One day acomplaint was lodged with our business chiefs that one of theclerks had been gambling, was an habitual gambler in fact. I wasnot the one, and I was not suspected, but I knew very well whichone it was; but when suspicion fell on Selincourt, I just keptsilent. For some reason he could not clear himself, was dismissed, and I was promoted. But the promotion did me little good; the firmwent bankrupt in the following year, and I was adrift myself. "

"What became of Selincourt?" asked Katherine, and was instantlysorry she had spoken, because of the pain in her father's face. 

"I don't know. I never heard of him from the day he left thecounting-house until Astor M'Kree read his name from that letter, but I thought of him a good bit. It is hard enough for a man to dowell with an unblemished character, but to be thrown out of asituation branded as a gambler is ruin, and nothing short of it. "

"What became of the other man--the one who was a gambler?" askedKatherine. 

"I don't know. He remained with the firm until the crash came. Ifancy Selincourt's fate made a great impression on him, for I neverheard of his gambling after Selincourt's dismissal, " answered herfather. 

"How strange that he could not clear himself! Do you expect he hadbeen gambling really, as well as the other one?" Katherine saidquickly. 

"I am sure he had not, " replied 'Duke Radford. "He was not thatsort at all. But the thing that bowled him over was that he wasknown to have money in his possession, a considerable amount, forwhich he could not or would not account. "

"Still, I don't see that you were so much to blame, " said Katherinesoothingly. "If the man was accused and could not clear himself, then plainly there was something wrong somewhere: and after all yousimply held your tongue; it was not as if you had stolen anything, letting the blame fall on him, or had falsely accused him in anyway. "

"Just the arguments with which I comforted myself when I keptsilent and profited by the downfall of a man who was blameless, "'Duke Radford replied. "But though there may be a sort of truth inthem, it is not real truth, and I have been paying the price eversince of that guilty silence of mine. "

"Father, why do you tell me all this now?" cried Katherineprotestingly. Never in her heart would she have quite so muchadmiration for her father again, and the knowledge brought keensuffering with it. 

He drew a long breath that was like a sobbing sigh; only too welldid he understand what he had done, but he had counted the cost, and was not going to shirk the consequences. 

"Because I've got the feeling that you will be able in some way tomake the wrong right. I don't know how, and I can't see what canbe done, only somehow the conviction has grown to a certainty in mymind, and now I can rest about it, " he replied slowly. 

"Has this trouble made you so restless and ill?" she asked, thinking that his burden of mental suffering had grown beyond hispowers of endurance since he had been keeping his bed. 

"I suppose it may have helped. I have suffered horribly, but sinceI made up my mind to tell you, things have seemed easier, and Ihave been able to sleep, " he answered with a heavy sigh. 

"Will you tell me just what you want me to do, if--if----?" shebegan, but broke off abruptly, for she could not put in words thedread which had come into her heart that her father might be deadbefore the summer, when Mr. Selincourt was expected in Keewatin. 

"If I am alive and well when the summer comes there will be no needfor you to do anything; I shall be able to face the consequences ofmy own wrong-doing. But if not, I leave it to you to do the verybest you can. You can't make up for all the man may have had tosuffer, but at least you can tell him that I was sorry. "

Katherine shuddered. It was bad enough to be compelled to hearthat her father had been guilty of such meanness as to keep silent, in order that he might profit by the downfall of an innocent man;but when, in addition to this, she was expected to tell that man ofhow her father had acted, and, as it were, ask pardon for it, theordeal appeared beyond her strength to face. Not a word of thisdid she say, however, for it was quite plain to her that theinvalid had already over-excited himself, and she rather dreadedwhat Mrs. Burton would say presently. 

"You must go to sleep, Father, and we will talk about this againanother day, " she said firmly. 

"No, we will not speak of it again, for it is not a pleasantsubject for discussion, " he replied. "Only tell me that you willtake my burden and bear it for me as best you can, if I am not ableto bear it myself, and then I can be at peace. "

Katherine bent over him, gathering his feeble hands in a closeclasp, and the steadfast light in her eyes was beautiful to see. "Dear Father, I will do my very best to make the wrong as right asit can be made. Now try to rest, and get better as fast as you can. "

He smiled, shook his head a little at her talk of getting betterspeedily, then to her great relief he shut his eyes and went tosleep. The burden had fallen from him upon her, and it had fallenso heavily that just at first she was stunned by the blow. Therewas no sound in the quiet room except the regular breathing of thesleeper. Outside the brief winter day merged into the longnorthern night; the stars came out, shining with frosty brilliancy, but Katherine sat by the bedside, and never once did her gazewander to the window. Mrs. Burton came in presently, bringing alamp, and scolding softly because the room was in darkness. Butwhen she saw how quietly her father was sleeping, her gentlecomplaining turned into murmurs of pleased satisfaction. 

"Really, Katherine, you are a better nurse than I thought. I wasso afraid of the restlessness coming on again, as it has done aboutthis time every day since his accident. But now he is sleeping mostbeautifully, so I feel sure he has taken a turn, and that we shallpull him through. "

"Yes, " said Katherine, as she followed Mrs. Burton into the storeto look after the fire. "I think he will get better now, " but hertone was so dull and lacking in spirit that her sister faced roundupon her in quick consternation. 

"What is the matter? Do you feel ill? Why, you are white as chalk, and you look as if you had seen a ghost!"

"I don't think there are any ghosts to see in this part of theworld, " Katherine replied, with a brave attempt at a laugh, "unless, indeed, the unquiet spirit of some Hudson's Bay Company'sagent, done to death by treacherous Indians, haunts these shores. "

"Or some poor sealer caught in the ice and frozen to death, "murmured Mrs. Burton, with a sobbing catch in her breath. 

Katherine, who was putting wood in the stove, turned suddenly, catching her sister in a warm, impulsive hug. "There are no ghostsnor unquiet spirits among those brave men who meet death whiledoing their daily work, darling!" she said earnestly. "But I fancysome of those old H. B. C. Agents were fearful rogues, and welldeserved the fate they met at the hands of the outraged red men. "

"Perhaps so; I don't know. But I don't like seeing you look sopale, Katherine. Come and have your tea, and I will send one ofthe boys to look after Father for a little while. "

Katherine followed her sister from the store into the kitchen, wondering as she went if tea, however hot, would have the power todrive away the creeping chill at her heart. Miles went off to takecharge of the sickroom, while Phil set tea, chattering all the timeconcerning the gossip of the store which had come to his earsduring the last few days. 

"The men are saying that most likely, if Mr. Selincourt is such arich man, he will be sure to have a steamer run up through theStrait two or three times during the summer with provisions, and soit will be bad for Father and the store, " he said, carefullysetting the cracked cup for Miles, although by rights it was hisown turn to have it. 

"What nonsense people talk!" exclaimed Mrs. Burton, with ascornful laugh. "Mr. Selincourt will have his hands full withmanaging the fishing fleet, and if he is so unwise as to turngeneral trader, I dare say we can find some way of underselling himor enticing his customers away. "

Katherine put down her cup of tea with an unsteady movement whichspilled some of the contents over the tablecloth. Here was a viewof the situation which she had not thought to be compelled to face. If Mr. Selincourt did anything which took their trade away, andleft them face to face with starvation, would it be their duty tosit down meekly and bear such an injustice, without attempting ablow in self-defence, and all because of that evil from the pastwhich, although so long buried, had suddenly come to life again?

"Katherine, how frightened you look! You surely are not worryingabout a bit of store gossip, which has probably not the slightestfoundation in fact?" Mrs. Burton said in remonstrance. 

"It is of no use to worry about anything so remote as Mr. Selincourt and the fishing fleet, " Katherine answered languidly. "But I am so tired that bed for a few hours seems the mostdesirable thing on earth. "

"Then go, dear, and get a good rest, " said her sister. 

But, although Katherine lay down and covered herself with thebedclothes, sleep was long in coming, while the burden she hadtaken made her heart heavy as lead. 

CHAPTER VI

Business Bothers

For a few days 'Duke Radford appeared to get better withastonishing rapidity. He left his bed, and crept across the store, to sit in the rocking-chair by the kitchen stove, and said he wasnow quite well. But when he had pulled up thus far towardsstrength again, he stopped short, unable to get any farther. Invain Mrs. Burton plied him with every nourishing food she couldthink of: an invalid he remained, weak and depressed, all his oldenergy and enterprise under a cloud, and with a settled melancholywhich nothing could lift. 

It was then that the burden of life descended with such crushingforce on Katherine. The work of the store must go on, and it washarder in winter than in summer. She spent long hours burrowingamong the piles of merchandise in the underground chamber beneaththe store, where were kept the goods bought and brought to RoaringWater Portage when the waters were open. Or, with Miles for acompanion, she went long distances across the snowy wastes, delivering stores by dog team and sledge. This was all very wellon the still days, when the sun shone with cloudless brilliancy ina clear sky, and the dogs tore along like mad creatures, and thewhole of the expedition would seem like a frolic; but there wereother days when things were very different. Sometimes a ragingwind would sweep in from the bay, laden with a terrible stingingdamp, which kind of cold pierced like daggers. Or a roaring northwind would howl through the forests, snapping off big trees fromtheir roots as if they were only twigs, while earth, air, and skywere a confusion of whirling snowflakes. These were the dangerousdays, and they never ventured far from home when such blizzardswere raging, unless it was for the three miles' run down to SealCove, where the trail had been dug out, and the snow banked, at thebeginning of winter. 

There were a large number of sealing and walrus boats laid up inice between Roaring Water Portage and Seal Cove. Most of these hadmen living on board, who passed the days in loafing, in settingtraps for wolves, or in boring holes through the ice for fishing. Many of them spent a great portion of their time in the littlehouse at the bend of the river, where Oily Dave dispensed badwhisky and played poker with his customers from morning to night, or, taking a rough average, for sixteen hours out of thetwenty-four. These were the men whom Katherine most dreaded toencounter. They looked bold admiration, and roared out complimentsat the top of husky voices, but they ventured nothing further; hermanner was too repressive, and the big dogs which alwaysaccompanied her were much too fierce to be trifled with. Mrs. Burton had left off lamenting the chances of damage to her sister'scomplexion from exposure, for she realized that Katherine must bebreadwinner now, and the stern necessities of life had to be firstconsideration for them all. 

One day Katherine found to her surprise that some tin buckets oflard were missing from the store. It was only the day before that, rummaging in the far corner of the cellar, she had unearthed six ofthese buckets, which had apparently been forgotten, as the datechalked on them was eighteen months old. With much hard work shehauled four of them to the store above, ripped the cover from one, so that the contents might be retailed at so much per pound, andleft the other three standing in a row on a shelf which was remotefrom the stove. But now two were gone, and looking at the onewhich had been opened she saw that it was only half full. For amoment she supposed that there must have been a considerable run onlard during the previous evening, while she was teaching nightschool, with Miles on duty in the store. It had been such a fineclear evening that many people were abroad who would otherwise havebeen in bed, or at any rate shut up in the stuffy little cabins ofthe snow-banked sealers. 

A minute of thought, however, showed her that such a demand forlard would have been so much out of the common as to have elicitedsome comment from Miles at closing time. Each bucket would containsomething over thirty pounds in weight, so the sale of over sixtypounds' weight of lard in one evening would have been something ofa record for Roaring Water Portage. Miles was busy at the woodpile; she could not leave the store to go and question him then, sohad to wait with what patience she could muster until he cameindoors again. Her father had not left his bed yet; indeed herarely did leave it now until noon or later, when he dressedhimself, walked across the kitchen, and sat in the rocking-chairuntil it was time for bed again. 

The life would have seemed dreary and monotonous enough if it hadnot been for the hard and constant work, which made the days ofthat winter fly faster for Katherine than any winter had ever flownbefore. She did not mind the work. Young, strong, and with plentyof energy, the daily toil seemed rather pleasant than otherwise. It was business bothers like this about the missing lard whichtried her patience and temper. Presently Miles came in, his facered and warm from hard work in the open air, but puckered into alook of worry, which found a reflection on the countenance ofKatherine. 

"We are running out of fish for the dogs, Katherine. Have we beenusing it too fast, do you think?" he asked. 

"Surely not. The poor creatures cannot work unless they are wellfed, and they have never had more than they could eat. How muchlonger will it last?"

"Three days perhaps, not more, " Miles answered. "It has seemed togo all at once. "

"Just so. I should fancy the fish has suffered in the same way asthe lard. You had better keep the door of the fish-house locked infuture. I wonder where we can get some more fish? People's stocksof dried fish will be getting low now, I expect, " Katherine said, wrinkling her brows and trying to think of a likely place where thewant could be supplied. 

"I know where we could get fresh fish, pretty nearly any amount ofit, if you didn't mind the bother of catching it. We could freezeit and keep it so. But what about the lard? You meant it to besold, didn't you?"

"Yes, of course; but how much did you sell?" asked Katherine, witha hope that he really had sold it all and merely forgotten tomention it. 

"Sixteen pounds, all told. Oily Dave seemed uncommonly pleasedwith it; though, of course, he wanted to beat me down two cents apound, and when he found I would not put up with that, he tried topalm some bad money off on to me. I'm not so sure that he wouldnot have had me there, for I'm not half so sharp about money as Iought to be, but Stee Jenkin called out to me to keep my eyes open, and then I soon found out there was something on hand, so I madethe old rascal pay up in honest coin. "

There was an air of modest swagger about Miles as he spoke, for herather prided himself on his business acumen and general smartness, so Katherine's next words were a terrible blow to his pride. 

"My dear boy, you had better have let him have his two cents twiceover, and then winked at the money, than have given him such achance as he must have made for himself last night, " she saidbitterly. 

"What do you mean?" he demanded, with the offended air he alwaysdisplayed when his pride was wounded. 

"I mean that Oily Dave or some of his precious companions walkedoff with two whole buckets of that lard from under your nose lastnight, unless indeed you took the trouble to carry it into thecellar again. "

"It would not have been possible for anyone to do that, for I washere all the time, " he answered stiffly. 

"Quite all the time, or did you have to leave for anything; somesilly little thing, perhaps?" she said in a coaxing tone, anxiousto win him from his show of bad temper, and at the same time getsome clue to the disappearance of the stuff. 

"I don't think I went away at all, " Miles began, then caughthimself up in a sudden recollection. "Oh yes, I did! I remember Itook a ten-dollar bill, that Jean Doulais brought, indoors forFather to give me change. "

"Then while you were indoors the thief stepped into the store andwalked off with our two pails of lard. Well, I hope the stuff willmake him very sick indeed!" exclaimed Katherine, in a tone ofdisgust. 

"I wonder who it was? It couldn't possibly have been Jean, " saidMiles, "for he was sitting on the counter and banging his heels. When I went into the kitchen I heard him thumping away all the timeI was there, and he was sitting and banging when I came back. "

"Was it Jean Doulais who made all that noise?" said Katherine. "Iwas demonstrating on the blackboard, and had to write myexplanations, because I could not make myself heard. One of theboys volunteered to go and punch the noisy one's head, but this Iforbade for prudent reasons. "

"Pity you didn't let the fellow come. He might have happened onthe thief, " growled Miles. "If Jean didn't take the things, hemust know pretty well who did. Will you tackle him about it?"

"I think not, " replied Katherine, after a pause for consideration. "He might think we suspected him, which would be bad from abusiness point of view. Then he would be certain to tell thethief, and that would lessen our chances of detecting him. "

"What a desperately light-fingered lot they are here this winter!"Miles exclaimed in a petulant tone. "Just see what a rush we hadto save the stores from your cache the night Father had hisaccident. "

"But we did save them, " replied Katherine with a ripple oflaughter. "And incidentally we also saved the lives of a noblepair of men. "

Miles gave a grunt of disgust. "A regular pity they didn't getkilled, I think; and I shouldn't wonder if they are at the bottomof this piece of thieving also. "

Katherine shook her head. "Oily Dave may be, for pilfering seemsto be second nature with him. But Stee Jenkin is made of betterstuff, and I believe he is really grateful because we saved himthat night. Then remember how kind he and his wife were to us whenFather was so ill. Oh, I've got a better opinion of Stee than tothink he would steal our things now!"

Miles grunted again in a disbelieving fashion, but he did notattempt to upset Katherine's convictions by argument; only theyagreed that for the future a more vigilant watch should be keptboth indoors and out. A padlock and chain were put on the door ofthe fish-house, everything that could be locked up was carefullymade fast; then Katherine and Miles set themselves to the task ofkeeping their eyes open to find out who had stolen the lard. 

Later in that same day a miserable-looking Indian came in with alot of dried fish which he wanted to trade off for provisions, and, after a good deal of bargaining, Katherine took the lot in exchangefor a small barrel of flour and a packet of tobacco. 

"No need for us to go fishing to-morrow, Miles. I have got enoughfish to last the dogs for a fortnight, if we are careful, " she saidto her brother, when he came back from a journey down to Seal Cove. 

"Where did you get it from?" he asked. 

"From an Indian who called himself Waywassimo, so I think he musthave been reading Longfellow's Hiawatha, for you know Waywassimowas the lightning, and Annemeekee the thunder, " Katherine replied. "Only there was nothing grand nor terrible about this Waywassimo. He was simply a miserable-looking Indian with a most dreadfulcough. "

Miles began to laugh in a hugely delighted fashion, but it was sometime before Katherine could get from him the cause of his mirth. At length, with many chuckles, he commenced to explain. 

"There has been a wretched-looking Indian hanging about Seal Covefor the last two or three days, stealing pretty nearly everythinghe could lay his hands on, and Mrs. Jenkin told me that last nighthe broke into Oily Dave's fish-house and cleared off with every bitof dried fish there was. "

"So I have been buying stolen goods. How horrid!" exclaimedKatherine with a frown. "Now I suppose it is my duty to hand atleast a part of that fish back to Oily Dave. Oh dear, I wouldrather it had been anyone else, for I do dislike him so much!"

"Don't fret yourself; wait until you hear the end of my story, andthen you will see that for once the biter has been bitten, "answered Miles, with so much chuckling and gurgling that he seemedto be in a fair way to choke himself. "Mrs. Jenkin says she isquite positive that Oily Dave stole that fish, because hisfish-house was quite empty a week ago, as she saw with her owneyes, but yesterday, when she was cleaning his house for him, shesaw that he had a lot of fish. He told her then that he had boughtit to sell again. She knew how much of that to believe, however, and asked me if we had missed any of our fish. "

"What did you say?" asked Katherine, who then began to wonder iftheir fish had really wasted through being stolen, instead ofhaving merely been used too fast. 

"Oh, I didn't commit myself! Mrs. Jenkin has a good heart, but herhead is as soft as blubber, so I was pretty careful not to saymuch, " Miles answered, with a wag of his own head, which he thumpedwith his fist to show that at least he was not topped with blubber. 

"It is maddening whichever way one looks at it!" cried Katherine. "If Oily Dave stole our fish, and Waywassimo stole it from himagain, then I have been buying our own property, and paying for itat a rather stiff price. I simply could not beat that poor wretchdown, he looked so sad and hungry. Oh, Miles, what shall we do?If this business leaks out we shall just be the laughing-stock ofthe whole place. "

"It is not going to leak out; I'll take good care of that, "retorted the boy, squaring his jaws. "If we say nothing about it, who is to be any the wiser? Was there anyone here when you boughtthe fish?"

"Not a soul. How very fortunate!" cried Katherine, beginning tosmile again. "It is quite bad enough to be taken in by such atrick, but it would be simply intolerable to have other peopleknowing about it and laughing at our misfortunes. "

Miles nodded. This was just his own opinion, and he would havesuffered tortures if the wits of Seal Cove had been able to taunthim about his clever sister having bought her own fish. Then hesaid slowly, as if he had been giving the matter profoundconsideration; "There isn't a scrap of doubt in my mind that ifOily Dave took the fish he took the lard as well. "

"Then I wish Waywassimo would steal that too!" said Katherine witha laugh. 

CHAPTER VII

Another Clue

It was fully a fortnight after this before Katherine and Milesfound any opportunity for going fishing. Then there came a daywhen they had to take a load of stores up beyond the secondportage, to the house of Astor M'Kree, and they decided to bring aload of fish back with them if possible, as the store whichKatherine had bought from Waywassimo was beginning to run low. Their father seemed better that day, and was able to look after thestore with the help of Phil. 

Katherine too was bright and lively this morning, as if there wereno dark shadow of trouble in her life. Sometimes she was fearfullysick at heart with the remembrance of her father's confidence, anda dread of what the summer might bring; but at other times, on dayslike this, she took comfort in the ice, the snow, and the searchingcold. Winter was not nearly over yet, a hundred things mighthappen before the summer came, and so her high spirits pushed thedark shadow to one side and for a brief space forgot all about it. She was especially blithe of heart to-day, and so had donned askirt of scarlet blanket cloth, which matched in hue the woollencloud she wrapped about her head. On other days, when her mood wasmore sombre, she wore a dark-blue skirt, like the thick, fur-linedcoat which was put on every time she left the house. 

"How gay you look, Katherine!" exclaimed Mrs. Burton, as hersister came dancing into the kitchen, where she was making bread. "But what a pity to put on that scarlet skirt if you are going tobring fish home!"

"I shan't spoil it, or if I do I will wear it spoiled until itdrops into rags, " replied Katherine. "I call it my happinessskirt, and I wear it only when I feel happy. To-day the winter hassomehow got into my bones or up in my head, and I feel aslight-hearted and reckless as if I had been having oxygen pumpedinto me by a special contrivance; so plainly this is the propertime for my scarlet skirt. "

"It is so funny that scarlet suits you so well, for you arecertainly not a brunette, " Mrs. Burton said, looking at Katherinein warm sisterly admiration. "But indeed you would look charmingin anything. "

Katherine swept her a curtsy. "Now that is a compliment mostflatteringly paid. Really, Nellie, I don't see how you can expectme to be properly humble-minded if you say things of that sort, foryou are such a dear, sincere little person that every word youspeak carries conviction with it. But Miles is waiting and I mustbe off. Don't worry if we are rather late back, for we must bringas much fish as we can. "

Mrs. Burton left the bread to take care of itself for a while, and, throwing a thick shawl round her shoulders, came out to see thestart. There was only one sledge to-day, but that was piled highwith stores of various descriptions, from a barrel of flour to aroll of scarlet flannel, and from canned pineapple to a tin ofkerosene. This last was the light _de luxe_ in that part of theworld, fish oil serving for all ordinary purposes of illumination. Miles looked after the dogs, while Katherine sped on in front, anice saw and two fish spears carried across her shoulder. It wasjust the sort of morning when work was absolute joy, and toilbecame nothing but the zest of endeavour. Fresh snow had fallenduring the night, but the sun was so bright and warm that the coldhad no chance against it. The winter was advancing, as wasevidenced by longer hours of daylight and hotter sunshine; but whennight came the frost was more severe than ever, as if loath toloose its grip on the lakes and streams of that wide white land. 

Roaring Water Portage had lost all claim to its name for thepresent. The river which rushed in summer with a roar over therocks in rapids was absolutely silent now, and the rocks weremerely snow-covered hummocks. The river above was frozen, therewas no water to run down, and all the resonant echoes were dumb. The silence and the brightness suited Katherine's mood. Shehurried on in front, so that even the shouts of Miles to the dogsbecame faint in the distance. Then her pace decreased as she swungalong with a gentle swaying motion, the big frame of her snowshoenever quite lifted from the ground. When the boatbuilder's housecame in sight she hesitated, wondering if it would not bepleasanter to remain outside in the pure fresh air until Milescame, instead of sitting in the hot, stuffy kitchen talking to Mrs. M'Kree. Then, remembering how solitary was the life of the poorlittle woman, shut up from month's end to month's end with herbabies, Katherine decided to get on as quickly as she could andgive Mrs. M'Kree the benefit of her society. 

Mrs. M'Kree received her literally with open arms, and gave her ahug which nearly took her breath away. "Oh, I am glad you've comeyourself! If the weather had been bad I should have been quitesure of seeing you; but as it was so fine I was desperately afraidyou'd send the boys. But where is the sledge?"

"Miles is coming on with the dogs, but I came forward at atremendous pace just because the morning was so beautiful, and Iwanted to be alone, " Katherine answered, subsiding into arocking-chair and picking up the M'Kree baby which happened to benearest. 

"Wanted to be alone? My dear, that doesn't sound natural in ayoung girl. Oh, I hope you are not getting melancholy from all thetrouble you've had this winter!"

"How can you even think of melancholy and me in the sameconnection!" protested Katherine with a merry laugh. "Why, I am amost cheerful person always, and Nellie complains that I live in aperfect whirlwind of high spirits. "

"So you may. But if you want to go mooning off alone, it is a suresign that something is wrong, unless indeed you are in love, " andMrs. M'Kree nodded her head in delight at her own shrewdness. 

But Katherine only laughed as she asked: "Pray, whom do you think Ishould be likely to fall in love with? There are so few eligiblemen in this part of the world. "

"How was I to know but what you left your heart in Montreal lastwinter? At least there are men enough there, " Mrs. M'Kree said. Then she asked anxiously: "My dear, what is the matter? You lookquite ill. "

Katherine had started to her feet with a look of profound amazementon her face, for at that moment the door of the next room hadopened, and another small M'Kree appeared, dragging after him a tinbucket, on which he was raining a shower of resounding blows. 

"Where did you get that thing?" she asked with a gasp, instantlyrecognizing the bucket as identical with the two filled with lardwhich had been stolen. 

Mrs. M'Kree appeared slightly confused, and tried to hide herembarrassment by scolding her offspring. 

"Jamie, Jamie, why will you make such a fearful riot? Miss Radfordwill run away and never come back if you are not quiet. "

"I don't care if she does, " replied the juvenile. He had not yetreached the age when pretty girls become interesting, and the noisehe was producing filled him with tremendous satisfaction, so hebanged away with renewed ardour. 

Katherine crossed the room with a quick step, and, seizing Jamie, swung him up to the window. "See, here comes Miles, " she said, "and he has some toffee in the sledge. Run out and ask him to giveyou some. "

One look of beaming satisfaction Jamie flung her, then, wrigglingfrom her grasp, he tore away to the door and was seen no more forsome time. Then Katherine turned to Mrs. M'Kree and saidimploringly: "Please tell me where you got that bucket from, andhow long you have had it?"

"I'll tell you, of course, seeing that you make such a point of it, but I'm not specially proud of the business, I can assure you, "Mrs. M'Kree said, with a touch of irritability very unusual withher. "Oily Dave was up here about a week ago, and he said that hehad some buckets of rough fat that would do for greasing sledgerunners, or to mix with caulking pitch. He told us he bought thestuff from one of the American whalers that were fishing in the baylast summer, and he offered to sell us a bucket at such aridiculously low price that Astor bought one off-hand. "

"What happened then?" demanded Katherine, her lips twitching withamusement; for she knew quite enough of Oily Dave and his methodsto be sure that Astor M'Kree had been rather badly duped. 

"The stuff was more than half sawdust, but it had been worked in socarefully that you could not tell that until you came to rub thegrease on to runners and that sort of thing; then of course itgritted up directly. But the worst of it was that Astor had mixedsome of it with a lot of caulking pitch, which of course is quitespoiled, and he was about the maddest man in Keewatin on the daythat he found it out. "

Katherine was laughing; she really could not help it. But Mrs. M'Kree, not understanding where the joke came in, said in areproachful tone: "My dear, it was not a laughing matter to me, either then or now; for when one is married what affects one'shusband affects one's self also, and that sometimes in a verydisagreeable fashion. "

"Please forgive me for laughing!" cried Katherine. "But Oily Daveis such a slippery old rogue, and sometimes he overreaches evenhimself. " Then she told Mrs. M'Kree about the disappearance of thelard, and how she had recognized the bucket upon which Jamie hadbeen drumming so vigorously. 

"What will you do?" asked Mrs. M'Kree. 

"I don't see what we can do, except keep a sharper lookout infuture. There is not enough evidence to go and boldly accuse himof having walked off with two buckets of lard for which he had notpaid. There may be a hundred buckets like that in the district, every one of which has contained grease of some description, frombest dairy butter down to train oil mixed with sawdust, " Katherinereplied with a laugh, in which the other now joined. 

"It is a good thing you can laugh about it; but I am afraid that Ishouldn't have felt like laughing if I had been in your case, " saidMrs. M'Kree. Then she cried out in protest: "Must you go so soon, really? Why, you have been here no time at all, and there areheaps of things I wanted to say to you. "

"Yes, we must go. We are going to Ochre Lake for fish. Miles saysthere are heaps there to be had for the catching, and the dogs aregetting short of food. We have worked them very hard this winter, so they have needed more to eat, I suppose, " Katherine replied. Then she went out to help her brother to bring the stores in, andMrs. M'Kree came to assist also. 

"Ochre Lake is a good long way off, so I mustn't keep you if youare going there. A good six miles from here it must be, if youfollow the river, " said Mrs. M'Kree; then made a grab at the packetof toffee in Jamie's chubby hand, for he was evidently intent oneating it all himself, and so leaving none for the others. 

"We shall not follow the river, but take the short cut through thewoods; and we shall go fast too, for the dogs will travel light, you see, " Katherine said. Then picking up the fish spears and theice saw she glided on ahead, while Miles and the dogs went racingafter her. 

At first, when they left the boatbuilder's house behind, it waswilderness without a sign of life, but after they had gone two orthree miles, footprints of various sizes appeared on the snow. There were marks of wolf, of wolverine, of fox, with smaller printswhich could only have been made by little creatures like the mink, ermine, and such tiny fry, that, clad in fur white like the snow, scurried hither and thither through the silent wastes hunting forfood, yet finding in many cases swift death through the skill ofthe trapper. At length the lake was reached. In summer it was asheet of muddy yellow water abounding in fish, and many acres inextent. Now it was a wide snowfield, except at one end, where forsome unexplained reason it was open water still. This was the partat which they arrived, and Katherine halted on the bank with anexclamation of surprise. "Why, we shan't need the saw at all; it isopen water!"

"The ice at the edge is too thin to stand upon, and we mustn't takerisks here, for Father says there is a whirlpool at this end, andit is the constant motion of the water that keeps it fromfreezing, " Miles answered; and taking the saw from Katherine hecommenced making a hole in the ice a few yards from the open water. 

The dog's were lying panting on the bank as if quite exhausted, buttheir ears were perked up, and their eyes were very wide open, forthey quite understood what was going on, and the prospect of fishfreshly caught was very welcome after their months of living on thedried article. When a hole had been cut in the ice, Katherine wentto stand by it and spear the fish which immediately crowded to thesurface as if anxious to be caught. Miles went to a littledistance, where he cut another hole for himself, and for the nexthour the two worked as hard as they could at spearing fish, thenthrowing them on the snow, where they quickly froze stiff. Thewater seemed entirely alive with fish, which could only beaccounted for by the fact that the main part of the lake, which wasshallow, was frozen solid, so that all the fish had been forced tothe end where the moving water did not freeze. 

[Illustration: Katherine and Miles spearing for fish. ]

"I guess we have got a load now, so we might as well stop, " saidKatherine, whose arms were beginning to ache, having already hadmore than enough of slaughter for that day at least. 

"You load while I jab at a few more of these big fellows, for theyseem as if they are just yearning to be caught, " Miles criedexcitedly. "I never had such fishing as this; it is prime!"

"It isn't fishing at all; it is nothing but killing. Horrid work, I call it, " Katherine cried with a shudder, as, gathering up thefrozen fish, she proceeded to stack them on the sledge in much thesame fashion as she might have stacked billets of firewood. 

The dogs had eaten a good meal, and were in fine feather for work;so, although the load was heavy, they made very good pace, andKatherine, gliding along now by the side of Miles, told him of howshe had found Jamie M'Kree banging away on one of their stolen lardbuckets. Miles was furiously angry, and wanted to go straight offto Seal Cove, denouncing Oily Dave as a thief; but Katherine wouldnot hear of it. 

"By precipitating matters we may do a great deal more harm thangood, " she said. "We have had to buy our wisdom in rather anexpensive school, but it ought to make us wiser in future. So farwe have only suspicions to go upon, not facts, and it is verylikely that if we accused Oily Dave of stealing our stuff he wouldbe clever enough to turn the tables on us, and have us prosecutedfor libel, or something of that sort, which would not bepleasant--nor profitable. "

"I can't sit meekly down under things of that sort, " retorted theboy, with the sullen look dropping over his face which Katherinehated to see there. 

"It isn't easy, I know, but very often it pays best in the longrun, " she answered earnestly. "Whatever we do, or don't do, wemust take especial care that Father isn't worried just now. Hemust be our chief thought for the present, and if our businesspride gets wounded, we must just take the hurt lying down for hissake. "

"Katherine, are you afraid that Father is going to die?" Milesasked, turning his head quickly to look at her; and there was thesame terrified expression on his face which had been there when heasked the same question a few weeks before. 

"I think his recovery will depend very largely on whether we cankeep him from anxiety for the next two or three months, " sheanswered; and there was a stab of pain at her heart as she thoughtof the gnawing apprehension and worry which were secretly sappinghis strength. 

"Then Oily Dave mustn't be meddled with just now, I suppose, " Milessaid, with a sigh of renunciation; "but sooner or later he has gotto pay for it, or I will know the reason why. "

CHAPTER VIII

The First Rain

The weary weeks of winter passed slowly away. April came in withlong bright days and abundant sunshine, but still the frost-kingheld sway, and all the earth was snowbound, the rivers were mute, and the waterfalls existed only in name. The men in the store weresaying one night that some Indians had got through from Thunder Bayby way of the Albany River with mails; but as this meant about fourhundred miles on snowshoes, Katherine regarded it only as a pieceof winter fiction, and thought no more about it. There were fiftymiles of hill and valley between Roaring Water Portage and theAlbany River at its nearest point; but this was undoubtedly thenearest trail to civilization and the railway, and when the waterswere open it was easier than any other route. 

Two days later Katherine was in the cellar overhauling the stores, which were getting so shrunken that she was wondering how theycould possibly be made to hold out, when she heard Phil calling, and, going up the ladder, found a tired-looking Indian standingthere, who had a bag of mails strapped on to his back. 

"Have you really come from Thunder Bay?" she asked in a surprisedtone. 

"Yah, " he responded promptly, and, dislodging the burden from hisback, showed her the name Maxokama on the official seals of the bag. 

Her father being too unwell to leave his bed that day, Katherinereceived the mail as his deputy, and, giving the Indian a receiptfor it, proceeded to open the bag and sort the letters itcontained. There were only a few, and as they were mostly directedto those in authority in the fishing fleet, and to Astor M'Kree, Katherine was quick in coming to the conclusion that it was Mr. Selincourt who had arranged with the post office for the forwardingof this particular mail. A shiver of fear shook her as she thoughtof him. As a rule she preferred to keep him out of her remembranceas much as possible; but there were times when the fact of hiscoming was forced upon her. The broad glare of sunlight streamingin through the open door of the store was another reminder thatspring was coming with giant strides, and from spring to summer inthat land of fervid sunshine was a period so brief as to be almostbreathless. 

The Indian made some purchases of food and tobacco, but as hisconversational powers did not seem to go beyond a sepulchral "Yah", which he used indifferently for yes and no, neither Katherine norPhil could get much information out of him. When he had gone, Miles came back from wood-cutting on the slopes above the portage, and was immediately started off to deliver the letters at Seal Cove. 

A mail that arrives only once in five months or so is bound to betreated as a thing of moment, even when, as in this case, it waslimited to half a dozen letters and three or four newspapers. ToKatherine's great delight one of the papers was addressed to ThePostmaster, Roaring Water Portage, and she carried it in to herfather in the dreary little room which was walled off from thestore. 

"What have you got: a letter?" he asked, turning towards her, hisface looking even more thin and drawn than usual. 

"No, there were no letters for any of us; ours usually come by wayof Montreal and Lake Temiskaming, you know; but this is a sort ofspecial mail, which has been brought by Indians from Maxokama. Butthere is a newspaper for you, which shows it is a good thing to bepostmaster even of a place so remote as this, " she said with alaugh. 

"A newspaper will be a treat indeed. I think I will get up, Katherine, and sit by the stove in the store; one can't read anewspaper comfortably in bed. Besides, you will be wanting to goout delivering the mail. "

"Miles has taken the Seal Cove letters, but there is one for AstorM'Kree that Phil and I will take up this afternoon; the dogs willbe glad of a run, " she answered, bringing his garments andarranging them near the bed so that he could slip into them easily. 

"Fancy a team of four dogs, a sledge, and two people to carry oneletter!" he exclaimed. 

"Not quite that, " she responded with a laugh, glad to see that hismood was so cheerful. "There is a newspaper to go too, and weshall take up a small barrel of flour, with some bacon and sugar. "

"That sounds better at any rate, and I shall be delighted for youto have a run in the sunshine, " 'Duke Radford said, with thatthoughtful consideration for others which made his children lovehim with such an ardent affection. 

Katherine had not gone many yards from the door that afternoonbefore she noticed a difference in the temperature; it was a soft, clinging warmth, which made her glad to unfasten her scarlet cloud, while the glare of the sunshine was becoming paler, as if a mistwere rising. 

"Phil, the rain is coming; I can smell it, and the dogs can smellit too. We are in for weather of sorts, I fancy, but Astor M'Kreemust get his letter first, even if we have to race for it!" shecried. 

"Let's race, then; the dog's are willing, and so am I, " repliedPhil, who was seated in the sledge among the packages, whileKatherine travelled ahead on snowshoes, And race they did; but already the snow was getting wet and soft onthe surface, so that the going was heavy, the sledge cut in deeply, and it was a very tired team of dogs which dropped to the ground infront of the boatbuilder's house. Phil set to work hauling out thestores, but Katherine as usual went in to chat with Mrs. M'Kree, who looked upon her visits with the utmost pleasure. 

"I expect it is the last time we shall come up by sledge thisseason, " said Katherine. "But in case the ice is troublesome, andwe can't get a canoe through for a week or two, we have brought youdouble stores. "

"That is a good thing, for we are all blessed with healthyappetites up here, and it isn't pleasant to even think of going onshort commons, " replied Mrs. M'Kree. "But do wait until I've readthis letter, for there may be news in it, and there is so little ofthat sort of thing here that we ought to share any tidings fromoutside that may happen to get through. "

"Perhaps Mr. M'Kree would rather read his letter first himself, "suggested Katherine, who would have preferred not to hear aboutanything that letter might contain. She guessed it was from Mr. Selincourt, and for that reason shunned anything to do with it. 

"Astor has gone across to Fort Garry to-day; he started at dawn, and a pretty stiff journey he'll have before he gets back: but Iwarned him not to go, for I smelled the rain coming when I put myhead outside this morning; my nose is worth two of his, for hecan't smell weather, and never could, " Mrs. M'Kree answered, pulling a hairpin from her head and preparing to slit open theenvelope in her hand. 

"Still, he might rather that his letter waited for him unopened, "murmured Katherine; but Mrs. M'Kree was already deep in herhusband's correspondence, and paid no heed at all. 

"Oh! oh! what do you think!" she cried a moment later, giving anexcited jump, which so startled Katherine that she jumped too. 

"How should I know what to think?" she said; then was angry to findthat she was trembling violently. 

"Mr. Selincourt hopes to arrive in June, and he is going to bringhis daughter with him, " announced Mrs. M'Kree with a shout, wavingthe letter in a jubilant fashion. 

"Impossible!" remarked Katherine scornfully, the colour dying outof her face. "The first steamers can't get through Hudson Straituntil the first week in July. "

"They are not coming that way, but straight from Montreal by way ofLake Temiskaming. My word! the young lady will have a chance ofroughing it, for the portages on that route are a caution, so Astorsays, " Mrs. M'Kree answered, then fairly danced round the room. "Just fancy how gay we shall be this summer with a young lady freshout from England among us! And her father must be just the rightsort of moneyed gentleman, for he wants Astor to get a little hutready for him by the middle of June. "

"A what?" Katherine had risen to go, and was buttoning her coat, but faced round upon the little woman with blank surprise in herface, as if she failed to understand what the other was saying. 

"A hut. They will want some sort of a place to live in. There isno hotel here, you see, and they are going to stay all summer. What a pity it is you haven't got room to board them at the store!"

"We don't want them, " retorted Katherine quickly. "We have quiteenough to do without having to wait on a lot of idle boarders. "

"Oh! I don't fancy they will be very idle, for Mr. Selincourt saysthat he and his daughter intend being out a great deal among thefishers, " said Mrs. M'Kree, who still kept dipping into theletter, and besought her visitor to stay until she had read it all. 

But Katherine would not wait; she was in a hurry to start on thereturn journey, for every hour now would make the snow surface morewet and rotten to travel over. She was sick at heart, too, andsuffering from the keenest disappointment. Six months ago how shewould have rejoiced at the prospect of having Miss Selincourt atRoaring Water Portage for the weeks of the short, busy summer. Aneducated girl to talk to would make all the difference in theisolation in which they were forced to live. Katherine feltherself thrill and flutter with delight, even while she trembledwith dread at the thought of her father having to meet Mr. Selincourt face to face. She wondered if the rich man who wascoming would remember her father, and if he knew of the wrong thatthe latter had done in keeping silent, so that he might prosper bythe other's downfall. 

Bitter tears smarted in her eyes as she toiled through the meltingsnow; then a dash of wet struck her in the face, and she realizedthat the rain had begun, and the long winter was coming to an endat last. The last mile was very hard to traverse, and when atlength they went down the hill between the high rocks of theportage trail, Katherine heard a faint rippling sound which warnedher that the waters were beginning to flow. The store was crowdedwith men, as was often the case in the late afternoon, andKatherine's hope of being able to tell her father the news quietlywas doomed to disappointment. Her first glance at him told herthat he knew all there was to be known, and the look of sufferingon his face hurt her all the more because she knew there was nobalm for his pain. Miles was doing what was necessary in the storeunder his father's direction, and, because there seemed no need forher assistance just then, Katherine went on indoors to get a littlerest before it was time for evening school. 

"Oh, Katherine, have you heard the news?" cried Mrs. Burton, whowas knitting stockings and reciting "Old Mother Hubbard" betweenwhiles to the twins. 

"Yes; at least, I have heard about Mr. Selincourt coming, if thatis what you mean, " Katherine answered, as she unfastened her outergarments. 

"That is not the best part of the news by any means, " returned Mrs. Burton, giving Lotta a little shake to silence the demand for moreof "Mother Hubbard". "What delights me so much is to think thatMiss Selincourt is coming too. Just imagine what it will be tohave cultured society here at Roaring Water Portage!"

"She will despise us, most likely, and consider us about on a levelwith Peter M'Crawney's wife, or that poor little Mrs. Jenkin, " saidKatherine. 

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Burton's tone was energetic; her manner one ofmild surprise. "No one would despise you. They might look downupon me a little, but you are quite a different matter. "

"Perhaps I am, " replied Katherine. "But somehow I have got thefeeling in my bones that Miss Selincourt and I shall not fall inlove with each other. "

"I expect that what you have really got in your bones is a touch ofrheumatism from wading through wet snow, " Mrs. Burton saidanxiously. "Dear, you must take care of yourself, for what wouldbecome of us all if you were to fall ill?"

Katherine laughed, only there was not much mirth in the sound. "There is nothing the matter with me, nor likely to be, for I amtough as shoe leather; only sometimes my temper gets knobby, because all the children I can find to teach are grown-up babies ofthirty and forty, who prefer flirting to arithmetic, and have to becontinually snubbed in order to keep them in their places. Thestupid creatures make me so angry!"

"Poor Katherine! It is hard on you, for you are certainly much toogood-looking to teach a night school; but, on the other hand, whata good thing it has been for the men to have the school to occupytheir evenings, " said Mrs. Burton. "Mrs. Jenkin was saying onlyyesterday that there has not been half so much drinking andgambling at Seal Cove this winter as there was last year, becausethe men would rather come here and listen to your lectures onhistory and geography. "

"They are willing enough to listen, and will sit looking as stupidas a school of white whales, caught in a stake trap, " repliedKatherine. "But see what dunces some of them are when I try toknock a little arithmetic into their thick heads. "

"Yes, I will admit they are rather dense; and you are very muchmore patient with them than I should be, I'm afraid, " Mrs. Burtonsaid with a sigh. The night school had privately been a very greattrial to her, for since 'Duke Radford's indifferent health hadcaused him to lie in bed so much, it had been impossible to use theroom off the store as schoolroom, and so for two hours everyevening the family living-room had been invaded by a swarm of moreor less unwashed men, whose habits were not always of the mostrefined description. 

"The need for patience will soon be over now, " Katherine said, understanding the cause of the sigh, although Mrs. Burton haduttered no spoken complaint. "Miles says the men were beginning tobreak the boats out yesterday, and it is raining now, which willhelp matters on a great deal, unless, indeed, it rains too long, and then we may have floods. "

"Oh dear, I hope not!" replied Mrs. Burton with a shiver, forspring floods were no joke in that part of the world. "By the way, has Miles told you that he saw the Englishman to-day?"

"What Englishman?" demanded Katherine, with dismay in her tone, forher thoughts immediately flew to Mr. Selincourt; only, of course, it was not possible that he could arrive before June. 

"Didn't you hear that an Englishman came through from Maxokama withthe Indians who brought up the mail?" said Mrs. Burton in surprise. 

"Not a word. But certainly he must be a plucky sort of person tohave ventured a journey of four hundred miles on snowshoes. Do youknow who he is?" Katherine asked with quickened interest. 

"Someone to do with the fishing, I think; a sort of master of thefleet very likely, " replied Mrs. Burton, who had dropped herknitting and gathered both the little girls on to her lap, as thesurest means of keeping them quiet while she talked to her sister. 

"How will Oily Dave like that, I wonder?" Katherine said in amusing tone, and then her thoughts went wandering off to the pailsof stolen lard. She had kept up an unremitting watchfulness eversince the time when the theft occurred, and had missed nothing moreof importance; but her mistrust of Oily Dave was as great as ever. 

"I don't suppose he will like it at all, " Mrs. Burton answered. "But it is quite time that a more responsible man was put incharge. "

CHAPTER IX

The Flood

Twenty-four hours of a hard, continuous downpour, accompanied by awarm south wind, worked a mighty difference in the aspect of thingsat Roaring Water Portage. By night on the day following thearrival of the mail from Maxokama, the water was coming down therapids with a roar, bringing great lumps of ice with it, whichcrashed to fragments on the rocks, or were washed down with thecurrent to be a menace to the shipping anchored in the river below. All day long, heedless of the pouring rain, the men had worked atgetting the boats free from their winter coating of ice and snow. So when night came, everyone was too thoroughly wet and tired tothink of night school, which gave Katherine a welcome holiday fromteaching. 

She spent the time in sewing, and in making herself so generallyentertaining that even her father was more than once beguiled intolaughter. He was better and more hopeful than for a long timepast. He was even led into thinking and talking of the future, andthe work which would have to be done directly the fast-melting snowmade it possible to get about once more. Before daylight faded hehad helped Miles to get the big boat out, and carefully inspectedthe seams to make sure that no caulking was required. They usedbirchbark canoes a great deal at Roaring Water Portage in thesummer-time, but there was too much ice about for birchbarks to besafe yet. 

"We will knock up a little shed for the boat above the portage thissummer, then when next winter comes we can lay her up there, instead of having to bring her down here, " he said to Miles, as thetwo discussed the probability of being able to get the boat up theportage within a week. 

"Oh, don't talk of next winter, Father; we have not got rid of thisone yet!" exclaimed Mrs. Burton, who was entirely happy andcontented to-night, because of the omission of night school. 

"It is going very fast anyhow, and I guess we shall see bare groundin places to-morrow, " Miles put in, talking in a sleepy tone; forhe too had been breaking out ice that day, and was desperatelytired. 

"Yes, it is going, and I'm glad of it, for it has been the hardestwinter to live through that I can remember, and I'm thankful to seethe last of it, " 'Duke Radford answered; and something in his lookand tone made Katherine ask quickly:

"Don't you feel well to-night, Father?"

"Yes, I feel better than I have done for many a week past, " hereplied promptly; adding, in a tone too low for any but her tohear, "and happier too. "

"I believe you will feel better now, and get strong quickly, " saidMrs. Burton hopefully. "The winter had thoroughly gripped yoursystem, and that was why you could not get better before. "

All night long the roar of the water seemed to grow louder andlouder, while the ice crashed, and the wild wind howled through theleafless trees. But the morning broke fine, and the sun came outto warm up a wet world. Such a very wet world it was, with theriver swollen to twice its ordinary width! But as Miles hadpredicted, there was bare ground visible, and to eyes which hadlooked on snow-covered earth for six long months the sight waswelcome indeed. 

When breakfast was over, Katherine and Miles ran the boat down tothe water's edge, and floated it, getting in and paddling up anddown to see that there was no leakage, and to enjoy the novelsensation after the long abstention from boating. But there waswork to be done, and they could not afford to spend even a part ofthe day in rowing for their own amusement. Stores had to be takendown to Seal Cove, and there was some bargaining to be done forsome tusks of narwhal ivory which 'Duke Radford had beencommissioned to obtain if possible. Narwhal ivory was gettingscarcer every year, and the storekeeper at Roaring Water Portagewas prepared to pay a very good price indeed for all that he couldobtain. 

The journey down to Seal Cove was performed with ease andswiftness, the only trouble necessary being the steering, whichcalled for the utmost care in that racing current. 

"It will be stiff work coming back, " commented Miles, thinking howhard they would have to pull to make any sort of headway. 

"Yes, I think we had better come home round by the off-creek; thewater won't run so fast down there, " replied Katherine: and Miles, being of the same opinion, assented with a nod. 

At Seal Cove a curious state of things existed. The barrier of iceat the mouth of the river had not yet given way, and the racingcurrent, penned in by the barrier, was mounting higher and higher, and threatened to flood the whole neighbourhood. 

Katherine and Miles delivered as many of their stores as theycould. But it was not possible to go bargaining for narwhal ivory, as the flood made their destination inaccessible, so they turnedback instead, and started to row up a little backwater called theoff-creek, which in summer was too tiny to admit of the passage ofeven a small boat, but was swollen now to the size of a river. This waterway led straight past the unwholesome habitation of OilyDave, which faced the main river, while the creek ran at the backdoor, or where the back door would have been had the tumbledownhouse possessed one. The water was all round the house now, andmust have been creeping in under the edge of the door, only fromthe back of the house they could not see this. 

The two rested on their oars watching the scene, wondering whetherthe house would be swept away, and where Oily Dave would buildhimself a new residence, when they heard shouts, and from thedistant bank of the river saw a woman standing waving her arms in afrantic manner. 

"It is Mrs. Jenkin. But what can she want, for certainly her housewon't be in any danger yet awhile?" said Miles, looking across thewide waste of waters to where a little brown hut was pitched highup on the bank. 

"Hush! What is she saying?" cried Katherine, and put her hand toher ear to show that she was listening. 

Mrs. Jenkin saw the motion, and lifted her voice afresh. "Thereis a man--danger--house--Oily Dave!"

That was all they could hear, for the wind carried the words away, and a great block of ice crashed against the front of Oily Dave'sabode, making the wooden hut shiver with the force of the blow. 

"Oily Dave is shut up in his house, and Mrs. Jenkin wants us tosave him, " said Katherine, waving her arms to show the woman on thebank that she heard and understood. 

"The old baggage isn't worth saving, but I suppose we shall have totry what we can do, " Miles answered, then shouted to Katherine tolook out. 

The warning came only just in time, for at that moment the hugeblock of ice which had struck the house before came swirling roundin their direction, and they had to dodge it as best they could. 

"We must get round to the front, if we can, " said Katherine, whenthey had got the boat safely away from the danger of collision withthe ice. 

"Not possible; look there!" shouted Miles excitedly, as a greatsheet of ice came gaily floating on the swift current, caughtagainst the corner of the house, and stuck there, banging, grinding, and jarring with the movements of the swirling water, andthreatening to beat the house down like a battering ram. At thesame moment they heard a cry for help from inside the house, andthe woman on the far bank shouted and gesticulated more wildly thanbefore, while the whole structure groaned and shivered like acreature in pain. 

Katherine turned pale, but seized the oars resolutely. "There isonly one thing to do, Miles, and I am going to do it. Can you holdthe boat at the edge of the ice for five or ten minutes?"

"You are not going to get on to the ice?" he protested, his voicesharp with dismay, as he looked at the bowing, bobbing fragmentmany square yards in extent, which was grinding against the side ofthe house, but which might split into fragments at any moment. 

"Yes, I am. Then I shall creep round to the front, so that OilyDave can see me, and then, perhaps, his courage will be equal tocoming outside, " she said, standing up and throwing off her thickcoat, for it would not do to be encumbered with much clothing whenany moment might plunge her into the water. 

"Katherine, don't go. It is an awful risk, and the old man isn'tworth it!" pleaded Miles, and, despite the fact of his being a boy, there were actual tears in his eyes as he urged her not to go. 

But she would not listen, calling out sharply: "Bump her againstthe ice and then I'll spring. "

Putting out his strength, Miles brought the boat with a bangagainst the floating ice island, and at the same moment Katherinesprang lightly from the boat. But, despite her care, she landed onall-fours, and, as the ice was awash, got rather wet in theprocess. Rising to an erect position after a few preliminarystaggers, she walked cautiously out towards the middle of the iceisland, which would bring her within sight of the prisoner in thehut, and would, she hoped, inspire him with sufficient courage tohelp him in the task of getting him into the boat. 

By this time the woman on the bank understood what she was doing, and ceased shouting. It was Katherine's turn to make a noise now, and she did it with all her might. "Oily Dave, come out! We'vegot a boat at the back, and we will save you if you will be quick. "

She was making so much noise herself, and picking her way with suchextreme care over the rotten ice, that she failed to hear the firstresponse to her calling, and the next pulled her up with a jerk. 

"Oily Dave isn't here, but if you will take me I shall be verythankful. "

The voice was a strange one, and had an unmistakable ring ofrefinement and culture. Katherine faced round with such a start ofsurprise as to nearly send her sprawling again, for the ice wasfull of pitfalls. A young man was leaning out through the smallsquare opening which did duty for a window, and her firstimpression of him was of someone extremely tired, and that gave herthe clue to his identity. He must be the Englishman who had comefrom Maxokama with the Indians who had brought the mail. 

"Open the door and come out that way, " she said in a tone of sharpauthority. "You will never be able to squeeze through that smallwindow unless your shoulders are very narrow indeed. "

"Which they are not, " he replied, and disappeared from view. 

She heard him banging and tugging at the door, but never a jot didit stir, and after about five minutes of this futile work heappeared again at the window. The water was nearly on a level withthe opening now, and rising moment by moment, while there wereominous ripping and rending sounds in Katherine's ice island, whichwarned her that the rescue must take place in the next few minutesif it was to be effected at all. 

"The door is jammed. What am I to do?" the unknown asked in a calmtone, with no flurry or fuss. Indeed, Katherine wondered if herealized how great was his peril and her own. 

"Break it down, smash it, anything; only be quick, please, " shesaid sharply, marvelling a little at his unconcern in the face ofsuch grave danger. 

Again he disappeared, and Katherine heard a rain of heavy blowsbeginning to fall upon the door; then with a cracking, splittingnoise the panel gave way, the man inside wrenched off the brokenpart, and stood revealed up to his waist in water. But there was aspace of fully three yards between himself and Katherine's islandof ice, and, as the ground dropped away sharply in front of thehouse, she knew he must not venture to attempt wading. 

"Get a plank or Oily Dave's long table, " she said, her manner moredictatorial than before, for the unknown was so terribly slow inhis movements, and the water was still rising. 

Mrs. Jenkin had commenced shouting again, but Katherine paid noheed to her, for the unknown had appeared with a long, narrowtrestle table, which, resting one set of legs on the doorstep, reached to the ice. But it was a perilous bridge, and Katherineknew it; only there was no other way, so the peril had to be faced. 

"Now run, only be ready to spring, " she cried, trying to encouragehim. 

"Easier said than done, " he answered. "I can scarcely walk, muchless run. "

"Then you must crawl; only please make haste. The ice is so rottenthat every minute I am fearing it will give way, " she said. Thendropping on her knees on the ice, regardless of the water whichwashed over its surface, she tried to hold the edge of the tablesteady for him to cross. 

On he came, crawling slowly and painfully. He was so near to hernow that Katherine could hear his panting breath and see the lookof grim endurance on his drawn face. Mrs. Jenkin was shrieking ina frantic manner, and then Katherine heard a shrill cry from Miles, who was out of sight round the corner of the house. But the noiseconveyed no meaning to her. She had just stretched out her hand tograsp that of the unknown, when there came a tremendous crash whichshot her off the ice and into the water. The shock which sent herinto the water, however, steadied the rickety bridge over which thestranger was crawling by jamming the ice closer under it, and theman, catching her as she took her plunge, held her fast, thendragged her up beside him by sheer strength of arm. 

[Illustration: The rescue of Jarvis Ferrars. ]

"I am afraid you are rather wet, " the stranger said in a tone ofrueful apology, keeping his clutch on Katherine as she struggled toa kneeling posture. 

Dashing the wet hair from her eyes, Katherine looked anxiouslyround, fearing that their one way of escape had been cut off. Ahuge fragment of ice had cannoned into her island and split off agreat portion. Plainly that was why Mrs. Jenkin had screamed soshrilly, for she had seen what was coming and had tried to warnher. There were other ice fragments about; huge blocks likeminiature bergs were bobbing and bowing to the racing current, while they flashed back the rays of the sun with dazzlingbrilliancy. But there was still time to get round the corner ofthe house to the boat, if only they made haste; and, scramblingfrom her knees to her feet, Katherine cried urgently: "Come, come, we have just time; there is a boat round the corner of the house. If we can get there before the next crash comes we are safe, if notwe may drown!"

"Save yourself. It is no use, I can't hurry; every step istorture, " the unknown said, with a groan, as she fairly dragged himon to his feet, which were swathed in towels. 

But she would not leave him. "Lean on me as heavily as you please. I am tremendously strong, and I would try carrying you if you werenot so big, " she said, with bustling cheerfulness, as, slipping herarm round him, she hurried him forward. 

What a walk it was over that cracking, splitting ice! Mrs. Jenkinhad begun screaming again; and although Katherine was wet throughwith ice-cold water, she could feel the perspiration start as shefaced their chances of escape. An oncoming fragment at that momentfouled with a similar piece swirling round from another direction, and the moment thus gained proved their salvation. With quietobstinacy the stranger made Katherine enter the boat first; then, as he stumbled in himself, the two fragments dashed into theisland, which smashed into a thousand pieces. 

CHAPTER X

The Stranger Proves a Friend in Need

"Just in time!" exclaimed Miles with a sob of relief. He wouldhave been most horribly ashamed of tears at any other time, butKatherine's danger had been so imminent that even his naturaldesire for manliness was forgotten for the moment. 

Katherine drew a long breath and set her teeth firmly. She wastrembling violently now the strain was over, and it was all shecould do to keep from bursting into noisy crying. But the strangerwas shivering too, and in her care for him she forgot her ownfoolish desire for tears. 

"You are as wet as I am, and as cold. Can you row?" she asked, remembering the strength of arm he had displayed in dragging herout of the water. 

"Yes, and shall be glad to do it. You will be safer rowing too, "he answered, then motioned to Miles to give place. 

"I'll steer; then we can go ahead, " said the boy jerkily. He hadnot got over his fright yet, and was trembling almost as badly asthe others. 

Slipping into their places, Katherine and the stranger took theoars. Miles edged them out of the crowding ice dangers, and, keeping well to the bank, they began their progress up river. 

"Mrs. Jenkin is beckoning. Will you go across?" asked Miles. 

"No, " Katherine answered with prompt decision. "The force of thecurrent is fearful, and we have faced enough risks for one day. Besides, it is of no use; we want dry garments. Mrs. Jenkin hasbarely enough clothes for herself, so I am certain she could notsupply my needs; and no garments of Stee's would be big enough forthis--this gentleman. "

"My name is Jervis Ferrars, " put in the stranger, seeing herembarrassment and hastening to relieve it. 

"Thank you!" murmured Katherine, a flush coming into her cheekswhich made her charming despite her bedraggled condition. Then shewent on: "I think it will be better for you to come with us rightup to Roaring Water Portage, because then we can lend you some ofFather's clothes: he is tall, and they will about fit you, I shouldthink; and it is so very difficult to get what one wants at SealCove. "

"That I have already proved. But it was very kind of you to comeand rescue me. I owe my life to you, " the stranger said, with asudden thrill of feeling in his voice. 

Katherine flushed more brightly than before. "We thought it wasOily Dave whom we were trying to save, " she said, with a faintripple of laughter. "And Miles said he wasn't worth it, only ofcourse we had to do the best we could. Are you the Englishman whocame through from Maxokama two days ago?"

"Yes, " he answered. "And it was the four hundred miles onsnowshoes that made my feet so bad, though I am rather proud ofhaving done it. "

"I am sure you have a right to be proud of such a feat, " Katherineanswered; and then they did not say much more, for the work wasgetting harder every minute, and she wondered what would havehappened if there had been only Miles and herself to manage theboat, for certainly the arms of Jervis Ferrars had a strength whichMiles did not possess, yet in spite of this it was as much as theycould do to make headway against the streaming current. 

The danger came when they had to creep past the fishing boats, someof which were anchored so close in to the banks that they had toget out in the open river to pass them. Katherine had left offshivering, but she was trembling still from excitement andexhaustion; moreover, she was miserably self-conscious, because ofthe stranger who was sitting behind. It was horrible to be wet, dirty, and thoroughly bedraggled, but it was still more horrible tobe compelled to sit in such a condition right under the eyes of astrange man, whose every tone and gesture proclaimed him agentleman. But they were very nearly at the end of the journey. The roar of the rapids was in their ears, and Katherine wasthinking with a sigh of relief that she would soon be able to resther aching arms. 

Suddenly Miles leant forward and spoke. "I'm afraid there issomething wrong at home. Phil has just dashed out of the storedoor, looking as white as chalk. He beckoned to us to hurry, andnow he has rushed back again. "

"Father! Perhaps he is not so well, " exclaimed Katherine, with aquick terror gripping at her heart. Then she thought with a swiftcompunction of the stranger they were bringing home, and wonderedif her father would resent the intrusion. 

But Phil had run out again just as the boat grounded against thebank, and now he began shouting: "Oh, do come quick; Father isdreadfully ill, and Nellie does not know what to do with him. "

"You go first; the boy will help me, " said Jervis Ferrars, hurryingKatherine out of the boat. 

She landed with a bound and tried to run, but her water-loggedgarments clung so closely about her that she could only walk, andthe few steps to the door seemed like a mile. 

"Nellie says it is a stroke, and she is afraid Father is dying, "sobbed Phil, who was running to and fro in a distracted fashion. 

A faint cry broke from Katherine, and she caught at the doorpost tosave herself. Yet even in that moment she realized that this wasonly what she had been expecting every time that she had returnedfrom an absence all the winter through. But to-day found her soshaken and unfit for strain that it was not wonderful she brokedown, feeling that this last disaster was too great to be borne. Amoment she clung there sick and faint, while the ground under herfeet seemed to rise up like the waves of the sea; then thefrightened wailing of Beth and Lotta reached her ears, and steadiedher nerves to meet the demands upon her. 

"Poor mites, how frightened they must be!" she murmured to herself, then stumbled forward again, crossing the store and entering thekitchen. 

'Duke Radford lay on the floor. Doubtless he had fallen so, andMrs. Burton had been unable to lift him; but there was a pillowunder his head and a rug laid over him. He was breathing still, otherwise Katherine would have believed him already dead. 

"Oh, Nellie, this is dreadful! Whatever shall we do?" she cried, her voice sharp with pain. 

"If only we could get a doctor I wouldn't mind so much, " sobbedMrs. Burton. "But that is an impossibility. "

"I am afraid it is, " Katherine answered, lightly touching herfather's face with her finger, and wondering if he were asunconscious as he looked. 

Then she felt herself gently thrust to one side, and the voice ofJervis Ferrars said quietly: "Go and get into dry clothes asquickly as you can, Miss Radford. You can do your Father noimmediate good, but you may easily catch pneumonia if you stop inthis condition long. I am not really a doctor, but I have had amedical training, and I can do all that can be done in this case. "

"Oh, how thankful we are to have you here!" said Mrs. Burton, whofelt as if the wet unknown, who was shedding pools of dirty wateron to her clean floor, was an angel sent straight from heaven tohelp her in her time of need. 

But Katherine said nothing at all; she only stumbled to her feet inblind haste and hurried away, knowing that collapse intoundignified babyish crying was inevitable, and anxious to get awayto some place where she might be hidden from the eyes of theothers. In that crowded little house there was not much chance ofprivacy, however, and when Katherine entered the bedroom, to changeher wet garments and cry in peace, she was immediately set upon bythe twins, who had been shut in there by their mother to be out ofthe way. The poor mites were so frightened and unhappy thatKatherine had to put aside her own miseries in order to comfortthem. Then by the time she was clad in dry garments she feltbetter and braver, so she went back to the other room with thetears unshed. 

'Duke Radford still lay on the floor in blank unconsciousness, while Mrs. Burton was busy mopping up the dirty water which had runfrom the wet garments of the others. 

"Mr. Ferrars has gone to get into dry clothes, and then he will seeabout putting poor Father to bed, " Mrs. Burton explained. Then sheburst into agitated thanksgiving: "Oh, Katherine, how fortunatethat you brought him home with you, and how wonderful it is thatthere is always someone to help when most it is heeded! Whatevershould we have done to-day if we had had no one but the fisherpeople to help us?"

Katherine was silent, and before the eyes of her mind there arosethe picture of that moment before the two big fragments of icecollided, the moment which enabled Jervis Ferrars and herself toget into the boat. But for that pause in the destruction of theice island it was more than probable that neither she nor thestranger would have been there at all. Of this she said nothing. Nellie had quite enough to bear without being frightened bytragedies which had not happened. 

"I am afraid we brought you in a fearful lot of water, " Katherinesaid. 

"It will soon be wiped up, and the floor none the worse. That poorMr. Ferrars had no boots or stockings on; his feet were merelyswathed in towels. I have sent Miles with warm water to help himput them comfortable; and now there is someone in the store. Dear, can you go? I don't know where Phil is. "

"I will go. But what about Father?" Katherine asked, lingering. 

"You can do nothing for him, and he is as comfortable as it ispossible to make him at present, " Mrs. Burton replied. ThenKatherine hurried away, for business must be attended to whateverdisasters menaced the family peace and happiness. 

The customer was a man from one of the fishing boats, which waspreparing to leave the river directly the barrier of ice at themouth gave way. He wanted more stores than could be immediatelysupplied, and promised to come back for them later. 

"I saw you'd got the Englishman in your boat when you came upriver; I thought he looked pretty sick, " remarked the fisher, whowas a Yankee from Long Island Sound. 

"His feet are bad, which is not wonderful when one remembers hisjourney from Maxokama, " Katherine answered, wishing that the manwould go, so that she might go back to her father. 

But this he seemed in no hurry to do, and with a cautious lookround to make sure no one was within earshot, he leaned over thecounter and asked in a confidential tone: "Can you keep a secret, Miss?"

"I think so, but I am not very fond of them, " she answered, drawingback with a repressive air, for the man's manner was more familiarthan she cared for. 

"Well, it's this then; the Englishman is likely to go on gettingsicker still if he keeps lodging at Oily Dave's hotel. Do you twigmy meaning?"

"No, certainly not, " Katherine answered; then a shiver crept overher, because of the sinister interpretation which might be put tothe words. 

"I don't want to be hauled up in a libel case, " said the Yankee. "Are there any witnesses within hearing?"

"No, not if you keep your voice down, " she answered, dropping herown, and feeling that here was something she ought to know, howeverunpleasant or burdensome the knowledge might prove. 

"Well, they are saying that the new fleet-owner, Mr. Selincourt, ain't satisfied with things going on as they used to do, and so hehas sent this young man up to spy round a bit, report the catch, keep expenses down, and that sort of thing. Oily Dave has alwaysreckoned to make a good picking out of the fishing, you know, andit ain't likely he'd approve of being spied upon. "

"Why have you told me this?" demanded Katherine. Her eyes weredilated with fear, and there was a sickening apprehension in herheart. In that wild place, so far from law and order, a dozendreadful things might happen, and the world would be none the wiser. 

The Yankee laughed and stuffed a plug of tobacco into his leftcheek. Then he replied: "They all say on the river that you are apowerful smart girl, and can do most things you set your mind to. Possession is nine points of the law, you know. You have got theEnglishman here; keep him somehow--unless you want him to leaveOily Dave's hotel feet foremost, that is. "

Katherine gasped, and the words she would have uttered stuck fastin her throat. A man's life had been thrust into her keeping, andshe must guard it as best she might. 

"I wish you would tell----" she began falteringly, then a doorcreaked at the far end of the store, and the Yankee straightenedhimself with great promptitude, ready for instant departure. 

"Well, good morning, Miss! Beautiful thaw, ain't it now? I shouldthink the mouth of the river must go bust before to-morrow;" andwith a flourish of his very seedy old hat the citizen of the UnitedStates walked out of the store. He did not often lift his hat toanyone; for, believing that all men were equal, such observancestruck him as servile. But Katherine had a way with her thatcompelled respect; moreover, she was a downright gritty girl, as heexpressed it: so the hat-flourish was really a tribute to herstrength of character. 

As he went out of the door, Jervis Ferrars came hobbling out fromthe bedroom leaning on Miles. Dressed in 'Duke Radford's workingclothes, he looked like an ordinary working man, except for thatindefinable air of culture which clung to him. 

"I am going to see to your father now, Miss Radford. Miles and Ihave got the bed ready, and the sooner we get the poor manundressed and comfortable, the better it will be for him. "

"Thank you!" said Katherine, then shivered again as she recalledthe Yankee's words about keeping the stranger from the power ofOily Dave. 

Jervis Ferrars looked at her keenly, noting the shiver and thetrouble in her eyes; then he said abruptly: "What is the matter?Do you feel ill, or is it something fresh?"

For a moment Katherine hesitated, but he would have to be told, sheknew, so she said hastily: "It is something that--that you mustknow. I will tell you presently when I get a chance. "

"Very well, " he replied briefly, then hobbled on into the kitchen, and for the next hour was occupied in doing his utmost for the sickman. 

Katherine was left a moment alone with Mrs. Burton, after 'DukeRadford had been carried to his bed, and she said hastily: "Nellie, would you mind if Mr. Ferrars stayed here for a few days until hisfeet are better? We are crowded, I know; but either he or the boyscould sleep in the loft now it is warmer, and Oily Dave's house isimpossible until the flood is down. "

"I should say it is impossible at any time, " replied Mrs. Burton, "and I shall be only too thankful if he will stay for a whilebecause of poor father. Oh, Katherine, I am afraid this longterrible winter has killed him'" she said, with a quiver ofbreakdown in her voice. 

"It is not the winter. Why, he has scarcely been out at all, so hecannot have suffered from that, " Katherine answered sadly. Sheknew only too well why her father had broken down again, only theworst of it was she could not tell anyone, but must hide theknowledge within her own heart, because it involved her father'shonour. 

"I have seen him failing for so long, only yesterday and to-day heseemed better, " Mrs. Burton went on; "and he was sitting quitecomfortably by the stove, not talking very much, but lookingthoroughly contented, when he suddenly pitched out of his chair andlay like a log on the floor. "

"Will you ask Mr. Ferrars to stay with us, or shall I?" saidKatherine. 

"I will if you like. I will put it so that he shall think he isdoing us a favour, then he will be more comfortable aboutaccepting; and really, as things are, I don't see where else thereis for him to go. "

"Nor I, " replied Katherine, and was thankful to leave the matter inher sister's hands for the present. 

CHAPTER XI

A Woman of Business

"What is the trouble, Miss Radford?"

Katherine started. She had been so busy in packing baking powder, tobacco, currants, and things of that description into a box forthe fisher from Long Island Sound that she had not heard theapproach of Jervis Ferrars, who wore list slippers, and so made butlittle noise in walking. The long hard day which had held so manymomentous happenings was wearing to a close, and so far she hadfound no chance at all to speak to the stranger about what he hadto fear. Mrs. Burton had begged him with tears in her eyes to staya few days to help them in looking after their father, and JervisFerrars had accepted with such evident pleasure at the prospectthat Katherine had troubled no further then, and had devotedherself to the many things which called for her attention. 

Her father still lay in the condition of absolute unconsciousnessinto which he had fallen at first, and Mr. Ferrars did not thinkthere would be much change for a few days. He also did notapprehend any immediate danger, and they all took courage fromthis. Sickness and incapacity did not daunt them; but it was deaththe separator of whom they were all so much afraid. 

"I did not hear you come, " Katherine said. 

"No, my footgear is not noisy, as befits a sickroom; but then mysteps are not sprightly either, so you might have heard meslouching across the floor if you had not been so absorbed in thematter in hand. What is it you want to tell me?" he asked, with aquick change of tone. 

"You had better not go back to the house of Oily Dave again, " shebegan in a rather breathless style. 

"Very much better not, I should say, " he answered. "But why?"

"You have come to watch the fishing in the interest of Mr. Selincourt, have you not?" she asked. 

"Yes, the old company complained of considerable leakage inprofits, you see; indeed it was on this account that they decidedthe fleet was an unworkable scheme for a company, and were willingto sell to Mr. Selincourt. "

Katherine nodded, then said in a low tone: "But your position willmake you enemies, and I have been warned to-day that it ispositively dangerous for you to remain in the house with that man. "

"Did this warning reach you before you came to rescue me thismorning, or since?" he asked quickly. 

"Since. We did not even know that you were there. "

"Well, it is a comfort to know that, although I have enemies, Ihave friends too; for such a warning could have come only from afriend, " Jervis Ferrars remarked, frowning heavily. 

"It was certainly meant in a friendly spirit, and, now you know, you will be careful, " she said, and there was more entreaty in hertone than she guessed at, for she was remembering how indifferentto danger he had seemed when she was trying to rescue him from theflood that morning. 

"Yes, I shall be careful. And, since to be forewarned is to beforearmed, thank you for telling me. I suppose this accounts forthe old rascal going off this morning with the key of the hotel inhis pocket. "

"Did he do that?" she asked in a startled tone. 

"Yes, I had been awake all night with the pain in my feet and in mylimbs, and I was disposed to lie and sleep when morning came, "Jervis Ferrars replied. "I heard him getting up very early, andasked him what was amiss, for I could hear a great row outside withthe ice. He said there was nothing to be afraid of, for his housestood too high ever to be caught in a flood; but he had left a boatin an awkward place and must go and look after it. Then he wentout. I heard him lock the door when he was outside. After that Iwent to sleep, and did not wake again until I heard you shouting, and found the water was nearly on a level with my bed. "

Katherine shuddered. "It is too horrible even to think of! Weshould not have known that anyone was in the house who neededsaving, if it had not been for Mrs. Jenkin screaming so loudly fromthe other bank. "

"Then that is another friend; so apparently I have more friendsthan enemies after all, in which case I am not to be pitied, " hesaid lightly; then asked: "Is that all the trouble--I mean so faras it concerns me?"

"It is all that I know, but I beg you to be careful, for Oily Daveis such a cowardly foe, who only strikes in the dark, " she saidearnestly. 

"In which case I shall be safest when I keep in the light, " theEnglishman answered with a laugh. "By the way, how did the oldfellow earn his title? Was it given to him because he practicallylives on lard?"

"I think it was given to him because he was known to help himselfso largely to the fish oils which should have been the property ofthe fleet, " she replied. "I did not even know that he was fond oflard, although I have suspected him nearly all winter of havingstolen two pails of it from the store one night, when Miles had hisback turned for a minute. "

"That accounts for the bill of fare at his hotel then, " Mr. Ferrarssaid with a laugh. "I have had nothing but lard and bread, sourheavy bread too, or lard and biscuit, or biscuit without the lard, since I arrived at Seal Cove. But I think he need not have chargedsuch high prices for the stuff if he stole it!"

"No indeed!" exclaimed Katherine, with a thrill of indignation inher tone. "But why did you go to such a place? You would surelyhave been better off on one of the boats, or Mrs. Jenkin would havemade room for you somehow, although her house is very small andfearfully crowded. "

"It was part of the programme, don't you see? I came to be on thespot to stop the leakage, and, having given a pretty good guess asto where the leaky spot was, Mr. Selincourt told me to lodge, ifpossible, in the abode of Oily Dave. "

"But you will not go back? Mr. Selincourt would not expect it ofyou, " she said, a swift terror leaping into her eyes. 

"No, I shall not reside under the roof of Oily Dave any longer, " heanswered. "But I shall remind him of that locked door, and variousother things, some day when it suits me. "

"What are you doing? Are you going to put it down in a book?"Katherine asked in surprise, as he drew out a pocket-book and beganto write. 

"Certainly! You are a woman of business, and must know that it isbest to have facts down in black and white, " he answered. Then, having finished with Oily Dave, he turned to the other side of thesame book, and began questioning her about her father's conditionbefore his seizure, and entering the answers in the same way. 

"You think that Father will really rally again?" she asked, with afear lest his former hopefulness about his patient was merelyassumed to cheer Mrs. Burton, who had been plunged in dreadfulgrief all day. 

"I am inclined to believe that he may recover to a certain extent, but I should have a much better idea of his chances if I knew moreof his condition beforehand, especially his state of mind. Yoursister says that he had no particular worries, nor anything toinduce apprehension or acute anxiety. Is that your opinion also?"

The question found Katherine unprepared; she winced, thenhesitated, not knowing what to say. He saw the trouble in hereyes, and paused with the pencil held between two fingers. "I amnot asking from any desire to know the nature of the worry, ifthere was one; that would be quite immaterial in its effect on theissues. The thing that counts is to know if he were suffering fromacute mental torture. If this be so, then it probably accounts forthe seizure, and leaves him with a fair hope of recovery to alimited extent. If, on the other hand, his mind was perfectlyplacid and peaceful, then I am afraid you must expect the end in afew days, or a week at the furthest, for that would mean thatnature is completely worn out, instead of just broken down byworry. "

Katherine was white to the lips, and her voice sank to a whisper asshe faltered: "Yes, he had acute anxiety, and a worry which worehim all the more because he hid it so carefully; but none of theothers knew about it, only myself. "

"Thank you! that sets matters on a more satisfactory basis, " hesaid, "and I feel sure we shall see improvement in a few days. "

"Will you please not mind telling the others what you have told meabout the causes of his condition?" Katherine asked hurriedly. "Miles and Phil are so young, while Mrs. Burton has had too manytroubles of her own. That was why Father talked more freely to me. "

"There is no need to speak of it any more, " he answered, withreassuring kindness. "Now I want to know what arrangements we canmake about the sickroom. Do you think the boys can sleep in theloft? Or, if that is too cold, shall we give them a shakedown herein the store?"

"I don't think the loft will be cold now the frost has gone, "Katherine answered. "But Mrs. Burton meant that for you, becauseit is really the only quiet place we have. "

"I am going to sit up with your father for the next few nights, butI can get a nap in the loft during the day. When my feet arebetter I shall have to be away in the boats a great deal, but untilthen I can be nurse in chief, and so free Mrs. Burton's hands forher other work, " he said, gripping the needs of the situation asplainly as if he had known them all for months instead of hours. 

"I had meant to stay with Father to-night, " said Katherine, flushing a little, and not feeling quite certain whether sheentirely approved of having matters taken out of her hands in thisfashion. 

"That would not do at all. You will have to be business head ofthe establishment now for a permanency, and the sooner you get yourshoulders fitted to the burden the better, " he said decidedly. 

"But I have practically been the business head all the winter, sothe burden is familiar already, " she protested, with a wan smileand a sinking at her heart, for she did not like business, andalways shrank from the bother of bargaining, which afforded suchkeen zest to some people's buying and selling. 

"That was quite different from what lies before you now, " hereplied. "You may have had the work to do, but you had always yourfather's judgment to rely upon. In future you will have to standalone and judge for yourself. "

Katherine bowed her head in token that she understood, then turnedaway too crushed to utter a word. Jervis Ferrars went back to thesickroom, wincing at the pain he had been compelled to inflict asif the blow had fallen on himself. There were no tears inKatherine's eyes, only the terrible black misery in her heart. Shehad filled in all the blanks in what, the Englishman had said, andshe understood perfectly well that henceforth her father would beonly as a child who needed guarding and shielding, instead of a manwhose judgment could be relied upon. She had no deception in hermind concerning what would be required of her; the family livingmust depend on her in the future, and it would rest upon her skilland industry whether the living she earned were merely subsistence, or the decent comfort in which they had all been reared. 

"God helping me, they shall want for nothing--nothing!" sheexclaimed vehemently, and the very energy with which she spokeseemed to give her back her courage. 

It had been a momentous day in her life, a day calling for rarecourage and endurance, and the demands on her strength had left herso tired that the other hard days looming in the near distanceseemed all the more terrible because of the present exhaustion ofbody and mind. It was nearly time for shutting up the store, butit was twilight still, for in those northern latitudes theafterglow on clear nights lasts for hours. Katherine was busy ather father's desk in the corner doing the necessary writing whichcomes to every storekeeper at the close of the day, and she wasjust wondering when Miles was coming to lock the door and fold theshutter over the one small window, when she heard a slouching stepoutside, and, glancing up, saw Oily Dave entering at the door. Helooked more shifty and slippery than usual, but his manner wasbland, even deferential, when he spoke. 

"Good evening, Miss Radford! Nice thaw, ain't it? but a bit rapid. How's 'Dook?"

Katherine winced. Of course every man at Roaring Water Portage andSeal Cove called every other man by his Christian name, and she hadalways been used to hearing "'Duke", but nevertheless it gratedhorribly, so her manner was a trifle more haughty than usual whenshe announced that her father was not so well, although she did notchoose to inform this man that he was very ill. 

"Well, well, poor chap, he don't seem to get on fast, no, that hedon't. It's downright lucky for him that he's got sech a brightgal as you to look after things. He is a smart sight better offthan I should have been under the circumstances;" and Oily Davestruck an attitude of respectful admiration, leering at Katherinefrom his half-closed eyes. 

"What do you wish, for to-night?" she asked coldly. 

"A good many things, my supper most of all, for I've had nothingbut a mouthful of biscuit all day. But I shall have to wait forthat till I get back to Seal Cove, and then I shall have to cook itmyself, for that swell lodger of mine ain't no good about a house, "said Oily Dave, with a shake of his head. 

Katherine put her hand to her throat with a quick movement, tocheck a hysterical desire for laughter. She and Mrs. Burton hadboth marvelled that day at the exceeding handiness displayed byJervis Ferrars. He had made the bed for the stricken head of thehouse as deftly as a woman might have done, and had helped in thekitchen at supper time as if he had been getting meals regularlyfor the last two or three years; but of this she was not disposedto speak, and waited in silence for Oily Dave to state hisrequirements. 

"I want some canned tomatoes. Have you got any?"

"We have plenty of two-pound tins, but we are sold out of thesmaller ones, " she answered, then made a mental note that in futureshe would buy all small tins, because they sold so much more easily. 

"That's a nuisance, but I suppose I'll have to put up with it, " hesaid, with a sigh and another shake of his head. "Fact is, I wantto take home a relish for supper. My lodger don't take to simplefood such as we are used to in these parts. It is a downrightswell tuck-in he looks to get, same as you might expect to have inone of the Montreal hotels. "

Again Katherine wanted to laugh, but checked the impulseresolutely, and asked: "Is the flood at Seal Cove as bad as ever, or has the barrier given way at the mouth of the river?"

"I didn't know there was a flood!" announced Oily Dave, with an airof innocence which sat awkwardly upon him, it was so palpably puton for the occasion. "Fact is, I've been off all day on the cliffsalong the bay shore, looking for signs of walrus and seal on theice floes. Then when it got near sunset I just struck inland, soas to call here on my way home. Who told you there was a flood?"

"I saw it, " she answered quietly. 

"I hope my lodger is all right, " said the old hypocrite, with anair of concern. "That house of mine ain't well situated forfloods, as most folks know. If I'd got the time and the money I'dmove it up beside Stee Jenkin's hut, which is really in a bootifulsituation. "

"I wonder you have not done it before, " said Katherine, as she wentup the steps and fetched the tin of tomatoes from the top shelf. 

"Ah, there are a good many things that get left undone for want oftime and money!" remarked Oily Dave. "But I'm afraid Mr. Selincourt has made a big mistake in sending that languid swell ofa Mr. Ferrars here to boss the fishing. A reg'lar drawing-roomparty he is and no mistake. Gives himself as many airs as aturkey-cock in springtime, and seems to think all the rest of theworld was created on purpose to black his boots. "

"We don't sell much boot blacking here. Most of the people greasetheir boots with fish oil, " Katherine said, laughing in spite ofherself, only now her amusement was because she knew Jervis Ferrarsto be in her father's room, where he could hear every word whichwas spoken in the store. 

"Best thing, too. There is nothing like grease for making leatherwear well. Well, I must be going, though I'm that tired. HoweverI'll manage the walk is more than I can say;" and Oily Dave heaveda sigh which this time was not lacking in sincerity. 

"Would you like to have one of our boats? Miles will help you torun it down, " Katherine said. It was such a usual thing to lend acustomer a boat that one or two were always handy, and the customeralways understood that the loan was to be returned at his earliestconvenience. 

"Thank you, I should be glad! The current will carry me down whileI smoke my pipe. Then I shall be rested enough to cook supper whenI get there, " he answered. Then, bidding her good night, he wentout of the store, meeting Miles in the doorway, who went back tohelp him to run the boat down into the water. 

"Miles, I hope you didn't tell that old fraud that Mr. Ferrars wasstaying here?" said Katherine, when the boy came in and locked thedoor for the night. 

"Of course I didn't. I never said a word good, bad, norindifferent to the old fellow. I haven't got over this morning, "Miles said, in a tone which sounded sullen, but which was only acloak for feelings deeply stirred. 

"Very well then, for this one night at least he will have thesatisfaction of believing that he was successful in drowning Mr. Ferrars, " Katherine replied. 

"Don't worry yourself, Mrs. Jenkin will tell him, " said Miles. "Orsome of the men will chaff him, because he has been outwitted by agirl. "

"It wasn't a girl this time; it was Mrs. Jenkin, " objectedKatherine, letting a box go down with a bang, for she did not wantthe listener in the other room to hear what Miles was saying. 

"Mrs. Jenkin might have called out that there was someone in OilyDave's house that wanted saving, but I guess the poor man wouldhave had time to drown twice over if it hadn't been for you gettingon the ice and going to fetch him out, " Miles said, sticking to hisown opinion with the obstinacy he was rather fond of displaying. 

Katherine took refuge in silence, going out of the store as soon asshe could, and hurrying away to bed, because of the needs of thenext day. Neither she nor Mrs. Burton slept very well, however. To both of them it was a grief beyond the power of words todescribe to leave their father to the care of a stranger, and theywere both thankful when morning came and the day's routine had tobegin again. 

There was no change in the stricken man's condition, but Katherine, who stayed with him while the others had breakfast, thought that helooked more comfortable than on the previous evening. When Milescame in to take her place, she went back to the kitchen, to hearMrs. Burton and Jervis Ferrars talking of the Selincourts. 

"I suppose Mr. Selincourt is very rich, " said Mrs. Burton with alittle wistful sigh, as if she thought that riches might detractfrom his niceness. 

"Yes, I expect he is very rich, but he is so thoroughly pleasant, and so free from side, that one is apt to forget all about hisriches, " Jervis said, then rose to set a chair for Katherine, andbring her bowl of porridge from the stove, where it was keepingwarm for her. 

"Is Miss Selincourt nice too, and is she pretty?" asked Mrs. Burton, who to Katherine's secret disquiet was always askingquestions concerning the expected arrivals. 

Jervis laughed. "I have never stopped to consider whether she ispretty, but she is certainly very charming in her manners, " hesaid, with so much earnestness that Katherine instantly made up hermind that Miss Selincourt was the kind of person she did not carefor and did not want to know. 

Phil came in from the store at this moment, with a pucker ofamusement on his face. 

"Stee Jenkin has brought our boat back, " he said. "Oily Dave paidhim half a dollar to come, because he didn't feel like showing hisface up here just yet. "

"Why not?" demanded Jervis Ferrars. 

"Stee said the ice at the river mouth didn't give way until aftermidnight, when it burst with a roar like cannon. When Oily Davegot to Seal Cove last night, the water reached to the shingles ofhis house; so the old fellow rowed across to Stee's hut and askedto be taken in for the night, because he was flooded out and theEnglishman was drowned. "

"But didn't Stee tell him that Mr. Ferrars was safe here with us?"asked Mrs. Burton. 

"Not a bit of it, " replied Phil. "That would have spoiled sport, don't you see? because Oily Dave was what Stee called most uncommonresigned, and talked such a lot about going to find the body in themorning, that they just made up their minds to let him go. He wasup by daybreak and went over to look; but when he saw the doorbroken down he guessed there had been a rescue, and he was just madbecause no one had told him anything about it. "

"It was rather too bad to leave him in suspense all night, poorman, " said Mrs. Burton gently. 

CHAPTER XII

The First of the Fishing

For a whole week the thaw went merrily on. One by one the fishingboats left their winter anchorage in the river, and sailed out intothe stormy waters of the bay. By the end of the week JervisFerrars had so far recovered the comfortable use of his feet thathe could wear boots again and go about like other men. Directly hewas able to do this he went down to Seal Cove every day, where heinspected every boat that was ready to put to sea, overhauled thestore shed, and quietly took command, setting Oily Dave on one sidewith as little ceremony as if that worthy had never been master ofthe fleet. 

Oily Dave took the change in government with very bad grace indeed, and it is probable that the life of Jervis Ferrars would have beenin very grave danger many times during the next few weeks if it hadnot been for the fact that the Englishman had made a host offriends among the fishers, who would protect him at all risks in anopen attack, while Jervis wisely so far avoided Oily Dave as togive no chance for the secret, cowardly thrusts in which thedeposed man delighted. 

Astor M'Kree personally conducted the new boats, one by one, overthe rapids, bringing them down when the river was in flood andanchoring them in front of the store until their crews were ready;and when they had cleared for the bay the fishing was in full swing. 

Eight hundred miles away, in the north of the great inland sea, thewhalers and sealers were still fast bound in ice and snow, longingfor freedom, yet forced to wait while the tardy spring creptnorthward. But down in the more sheltered waters of James Baythere was abundance of work for everyone. Hundreds of sealsgambolled on the ice floes and on the shores of the littleuncharted islands which make those waters such a serious menace tothe mariner. Sometimes the boats were away for a week. Sometimestwo days found them headed back for Seal Cove, laden with seals, walrus, and narwhal. Many of them succeeded in getting a goodcatch of white whales, for which those waters are so noted; butthese were caught at the mouths of the tidal rivers, for the whalesgo up the rivers every day with the tide, and it was when the tidewas ebbing that the whales were most easily caught. It was onlythe biggest and strongest boats that ventured so far as the tidalrivers, however, and with these Jervis Ferrars never went. Indeed, but from choice he need never have gone to sea at all, for his worklay more particularly on land, where he had to keep toll of thecatch and take care that the various products of the sea harvestwere properly secured and stored, until the opening of HudsonStrait enabled vessels to get through. 

Astor M'Kree had made a queer addition to the side of Stee Jenkin'shouse by building against one end of it part of an old fishing boatwhich had been wrecked in the floodtime, and stranded on the bluffupon which the little house was perched. In this peculiar abodeJervis took his residence, while Mrs. Jenkin looked after hiscomfort and kept his room clean with a slavish industry which shehad certainly never bestowed on her own house. 

On most days when he was ashore Jervis contrived to get up toRoaring Water Portage, his ostensible errand being to see 'DukeRadford, who was slowly creeping back to physical convalescence. That is, the bodily part of him was resuming its functions, onlythe mental part was at a standstill; and although the sick manseemed to know and love them all, he had no more understanding forthe serious things of life than an average child of six or sevenmight have possessed. It was well for the family that theirfather's illness in the previous winter had in a measure preparedthem for doing without him, or they must have felt even more keenlythe heavy work and heavier responsibilities which had fallen uponthem. As it was, they faced their difficulties with a quietcourage which left no one with a chance to pity them, althoughthere were plenty to admire "the pluck of 'Duke Radford's young'uns". 

It was Katherine who took the lead, the boy Miles being a goodsecond, and proving the more valuable aid because of his habit ofunquestioning obedience. Mrs. Burton was willing for any drudgery, and toiled at housework and nursing with a devotion as beautiful asit was uncomplaining. But she had no talent for leadership and nofaculty for organization, and, what is more, she was perfectlyaware of the lack. 

Night school was of course at an end. Indeed, no one had any timefor thinking about education or books. Katherine made valorousattempts to carry on the studies of Miles and Phil, but had to givethem up as useless, lacking strength and opportunity for theendeavour. But the long winter would make up for the neglect ofthe short summer, and she left off worrying over their lapse intoignorance, contenting herself with reading to them on Sundays, and, what was more important still, making them read to her. 

It was delightful to be abroad in those days of early spring, andKatherine especially enjoyed the journeys to Fort Garry, when sherowed across the corner of the bay and felt the sweep of the breezecoming in from the wider waters beyond. Phil was her companionalways now, because when she was absent Miles must be at home tolook after the store. There were other journeys to be taken also, which, but for the portages, might have been regarded as pleasuretrips pure and simple. But the portage work was hard, and by thetime Katherine and Phil had tramped three times over a mile and ahalf of portage, laden with sugar, bacon, and flour, returning thefourth time for the birchbark, they were mostly too tired to regardthe journey as anything but very hard work indeed. 

Yet in spite of this it was lovely to be out in the fresh air andthe sunshine. When Katherine heard the long, laughing chuckle ofthe ptarmigan, or saw the trailing flights of geese headednorthward, she could have shouted and sung from sheer lightheartedjoy at the coming of spring. But, however high her spirits rose asthe weather grew better and finer, there was always the cold dreadin her heart because of what the summer must bring. Of course, ifher father remained in his present condition he would feel andunderstand nothing of the embarrassment which must fall alone uponher in meeting Mr. Selincourt. It was the dread and shrinking atthe thought of this meeting which robbed the spring days of theirkeenest joy, and although she would be happy sometimes, thehappiness was certain to be followed by fits of black depression, especially after the doing of a long portage. 

There was a long, low shed at Seal Cove, where all the fish oil, whalebone, blubber, ivory, skins, and other produce of the seaharvest were stored pending ocean shipment. Jervis Ferrars had asmall office railed off from one end of this unsavoury shed, and hewas sitting in it writing, one afternoon in early May, when he sawKatherine's boat coming across from Fort Garry. He had beenlooking for it any time within the last hour, and had begun towonder that it was so long delayed. But it was coming at last, andputting on his cap he locked his office and went out to hail theboat. This was no birchbark journey broken by weary toiling to andfro on a portage trail, but Katherine and Phil were seated in oneof the good, solid boats turned out by Astor M'Kree, and both ofthem looked even brighter than usual. 

"Are you coming home with us?" Katherine asked, as she came withinspeaking distance and saw that Jervis had his birchbark by atowrope. 

"That is my desire, if you will have me, " he said. 

"With pleasure. You shall be company, and sit in the place ofhonour, " Katherine said with a laugh, feeling that the occasion hadsomehow become festive, even though two miles of rowing against thecurrent lay in front of her. "Phil, move that bundle from the seatand let Mr. Ferrars sit there; he will be more comfortable. "

"Thank you, I don't want to sit there, and if I can't do as I likeI shall get into the birchbark and paddle you up river on atowrope, which will jerk you horribly, and probably capsize me, "said Jervis, with an obstinate air. 

"What do you wish to do?" she asked demurely. 

"I wish to sit where you are sitting now, " he answered. "Then Iwill row you up river and give you a necessary lesson in steering;for don't you remember how nearly you upset us into the bank thelast time but one that I rowed you up?"

Katherine flushed, but there was a laughing light in her eyes asshe replied: "Oh yes! I remember perfectly well, but that was quiteas much your fault as mine, for you were telling us of yourexperiences in that Nantucket whaler, and they were quite thrillingenough to make anyone forget to steer. "

"There shall be no such temptation to forgetfulness to-day; that Ican safely promise you, " he answered, holding the boat steady whileKatherine moved to the other seat. Then, tying his birchbark onbehind, he stepped into the vacant place and commenced to pull upstream with long, steady strokes. 

"You were a long time at the Fort to-day, " he remarked presently. 

"Yes, Mrs. M'Crawney is ill, and it was only common humanity to dowhat I could for her, " Katherine answered gravely, for poor Mrs. M'Crawney had made her heart ache that day, because of the terriblediscomfort in which the poor woman was lying, and the homesicknessfor old Ireland which seemed to oppress her. 

"I thought she looked ill the other day when I was over there, butshe would not admit it. I wanted to tell her that less hot pastryand more fresh air would work a cure perhaps; but it does not do tothrust one's opinion unasked upon people, especially when one isonly a doctor in intention and not in reality, " Jervis said, with atug at the oars which expressed a good many things. 

"It is a good thing for us that you are not really a doctor, orelse you would not be looking after Mr. Selincourt's fishinginterests, and then you would not have been here to take care ofFather, " Phil said. 

Katherine laughed as she remarked: "For pure, unadulteratedselfishness that would surely beat the record, Phil. I expect Mr. Ferrars hates Seal Cove nearly as much as he did the Nantucketwhaler. "

"No, he does not, " Jervis broke in. "Sometimes of course Seal Covesmells rather strongly of fish oil, warm blubber, and putrid sealmeat; but, taken as a whole, there are many worse places to livein. I found a bank gorgeous with anemones in blue and redyesterday, and that within ten minutes' walk of the fish shed. "

"I know it, " said Katherine. "That bank is always a beautifulsight; but wait until you have seen the rhododendrons on the longportage. "

"Where is that--at Astor M'Kree's?" asked the young man, whose timewas too much occupied to admit of much exploration of theneighbourhood. 

"No, four miles farther up the river, and the portage is a mile anda half long. Phil and I call it the backache portage, " repliedKatherine. 

"Why, do you deliver goods so far out? With no competition to beafraid of, I should have thought you might have made your customerscome to buy from you, " he said, frowning, for he knew very wellwhat kind of work was involved in a portage, and it did not seem tohim a fit and proper employment for a girl. 

"But there is competition, " laughed Katherine. "There is PeterM'Crawney, with all the great Hudson's Bay Company behind him. That is our most formidable rival, while up on Marble Island therehas been started a sort of United States General Stores and CannedFood Depot. Of course, that is eight hundred miles away, andshould not be dangerous, but it makes more difference than anyonemight suppose. "

"Well, it isn't round the corner of the next block at any rate, "Jervis replied, laughing to think that trade could suffer from arival establishment so far away. 

"Yes it is, only the block is a big one, you see, " she answered, and they all laughed merrily. When one is young, and the sun isshining, it is so easy to be gay, even though grim care stalks inthe background. 

"I thought that you and M'Crawney were rather in the position ofbusiness partners than trade rivals, " Jervis said, as, passing thelast bend of the river, he swung the boat along the stretch ofstraight water to the store. 

"In a sense we are partners; that is, we agree to work together, and to supply each other's shortages in stores so far as we can. But the rivalry is there all the same. Peter M'Crawney knows hewould sell three times the stuff that he does now if it were notfor us; while of course our hands would be freer but for him, onlywe are tied to him, because half of our customers are able to payus only in skins, and then Peter M'Crawney is our Bank of Exchange. "

Katherine could not forbear a grimace as she spoke, for peltry canbe a very odorous currency, and she had to examine every skinclosely before deciding what it was worth in flour, bacon, ortobacco, because the red man is a past master in the art ofoutwitting the white man, when it comes to a question of trade. 

"The plan of bartering skins for stores is not a good one, and theman who buys the skins ought not to be the one who sells the sugarand tea, " Jervis remarked in a dictatorial tone; but Katherine onlylaughed at him, and said that he knew nothing whatever about thered man of the Keewatin wilds, or he would never suggest cashdealings. 

"Still it will come, and the red man will be educated to a properappreciation of his privileges, " Jervis maintained, with the quietobstinacy that Katherine had sometimes noticed in him before. 

"I hope I shall be out of the trade before that time comes, " shesaid, as she guided the boat in to the landing place. "As soon asMiles is able to take control of the store I shall return to myproper avocation of school teaching--that is, always providingthere are children to be taught. "

'Duke Radford sat in a cushioned chair at a sun-shiny window of thekitchen. He looked up with a smile when his daughter entered theroom, and when she bent over him to kiss him he murmured: "PrettyKatherine", and stroked her face caressingly; then he turned withthe pleased eagerness of a child to greet Jervis, whom he regardedas a very good friend indeed. 

Katherine sighed as she went back to help with the unlading of theboat. It was a great comfort to feel that her father sufferednothing either in body or mind, but sometimes she would have beenvery thankful if she could have gone to him with her businessworries, and got his advice on things which perplexed her so much. However, it was something to be thankful for that his burden ofapprehension was lifted so completely, and the thought of thisbanished her tendency to sighing, bringing the smiles back instead. Life might be hard, but while there was hope in it, it could not beunbearable. 

CHAPTER XIII

Mary

"Are you ready, Mary?"

"In one minute, Father. Let me see: three bags, a valise, ahold-all, a portmanteau, two hatboxes, a camping sack, a case ofbooks, and a handbag. Oh dear, what a collection of things to lookafter! How I wish we were like the dogs, dear creatures, whichgrow their own clothes and have only their tails to hold up, or towag in sign of amity!"

The speaker was a girl of perhaps twenty, although she had one ofthose quiet reserved faces which render difficult a correctguessing of the age. She was standing in the porch of the BellevueHotel, Temiskaming, and was garbed as if for rough travel, in coatand skirt of heather-brown cloth, faced with brown leather, with abrown hat on her head, and brown boots on her feet which reachedwell above the ankle. Indeed her attire was so trim, and soexceedingly suitable for rough work, that everyone at the firstglance decided she must be English. 

"I fancy you would not care to wear the same coat always, nor yetto wag the same tail, " laughed her father, a genial-looking man offifty, who was dressed with equal fitness for rough travel, and wasjust now intent on hurrying his daughter to the lake boat, whichwas getting up steam at a little distance. 

"Like it or not, I expect it is what I shall be reduced to by theend of the summer, " laughed Mary Selincourt, as she watched thevarious bags and bundles being piled on to a barrow by the hotelporter. 

"Well, look your last on civilization and come along, for that boatwon't wait much longer, " said Mr. Selincourt, adding with a laugh:"unless indeed you are beginning to repent, in which case it is nottoo late to change your mind and go back to Miss Griffith. "

"Thank you! I never change my mind unless it is about the weather, and I wouldn't turn back on this journey on any account whatever. "

"Not if I turned back myself?" he enquired, as they went on boardthe boat. 

"No; unless, of course, you were ill, in which case, I suppose, mysense of duty would oblige me to stop, even while my inclinationwas dragging me, with both hands, as near to the North Pole as awoman may hope to get, " she said, with a nervous catching of herbreath which showed some agitation behind. 

"But James Bay isn't the North Pole, " objected Mr. Selincourt. 

"It is nearer though than this, I suppose. And this is better thanMontreal, " she answered, then turned to talk to a gentleman who hadcome on board before them, and was bound for a fishing camp higherup the lake. 

Lake Temiskaming is thirty miles long, and they reached its end inthe evening. But, as Mr. Selincourt had made arrangements to keepthe boat for use as a floating hotel until the next morning, theirfirst night in the wilds was a very comfortable one. 

At dawn next morning everyone was astir. Three river boats werelanded; these were made light enough for portage work, and strongenough for weight carrying. With them were landed some men engagedat a point farther down the lake, who had undertaken to work theboats up the Abbitibbi River to Hannah Bay. The men, althoughthere were plenty of them, looked askance at the luggage which hadto be unladen from the steamer and packed into the boats. Theywere thinking of the portages, and the numberless times those bags, bales, bundles, and boxes would have to be carried over miles ofportages on their shoulders. But the pay was good, quite twicewhat they could have earned in any other direction, and as theywere too wise to quarrel with their daily bread, which in this casewas only biscuit, they accepted the burdens in silence. 

Mr. Selincourt and Mary travelled always in the second boat withthe personal luggage which had surrounded Mary in the hotel porch, while the boat which went in front and the one which came afterwere laden with the heavier luggage. For many days after thistheir journey went on. Sometimes they would make not more thanseven or eight miles in a day when the portages were bad, and onone record day the total distance covered was only four miles. Theweather was well-behaved as a whole, although occasionally the raincame down at a pour. Being so early in the summer, the rivers werevery full, so there was never any danger of running aground, although they had to face many risks in going down the rapids, whenthey had crossed the height of land on a ten-mile portage, andbegan to descend the Mattagami River. The longest journey mustcome to an end at last, however, and one hot afternoon late on inJune the three boats skirted the last headland of James Bay, andcaught sight of the flag flying from the staff above the fish shed. 

"Father, look, there is my flag!" cried Mary, in great excitement. "Don't you remember I made an especial flag for the fleet, and sentit up by Mr. Ferrars? Why, how nice it looks, and somehow I feelJust as if I were coming home. "

"That is how I feel, " responded Mr. Selincourt. "It is prettycountry too, but it makes me feel downright bad to think of allthese square miles of territory going to waste, so to speak, withno one but a few Indians for population, and then to remember theland hunger in England and----"

But Mary had put her hands over her ears, and cried: "Oh, if youlove me, spare me hearing any more about that land hunger just now!I am very sorry for all the poor people who want to own three acresand a cow, but can't afford the luxury; only just for a littlewhile I want to forget them, and to enjoy all this beauty withoutany drawbacks if I can. "

"I am afraid you will find the drawbacks, though, in spite of youreagerness to escape them, " said Mr. Selincourt, who had beenquietly examining Seal Cove through a glass. Then he handed theglass to Mary, and said in a tone too low for the boatmen to hear:"If I mistake not, the first drawback is there on the shore, mending a net. "

Mary took the glass and looked through it for a couple of minuteswithout speaking; then she gave it back, saying, with a shudder:"What a horrid-looking man!"

"Rather a low type by the look of him. But you must not judge allthe population by your first glimpse of it. Because one man is arogue does not prevent all the rest being honest, " Mr. Selincourtsaid, putting the glass to his eye to get another look at the placethey were approaching. 

"Will our hut be down here on the shore?" asked Mary, who wasstraining her eyes for a first glimpse of the house they were tolive in. 

"No; Graham, who was one of the directors of the old company, youknow, told me I should be wise to have it built farther up theriver, at Roaring Water Portage, as it is so much more shelteredthere than down here on the coast. "

"Ah! that was real wisdom, for if we make up our minds to stay thewinter, a sheltered position may make a great difference in ourcomfort, " she said quickly, then stretched out her hand for theglass to have another look. 

"You still think you want to spend next winter so far north?" saidher father, in a questioning tone. 

"Why not?" she replied, with a weary note coming into her voice. "One place is as good as another, only this would be better thansome, if only there is work of some sort to do. "

"We shall see how we like it, " he answered, then was silent, gazingat the scene before him, which was looking its fairest on this Juneafternoon. 

The man mending nets on the shore, who was no other than Oily Dave, had by this time become aware of the approaching boats, and wasrushing to and fro in a great state of bustle and excitement. Theycould hear him calling to someone out of sight, and the sound ofhis raucous voice only served to deepen the unpleasant impressiongiven by his appearance. 

"Father, don't say much to that man, I don't like him, " Mary saidin a low tone; and Mr. Selincourt nodded in reply, as the boatsdrew in to the landing by the fish shed, and Oily Dave camehurrying forward to greet them. 

"Where is Mr. Ferrars?" asked Mr. Selincourt, and for all that hewas a genial, kindly man, thinking evil of none, he could not keepa hard note out of his voice as he gazed at the mean, shifty faceof Oily Dave. 

"He's away somewhere, over to Fort Garry, or perhaps he's crossedto Akimiski Island. The fleet have been mostly round that way thisweek past. Shall I show you round a bit, sir? I'm the actingmanager, formerly sole manager. " Oily Dave contrived to throw awithering emphasis on the latter adjective, and roiled up his eyesin a manner meant to imply injured innocence, which, however, onlyexpressed low-down meanness and cunning. 

"Ah, yes, I remember Mr. Graham spoke of you!" replied the newowner, in a strictly non-committal tone. "But why did you say youare acting manager? I only appointed Mr. Ferrars. "

Oily Dave contracted his features into an unpleasant grin. "Ittakes them as knows these waters to understand the fishing of them, sir, and your grand drawing-room, bandbox manager would have beenpretty hard put to it many a time to know what to do for the best, if it hadn't been for Oily Dave, which is me. "

"I see, " remarked Mr. Selincourt in a calm and casual tone, thencontinued with quiet authority: "Please tell Mr. Ferrars when hecomes back that I have arrived, and ask him if he will come up toRoaring Water Portage as soon as it is convenient for him to do so. "

"Wouldn't you like me to come and guide you up the river?" demandedOily Dave, his jaw dropping in a crestfallen manner, for he hadthought what a fine chance he would have of getting ahead of JervisFerrars. 

"No, thank you, we have travelled too many strange waters theselast few days to need guidance up the last two miles of ourJourney. It is two miles, is it not?"

"Nearer three, sir, but we mostly call it two, because it soundsbetter, " said Oily Dave. Then he took his greasy old hat off witha flourish to Mary, and the boats started on again up the mainchannel of the river. 

There was plenty to interest the travellers now on the left bank ofthe river; the fish shed showed a weather-beaten front to the broadwaters of the bay, while beyond it, perched on a high bluff, was afanny brown house, with a strange-looking wing built out at theside. 

"Feather, look at that house, and the queer building at the side;what is it?" cried Mary, who was flushed and eager; for to her thisentrance to Roaring Water River was like coming into her kingdom, although it was not land her father owned in these parts, butwater, or at least the privilege to fish in the water, and theright to cut the timber needed for the making of his boats. 

"It looks uncommonly like part of an old boat. Well, if it isAstor M'Kree's work, it would seem as if I have got a man who willmake the best use of the materials at hand, " Mr. Selincourtreplied, in a tone of satisfaction. 

"Here comes a woman; oh, please, we must stop and speak to her!"said Mary, as a slatternly figure emerged from the house on thebluff, and came running down the steep path to the water's edge, gesticulating and shouting. 

"Welcome, sir, and welcome, Miss, to Seal Cove!" cried Mrs. Jenkinin a breathless tone. "We are all most dreadfully delighted tohave you here, and you will be sure to come and have tea with me onyour first spare afternoon, " she panted, in hospitable haste, thesun shining down on her dusty, unkempt hair, and revealing the ragsin her dress. 

Mr. Selincourt looked at his daughter in quiet amusement; but Maryrose to the occasion in a manner worthy of the country in which shewas living, and answered with sweet graciousness:

"Oh! I will be sure to come; thank you so much for asking me: butI have got to get my house straight, you know, and that may take mea few days, so perhaps I will drop down the river some morningwhile it is cool, and let you know how I am getting on. Then youmust promise to come and see me. "

"Oh, I'll come! I shall be just delighted! You won't mind if Ibring the babies, will you? There are only three of them, and theoldest isn't five yet; so when I go out I'm forced to take themwith me, don't you see, " Mrs. Jenkin said, smiling at the younglady from England, and serenely oblivious of the defects in her owntoilet. 

"I shall be charmed to entertain the babies, and I will be sure tocome and see you very soon, " called Mary, as the boat moved on, leaving Mrs. Jenkin smiling and waving from the bank. 

"What a nice little woman, and how friendly and kind in hermanner!" exclaimed Mary, whereat Mr. Selincourt laughed. 

"Has Canada bewitched you already? What is to become of classdistinctions if you are just going to hobnob with anyone who mayhappen along?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with fun, for he wasquoting from her own past utterances. 

Mary reddened, but she laughed too, then said apologetically: "Itsounds the most fearful snobbery to even mention class distinctionsin these wilds, where the only aristocracy that counts is nobilityof endeavour. But I could not reckon myself that woman's superior, Father, because under the same circumstances I might have been evenmore untidy and down-at-heel than she is. "

"It is hard to realize that you could be untidy under anyconditions, but perhaps you might be if you had all the work of ahouse and the care of three babies on your hands, " Mr. Selincourtreplied with a shake of his head. Then he applied himself to acareful study of the river banks, which were mostly solitary, although at intervals rough loghouses showed among the trees. 

"Listen to that noise; we are getting near to some rapids, " Marysaid, putting up her hand. 

"Near to the end of our journey as well, for we stop below theportage, " Mr. Selincourt said, and then the boat swept round thebend, and they saw before them a long, straight stretch of river, with houses visible at the far end where the milky hue of the watershowed the river boiling over the rocks. 

"So that is Roaring Water Portage! Well, the place is as pretty asthe name is musical. I am very glad, " Mary said with a deep sighof content, and then she sat in silence while the boats swept upthe last stretch of river, and the long, long journey was done. 

The boatmen drew to the left bank, leaving the store and itsoutbuildings on the right. Oily Dave had told them that theirhouse stood to the left of the falls, and although they did not seeit at the first moment of landing, the well-trodden path up fromthe water's edge showed that it must be near at hand. 

"There it is. But it does not look a bit new. Oh, I am glad!"exclaimed Mary, as a long, low hut came in sight, with glasswindows and an unpainted front door, which just now stood wideopen, while two small girls occupied the doorstep, and were makingdolls' bonnets from leaves and plaited grass. 

"I'm afraid that is not our house; someone is living there, " saidMr. Selincourt: and the two small girls, becoming at this momentaware of the approach of strangers, sprang to their feet and fledinto the house, casting the millinery away as they went. 

"I'm afraid so too; but at least we can go and enquire where ourhouse is to be found, " Mary answered. 

Then they walked up to the door and knocked, and immediately aslight, girlish figure came into view, with a small girl clingingto either hand. 

"Can you tell us where Mr. Selincourt's house is to be found?"asked Mary, wondering why the girl had such sad eyes, and whatrelation she could be to the two little ones. 

"This is Mr. Selincourt's house. I came over this afternoon to seethat everything was in right order, that is all, " the sad-eyedgirl--or was she a woman?--explained, drawing back for Mary toenter. 

Miss Selincourt entered, put her bag on the table, and gazed roundwith a deep sigh of satisfaction. 

"What a charming room! I think I should have been ready to weep ifthis had not been our house. Are you Mrs. M'Kree?" she askeddoubtfully, for, although the girl looked so young, she had justheard one of the children whisper, "Mummy. "

"No, I am Mrs. Burton, and I come from the store across the river. Mrs. M'Kree lives farther up the river, above the second portage, so it is not easy for her to come down every day, and I have keptthe house open for her. "

"It is very kind of you!" exclaimed Mary gratefully, realizing thathere was a very different specimen of womanhood, from thegood-natured slattern who had greeted her at Seal Cove. 

"We have to be kind to each other in these wilds, or we should bebadly off sometimes, " Mrs. Burton rejoined. Then she said timidly:"We are very glad to welcome you, and we all feel that you haveconferred a great favour on us by coming to stay here this summer. "

Something like an awkward lump got into Mary's throat then. Shehad come the long, toilsome journey solely for her own pleasure, and to be near her father, yet here was one thanking her for theprivilege her coming conferred on these lone dwellers in thesolitudes. She was rarely a creature of impulse, and always pridedherself on the way she kept her head; but the sweet friendliness ofthe sad-eyed little woman touched her mightily, and stoopingforward she kissed Mrs. Burton warmly, then promptly apologized, being properly ashamed of her forwardness. 

"Oh, please forgive me! I really could not help it, and you--youlooked so kind!" she said ruefully. 

Mrs. Burton laughed, although she looked rather embarrassed, thenshe said gently: "I am afraid you must be very tired. If you willsit down I will quickly get you some tea. "

"Please don't trouble. Father and I are quite used to doing thingsfor ourselves, and I can make a kettle boil over my spirit lampwhile the men are bringing the luggage up from the boats, " Marysaid hastily, feeling that she simply could not have this gentle, refined woman waiting upon her, But for all her gentleness Mrs. Burton could be firm when shechose, and she replied quietly: "I should not think of going awayuntil I had seen you with a meal ready prepared. The fire is allready for lighting in the stove, and that will save your spiritlamp, and you are in the wilderness now, remember, where spirit isdifficult to obtain. "

The two little girls trotted after their mother. Mary tried tomake friends with them, but they were not used to strangers, soshowed her only averted faces and pouting red lips, which made herunderstand that their friendship must be left to time. 

When the luggage had been brought up from the boat, Mrs. Burton hadthe kettle boiling, and then she sent one of the men across with aboat to the store, giving him a message for Miles, which resultedin a basket of fresh fish coming over at once. These, delicatelybroiled over a fire of spruce chips, and served piping hot, made, as Mr. Selincourt observed, a supper fit for a king. 

Mrs. Burton stayed with her small daughters to share the meal, andif she thought ruefully of the family over the river, who wouldhave to cook their own supper, and also go without the fish whichhad been intended for them, she said nothing about it, One mustalways suffer something in the give-and-take of life, and therewere plenty of canned goods at the store which might serve at apinch. 

"Now I must go, " she said, when the supper dishes had been washed. "It is time that Beth and Lotta went to bed, while my father willbe wearying for me if I am too long away. "

"Your father?" broke from Mary in surprise, then she stoppedabruptly, realizing that her acquaintance with Mrs. Burton was tooshort for over-much curiosity. 

"I am a widow, " the little woman answered, with the simple dignitywhich became her so well. "I live with my father, or did; but now, strictly speaking, it is he, poor man, who lives with us, andKatherine earns the living for us all. "

"Katherine is your sister?" asked Mary, and now there was tendersympathy in her tone, and she was understanding why Mrs. Burton'seyes were so sad. 

"Katherine is my younger sister, and she is just wonderful, " thelittle woman said, with love and admiration thrilling her tones. "She has done a man's work all the winter, and she is keeping thebusiness together as well as poor Father could have done. "

CHAPTER XIV

Would They Be Friends?

When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the littleloghouse, and make things comfortable for the night. But there wasnot very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travelhad shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too muchcivilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity ofliving. The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger thancabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen inthe rear. There was not an atom of paint about the place; it wasall bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmonywith the surrounding wilderness. 

The boatmen had pitched their tent at the down-river side of thehouse, and were sitting round a fire on the ground smoking theirpipes in great comfort and content. Mary had finished her surveyof the inside of her new home, and now wandered outside the houseto see what manner of country lay in the immediate neighbourhood ofRoaring Water Portage. Her father was sitting on a bench by thehut door, drowsily comfortable with a cigar, and busy withnumberless plans for the future. He was not in a mood for talkingjust then, and Mary was glad to be alone for a while. 

It was broad daylight still, although the evening was getting on;but the trees grew so thickly all about the hut that she could seelittle beyond trunks and foliage, so, finding a little path whichled upward, she commenced to climb. Great boulders strewed theground here between the trees, and although by the sound she knewherself to be near the river, she could not see it until after astiff climb of twenty minutes or so she emerged on an open spaceabove the falls. Here indeed was beauty enough to satisfy even herdesire for it. The undulating ground all about and below her wasmostly forest-clad, the larches showed in their vivid green againstthe sombre hue of the pines, while giant cedars stood out blackagainst the evening sky. On one side, right away in the distance, the waters of the bay reached to the horizon, but for to-night Maryturned her back on the sea; it was the land that charmed her most. 

Presently, just where the glory of the sunset reflected itself inthe river, she saw a boat coming skimming down the current. It wasjust the touch of life that was necessary to lift the weirdsolemnity from those silent forest reaches. From where she stood, leaning against the trunk of a tree on the hilltop, Mary could seewithout being seen; for she still wore the travelling dress whichso nearly matched the tree stem in colour, and a brown veil wasover her face, a necessary precaution against the mosquitoes whichswarmed everywhere. 

There was a girl in the boat, with soft, wavy hair, pretty andfeminine in appearance, but with strength and decision in everymovement, which made Mary whisper to herself: "That must beKatherine; and how graceful she is! I had quite expected her to bea great, clumping creature, because Mrs. Burton said she did aman's work. "

There was a boy in the boat as well, but it was the girl whoclaimed Mary's attention now. The boat drew in at a point abovethe falls where a little shed served as boathouse, and then the boyand the girl rapidly unloaded various packages and bundles, whichwere dumped in a heap on the bank, while the boat was drawn in andsecured under the shed. 

"Phil, we shall have to make two journeys--we can never do it inone, " the girl said, and her voice had a tired ring which made theunseen listener on the hilltop pity her exceedingly. 

"Just you sit down for five minutes while I whistle for the dogs, "said the boy. "They will hear if Miles doesn't, and there will besuch a clamour that everyone will know we are close home. "

As he spoke he hooked two fingers between his lips, and theresultant whistles were so piercing and shrill that Mary would havebeen glad to thrust her fingers in her ears, only now she would notmove through fear of drawing attention to herself. 

The whistles had scarcely ceased to vibrate through the quiet airwhen in the distance there arose a mighty clamour of barking. Marycaught her breath and waited now to see what was coming, and inless than five minutes two huge dogs came bounding down the portagepath to the shed where the girl and boy were waiting. 

"I must make friends with those dogs before I am many hours older, or I shall be afraid to stir away from the house, " Mary said toherself, with a little shiver, as she watched the big brutescareering round. 

But they were wanted for work, not play, so their gambols came to aspeedy end. The boy loaded each one with packages, and, picking upa couple of bundles himself, started up the portage path, closelyfollowed by the dogs, which perfectly understood the work that wasrequired of them. 

Then the girl rose to her feet, and stood for a moment gazing atthe golden glories of the setting sun. She stretched her arms outwith a quick, eager movement, as if asking for something sheyearned to possess, then dropped them to her side again, andturning, proceeded to load the remainder of the packages andbundles on to her own shoulders. 

If only the river had not flowed between, Mary might have gone toher assistance. As it was, she stood watching the bowed figure goslowly up the portage path to disappear among the bushes, then shealso turned to retrace her steps to the hut. But the tired girlwas very much in Mary's thoughts that evening. Why had shestretched out her arms to the glowing west with such a gesture ofentreaty? Of course it might have been just girlishdissatisfaction with a toilsome, colourless life, or it might bethat there were ambitions and desires which had to be sternlyrepressed. 

"I wonder if we shall be friends?" she said presently, speakingaloud because she had entirely forgotten that she was not alone. 

"Friends with whom?" asked her father sleepily. He was stillsitting on the bench by the hut door, and Mary was leaning againstthe doorpost. She had been standing so ever since she came downthe hill, and her thoughts were still busy with the girl who hadlooked so tired and carried such heavy burdens. 

"I have seen a girl this evening, such a pretty girl, and sograceful in her movements, but she was doing a portage as if shewere a man, and I felt that I should like to know her, " Maryanswered, her voice and manner more dreamy than usual. Indeed, itseemed as if the place had laid a spell upon her already. 

"Probably you will have what you want, and then you will findyourself disappointed. You must not expect to find much refinementand culture in a wild place like this, " Mr. Selincourt said. 

"I do not look for it. But however rough or illiterate this girlmay be, I think she has a soul, a longing for something she doesnot possess, " went on Mary, who was weaving fancies and theoriestogether in quite a remarkable fashion for her. 

"Most women long for what they don't possess, and some men do thesame, " replied Mr. Selincourt, laughing a little. Then he rose andstretched himself, saying: "I believe I will go to bed, for I am sotired that I can hardly keep my eyes open. It is so late thatJervis Ferrars will hardly come to-night now, although I shouldhave been glad to see him, for I am really anxious to know how thefishing is going. "

"Well, you won't have to wait long, for here he comes, Ifancy--although it seems funny that I should remember his stepafter so many months, " said Mary, as a firm tread sounded on thepath coming up through the bushes from the water's edge. 

"Is that you, Ferrars?" asked Mr. Selincourt eagerly, hissleepiness vanishing as if by magic. 

"Yes, sir, " responded a voice, and the next moment Jervis Ferrarsappeared in sight. 

"I'm sorry that I was not on hand to welcome you when you arrived, "he said. 

"No matter, no matter at all!" exclaimed Mr. Selincourt, shakinghands with him; but Mary only vouchsafed a nod in response to theyoung man's courteous salutation. 

"My welcome is only a little belated, but it could not be moresincere. You have come just at the right time, I think, " Jerviswent on; and at the suggestion of Mr. Selincourt the two sat downon the bench side by side, while Mary remained leaning against thedoorpost as before. 

"How is the fishing?" asked Mr. Selincourt. 

"It is going very well indeed, and you will get a very good returnfor your money this year, and a much better one next season. Ihave been away on Akimiski all day, and I have been simply amazedat the amount of fish which could be caught, cured, and marketed ifonly we had the necessary plant. "

"What sort of fish? Everyone is saying that Hudson Bay is playedout for seal and walrus, while whales are getting scarcer everyyear, " said Mr. Selincourt, who had bought out the old companycheaply because of this growing scarcity. 

"That may be, " replied Jervis, "although, being a stranger to thesewaters, I'm not in a position to give a reliable opinion. But oflesser fish, such as cod, halibut, lobster, salmon, and that sortof thing, there is enough going to waste to feed a nation. "

"I tell you what we will do!" exclaimed Mr. Selincourt. "We willorder the necessary plant, and we will start a curing factory. Ofcourse we are out of the world for nine months in every year, butthat won't make much difference in the end; and we got our fishingrights cheaply enough to enable us to make a very good thing indeedout of our venture before we have done. "

"Don't you think it is rather grasping of you to want to make moremoney, Daddy, when you have got so much already?" broke in Mary, ina playful tone, yet with some underlying seriousness of purpose. 

"Not a bit of it, my dear. Because I have got some money should beno barrier to my getting more, if I get it honestly, " her fatheranswered with soothing toleration; for Mary had ideas, and was aptto air them in rather unmeasured language when she was roused. 

"It seems so ignoble to spend all one's time and energy in makingmoney when there are so many wrongs which need righting, and somany people who need helping, " she said, with a note of pathos inher tone. 

"The most effectual way of helping people is to assist them inhelping themselves, " broke in Jervis. "If Mr. Selincourt developsthis fishing as it is capable of being developed, he will do morereal good than if he spent hundreds of pounds in charity. "

"If you were really a Canadian you would have said dollars, notpounds, " she interrupted, with mock gravity, just as if she weremaking fun of him to his face. 

"I am an Englishman, " he said quietly, too much in earnest justthen to resent her levity, "so it is most natural to me to speak ofpounds. But that makes no difference to the question at issue. When your father gets his factory going he will employ twenty menwhere he now employs one. They in turn will be able to supportwives and families, which will mean employment for storekeepers, school teachers----"

"Oh, spare me any more, I beg!" she implored penitently, "and Ipromise never, never to object to money-making schemes again. Iknow you were going to add that the twenty men's wives would wanttwenty new hats, and so there would be an opening for a first-classmillinery establishment at Roaring Water Portage. "

"I had not thought of that, but of course it is quite true, " hesaid, adding with a laugh: "and there would be an opening for adressmaker also, don't you see?"

"I don't want to see. I don't want to hear anything more about itat all. It is all too much in the future, too practical andcommonplace altogether to fit such a twilight as this, " she said, with a touch of petulance. "I want to know about the people here. What sort of a man is Oily Dave? He looks a veritable old rascal. "

"And for once appearances are not deceptive, " replied Jervis. "Since I have been here he has tried to quietly do for me aboutonce a week upon an average. He so nearly succeeded the first timethat it has encouraged him to persevere, "

"How truly horrid!" she cried with a shiver. "But there are nicerpeople to compensate for him, I hope. Who is that delightfullyhospitable woman who lives in the house on the bluff, with aboatlike projection at one end?"

"That is Mrs. Jenkin, my landlady, and the boat-like projection ismy abode. It is very comfortable, too, " he answered. 

"Then who is the very pretty girl who moves with as much grace asif she had been brought up in drawing-rooms all her life, yet hasto carry heavy burdens over a portage like a man?" asked Maryeagerly, her other questions having been intended only to lead upto this. 

Jervis Ferrars stood up with a quick movement, and a feeling thatthe questioning had become suddenly intolerable; but his voice wasquiet and steady as he answered: "That would be Miss Radford, whosefather has the store over the river. But he has been ill for along time, poor man, and with little hope of recovery, so hisdaughter has a very hard life. I am going over to see him now, ifyou will excuse me. There is no doctor here, of course, so I havedone what I could for him. "

"It was another daughter, a dear, delightful little person namedMrs. Burton, who was here when we came, " said Mary. "I am glad tofind there are such nice people here, and I hope we shall befriends. "

Jervis flung up his head with a haughty movement, almost as if heresented the kindly overture, but he replied civilly enough; onlythe thought in his mind as he went down to the river was that poorKatherine, with her hard, drudging life for the good of others, wasso much more noble than this girl, who lived only to pleaseherself, that it would be a condescension on Katherine's part to befriendly with her. When he reached the store it was to find no oneabout but Mrs. Burton and the invalid. 

"Ah, I am late to-night!" he said apologetically, and with afeeling of sharp disappointment. "But Mr. Selincourt has come, andI had to go over to report progress to him. "

"What very nice people they are!" exclaimed Mrs. Burton withenthusiasm. "I was charmed with Miss Selincourt. She will be agreat acquisition here this summer. "

"Yes, " Jervis remarked in an abstracted fashion, but not payingmuch heed to what was being said, for he was in perplexity as towhy Katherine was not visible; and seeing no prospect of findingout without a direct question, he made the plunge and asked: "Whereis your sister? Isn't she well?"

"Katherine has gone to bed, because she is so tired to-night. Sheand Phil have done the backache portage, as they call it, and italways wears her so much, poor girl, " Mrs. Burton answered with asigh. Then she said, with an involuntary lowering of her voice asshe glanced at her father: "Katherine does not like the idea of ourtelling Father that Mr. Selincourt has come. She says it mayexcite him, and be very harmful. What do you think about it?"

Jervis glanced at the invalid, who sat in a chair by the open door, gazing out at the evening sky, where the twilight still lingered. 'Duke Radford was sitting with his head stooped a little forward, and smiling placidly as if his thoughts pleased him. 

"I don't think it would hurt him; he takes so little notice, " theyoung man answered slowly. Then he added: "But Miss Radford wouldknow better about that than I do, and if she is afraid of theeffect upon him, it would be well to be careful. "

"I don't think Katherine knows more about Father than I do, becauseyou see she is not much with him, and I don't think he understandsthe difference between one person and another, " said Mrs. Burton. "He seems to find as much pleasure in talking to Oily Dave as toAstor M'Kree, and that is certainly different from what he used tobe. But it will be very hard if we have to shut nice people likethe Selincourts out of the house just because it may upset Father, who probably won't even realize that they are strangers at all. "

"Well, we can but try him. Let us see if the name brings any worryto him, " said Jervis, and going across to the door he began to talkto the invalid. "Mr. Selincourt and his daughter have come tospend the summer here; they live in the hut across the river thatAstor M'Kree has done up so nicely. Would you like them to comeand see you?"

'Duke Radford looked at him curiously, as if not understanding whathe was talking about; then he said slowly: "Oh yes, I like to seepeople, nice people; where do they come from?"

"England, " replied the young man. 

The invalid shivered, then said more haltingly than before: "Idon't like to think of England, it makes me sad; but Selincourt isa pretty name--a very pretty name indeed!"

CHAPTER XV

Mr. Selincourt is Indiscreet

When Katherine reached home that night after doing the "backacheportage" it seemed to be the last straw to her burden of enduranceto be told that Mr. Selincourt had arrived. The loss of the supperfish did not trouble her, for she and Phil had brought home a finesalmon, which they had taken from an Indian woman in exchange for acouple of small packets of hairpins, which in England might havefetched perhaps a halfpenny each, but in that remote district werepriced at a quarter of a dollar. It was the news of the arrivalwhich upset her so badly. She suffered tortures while she listenedto Mrs. Burton's eager talk about the Selincourts, of Mr. Selincourt's kindly manner, and Miss Selincourt's graceful charm. 

"Hush, hush!" she kept saying. "You will excite and worry Fatherwith all this talk of new people. "

"I don't think so, " Mrs. Burton replied. "See how peaceful he is, and how little notice he takes of anything outside. He will notremark any difference between Mr. Selincourt and Stee Jenkin, except that he may find the former more interesting to talk to. "

But Katherine shook her head, stealing many a glance at her fatherwhile she ate her supper, and worrying lest the name of the man hehad wronged should stir some dim memory in his clouded mind, andbring up some ghost from the hidden past, to turn his peaceful daysinto a nightmare of unrest once more. The salmon might have beensawdust for all the taste it had for her that night, and whensupper was done she hurried through the work which could not beleft, then, pleading weariness, went off to bed quite an hourbefore her usual time. 

Although she went to bed she could not sleep. She heard Jerviscome in and stay talking to Mrs. Burton. She also heard him saythat he was going to take Mr. And Miss Selincourt across toAkimiski on the following day. Then Jervis left, her father wentwith slow, faltering steps to his bed, and Nellie came in, but, thinking her sister asleep, moved softly and did not speak, forwhich Katherine was mutely grateful. 

It was very early on the following morning when she saw the boatwith Mr. Selincourt and Mary slipping down the river, rowed by someof the men who had brought them up from the lakes. So it would bea day of respite, for the Selincourts would not be back untilevening, too late to go visiting among their neighbours, andKatherine's spirits rose immediately, because there was one moreday to be happy in. 

She had to go to Fort Garry that day, and started an hour beforenoon, taking Phil with her as usual, and having her boat piled highwith skins taken in barter, bags of feathers, and other marketableproducts. There was a short outlet to the bay from the river, aweedy channel leading through flat meadows of vivid green; only, touse an Irishism, they were not meadows at all, but stretches ofswamp, in Canadian parlance a muskeg: and the unwary creature, human or animal, that set foot thereon was speedily engulfed. Verybeautiful these stretches of rich green looked on a bright summer'sday, and Katherine exclaimed in delight as she forced the boatthrough the weedy channel, which became every week more difficultto pass. 

"Oh, Phil, isn't it lovely!" she cried. 

"Can't say I admire it, " the boy answered grumpily. "The air downhere always seems to choke me, and it is twice as much trouble todrive the boat through this narrow, weedy channel as it is to gothe longer way round. "

"I know we shall have to cease coming this way soon, but it ispretty, and I like it, " Katherine answered, and would not admiteven to herself that her chief reason in choosing those weedybyways, was the desire to avoid all danger of an encounter with theSelincourts. 

The voyage to Fort Garry was without incident, and the interviewwith the M'Crawneys was of the usual type. Mrs. M'Crawney waslow-spirited and homesick, yearning for Ireland, for the smell ofthe peat reek and the society of her neighbours. 

"I shall die if I stay here much longer. It is stagnation, notlife at all; indeed, I'd sooner be dead, " moaned the poordiscontented woman. 

"But you have books, " said Katherine, pointing to a well-filledshelf in one corner of the room. "And if you are so lonely, whynot take some girl from an orphanage for a companion? It would begood for the child and good for you too. "

"Books are not satisfying, and I think it a great waste of time tobe always reading, " Mrs. M'Crawney replied with a touch ofasperity. Her husband's love of books and willingness to spendmoney upon them was always a sore point with her, only Katherinedid not know that, "And I wouldn't have a strange girl about thehouse, not whatever. I never could abide having to do with otherpeople's children. "

"Then I am afraid you will have to go lonely, " Katherine answered, feeling that it was quite beyond her powers to make any more usefulsuggestion to the poor unhappy woman, whose ailment consisted morein a discontented mind than a diseased body. 

The M'Crawneys were such an ill-matched pair that it always gaveher a feeling of irritation to go there, while Peter M'Crawneyhimself was too much addicted to fulsome compliments to make herwilling to face him oftener than need be. There was a cool. Breeze creeping over the water as they turned back towards home, and this tempered the heat, making rowing a pure pleasure. 

"Let us go the longer way, " pleaded Phil, who did not care for thesolemn stretches of green swamp on either side of the backwater. 

But Katherine had been resting on her oars and looking round, catching sight as she did so of a fishing boat, with its brownsails set, making for the river mouth. With a fluttering of herpulses she told herself that this was most likely the fleet boatwhich had taken the new owner out to Akimiski, and was now bringinghim back. If this were the case, her little row boat and thefisher would enter the river channel by the fish sheds side byside. She would be hot and untidy with the vigorous exercise ofrowing, while Miss Selincourt, cool and calm, would gaze at herwith lofty disdain, regarding her merely as a rough working girl. This was not to be endured for a moment, and, setting her handswith a tighter grip on the oars, Katherine said decidedly: "We willgo through the swamps to-day. I want to get home as quickly as Ican, for there are so many things to see to, and a lot of bookingto do. "

Phil resigned himself to the inevitable with a rather dour face, and there was silence between them for quite ten minutes, asKatherine, forced by the narrowness of the way, ceased rowing, and, shipping her oars, picked up a paddle which formed part of theboat's equipment, and commenced to paddle her way through the shortcut. 

"What's that?" asked Phil sharply, jerking up his head to listenagain for a sound which would not have caught his ear at all if hehad not been so silent just then. 

"I heard nothing, " said Katherine, pausing in her work, but holdingthe boat steady by planting her paddle in a group of rushes andholding it fast. "What kind of sound was it, Phil?"

"Something like a fox makes when it is caught in a trap, " repliedPhil. Then he cried eagerly: "There it is, and I believe it is aman! Ahoy there! where are you, and what is wrong?"

"Help, help!" cried a voice from somewhere, only the trouble was toknow where to locate it. 

"Yes, we will help you, only we can't think where you are; can'tyou let us know?" called Katherine, sending her voice in areassuring shout over the reaches of treacherous green. 

"I am here, holding on to some rushes, " the voice said, andKatherine fairly gasped with amazement to find the submerged one soclose at hand; for the patch of rushes to which she was holding theboat was the only one anywhere near, and a little ridge of solidground connected it with the river bank, which was perhaps fortyyards away. 

"Be careful to keep calling out now, " she said, preparing to forcethe boat out of its channel and into the liquid mud of the fatalgreen meadow. 

"Here, here, here!" said the voice, sounding now so thick andhoarse that Katherine at once decided it must be one of thefishermen who had risked his life on the treacherous green of theswamp, although she wondered that anyone could have lived at SealCove for a week and not known of the danger that lay in the swamps. 

"Phil, where can he be?" she cried, her voice sharp now with theterror of having a man in peril of his life at her side, and yetbeing unable to help him. 

"There he is; I saw the rushes move, " yelled Phil. "No, not thatclump--you are looking wrong; it is the one that has got a lupinblooming in it. Ah, I saw it move again! Keep your spirits up, old fellow, and we will have you out in no time!"

"But how?" groaned Katherine under her breath, for no effort ofhers would move the boat a foot farther through that awful slime, and if she got wedged she would be forced to stay there untilsomeone came in search. Then, remembering the horrible danger ofthe man, she called out: "Please don't struggle at all, only justkeep still, and I think we can save you, for we have got rope withus. "

"So we have! My word, how fortunate!" exclaimed Phil, tugging abig bundle of stout hempen cord from under the other things oftheir miscellaneous lading. 

"Get the other bundle too; I must have both, " said Katherine, and, taking the first, she made a slip knot and a loop which wouldtighten to a certain extent. 

"What are you going to do? You can't throw it over him from here, "said the boy. 

"Phil, can you be very brave, darling, and walk across on theoars?" Katherine asked, a sob catching in her throat. "I will slipthis other rope round you; then, if you slip in, I can drag youout. "

"I'll go, " said Phil, alert and ready. Then he kicked off hisboots, which were stout--and every ounce mattered when one took towalking on muskegs; but as his clothing consisted of only a flannelshirt and serge knickerbockers there were no clothes for him toshed. 

Katherine slipped one loop of rope over his shoulders, put theother looped rope into his hand, then laid an oar on the mud. "Now, go; the rushes will hold you when you get there, " she saidsharply. 

With light, cautious movements Phil stepped out on to the oar, balancing himself like a tightrope dancer, and because he was sosmall and light he passed in safety where a heavier person wouldhave been quickly submerged. 

Katherine stood up in the boat paying out both coils of rope. Herface was ghastly white, and her heart was beating to suffocation. She had not felt like this that day when she ventured her life onthe ice to save Jervis Ferrars in the flood. But that had been herown danger, this was her brother's, and therein lay the difference. 

"Landed!" cried Phil, in a quavering tone of triumph, as he plantedhis bare feet firmly in the rushes, which, happily, were so mattedtogether that they would not let him through. Then he stooped, andKatherine heard him talking to the poor wretch caught in the mudbeyond. "Now, let me slip this over your arm. That's right; we'vegot you safe enough, and they are English ropes, strong enough topull a carthorse out of a bear pit. You mustn't struggle, though, however much you feel like it. "

"Phil, can you reach the oar?" Katherine cried, her voice hoarse, for she could hardly endure the strain of the waiting. 

"Yes, " said the boy, stooping now and touching the perilous bridgewhich had carried him to the comparative safety of the clump ofrushes. 

"Then lay it across the clump, and well under the man's hands; keepit as firm as you can for him, while I haul on the rope. Nowthen----!"

With all her strength Katherine hauled at the rope. She wassitting now with her feet braced against the thwarts, and withevery muscle tense she strained and strained until the perspirationstreamed down her face, and the hot air of the swamp as it rose upseemed to choke her. 

[Illustration: With all her strength Katherine hauled at the rope. ]

"Hooray, he's coming!" yelled Phil, and Katherine, who had beenalmost fainting, gathered her courage for yet another effort. 

Phil was helping now, but, best of all, the poor victim of themuskeg was doing his share also, and at the end of a quarter of anhour of pulling, tugging, and straining he was on his knees in theclump of rushes beside Phil, and Katherine was able to rest herbleeding hands and plan the next stage of that perilous journey. But a few moments of rest that poor mud-coated wretch must havebefore taking any more risks, so she said cheerfully: "Now, stay asyou are for five or ten minutes, just to get your strength back alittle, and I will shift my cargo to accommodate you, for you willneed a reserved seat, I fancy. Phil, take your handkerchief andwipe the poor man's face. I'm afraid it is rather a dirty one. Your handkerchiefs are never fit to be seen, but it is better thannothing. "

Phil took a grimy blue-and-yellow cotton rag from the pocket of hisserge nether garments, and proceeded to wipe the rescued man's facewith as much force and energy as if he had been polishing tin panswith a view to making them shine. 

"Softly, softly! How would you like to have your own face rubbedin that fashion?" admonished Katherine; and then, finishing herpreparations, she stood up in the boat in readiness to help thepoor man through his last stage to safety. "Please throw me thatoar, " she said. 

Phil took up the oar, and pitched it with great dexterity, so thatit fell close to the boat. 

Katherine picked it up, making a little grimace of disgust at itsfilthiness; then, wiping the worst of the mud off on the nearestclump of rushes, she proceeded to lash both oars together with theother end of the rope that was tied to Phil. 

"Are you ready?" she asked sharply, for the man still knelt gaspingand panting, and seemed to have no power to help himself. 

Aided by Phil he rose slowly to his feet, then said in a hoarsevoice: "I don't think I can walk that bridge. "

"You will have to do it, or stay where you are until we can rowround to Seal Cove to bring assistance for you. Even then it maybe hours before help can reach you, for the fishermen are all outto-day, and Mr. Ferrars is away also, as he has had to go toAkimiski to-day with Mr. Selincourt and his daughter. "

There was contempt in Katherine's tone now, and she meant it to beso. If the man had a scrap of courage in him, she must fan it intoactive life, but if he were a poltroon, pure and simple, then shemust do the best she could and leave the result. 

To her delight, however, he lifted his head with an angry jerk. "Iwill come, of course, but I shall sink in and you will have to pullme out again, " he said. 

"Oh, you won't sink very far, and I have you well roped!" she saidcheerfully. "But if you are able to spare him, let Phil danceacross first, then he will be here to help me to pull if need be. "

"Go along, boy, I will follow, " said the man, and Katherine saw himbreathing deep and hard as Phil bounded lightly across, reachingthe boat without any mishap. 

"Now is your turn; be quick!" she cried authoritatively, but herheart seemed to fairly stop beating as the poor man took his firststep forward and reeled on the sinking oars. "Quick!" shescreamed, giving a sharp tug at the cord, which seemed to rousehim, for then he came on sharply enough. 

Katherine, standing up in the boat, put out her hands to steady himwhen he came within reaching distance, and tried not to show howshe shrank from his exceeding filthiness. 

"There, " she said soothingly, as he sank in a limp heap in the seatshe had cleared for him, "you are safe now, and you will soon getover the fright. "

"Thank you!" he murmured, but seemed incapable of further speech, and sat silent while they dragged up the bridge of oars, which hadsunk out of sight. 

"It was lucky you tied them together, " said Phil, when the oarswere dragged up and the handles cleansed on the rushes. 

"Yes, if I had not thought of doing that we might have whistled forour oars, " said Katherine, with a laugh that had a nervous ring. The man sitting in the boat was, so far as she could see, astranger, although he was so liberally coated with mud that it wasexceedingly difficult to make any guesses about his identity, sothere was nothing to account for the trembling which seized uponher as she looked at him. It was a hard struggle getting the boatback into the channel, and her hands were so sore with hauling onthe rope that it was positive torture to use the paddle. The sunwas pouring down with scorching brilliancy, and the flies gatheredin black swarms about her face and head as she worked her way intothe main channel again. Arriving there, she leaned forward andspoke to the man, who sat silent and apparently dazed in the sternof the boat. 

"Are you staying at Seal Cove, and at whose house?" she askedgently, feeling exceedingly pitiful for the poor fellow, who musthave lost his life if she had not chosen to bring her boat throughthe weedy back channel that afternoon. 

"No, I have a house at Roaring Water Portage; my name isSelincourt, " he answered. 

The paddle which Katherine was stowing in the boat dropped from herhands with a clatter, and there was positive terror in her eyes asshe gasped: "You are Mr. Selincourt, _the_ Mr. Selincourt?"

"I suppose so; I certainly don't know any other, " he said, smilinga little, which had a grotesque effect, for the mud with which hisface was so liberally smeared had dried stiff in the sunshine, andthe smiling made it crack like a painted mask which has beendoubled up. 

"But I thought you had gone to Akimiski?" Katherine said, herastonishment still so great that she would hardly have believedeven now that the stranger was telling the truth, had it not beenfor the trembling which was upon her now that she found herselfface to face with the man whom her father had so seriously wrongedaway back in the past. 

"I should have been much wiser if I had gone, " said Mr. Selincourt. "But at the last moment I decided to stay and survey the land onboth sides of the river. I am sending back some of the boatmenwith mails to-morrow, and it seemed essential that I should be ableto write definitely to my agent in Montreal about land which Imight wish to purchase. Then I got Stee Jenkin to put me acrossthe river, and I wandered along the shore, then back along theriver bank until I reached these beautiful green meadows, as Ithought them. But when I started to walk across I began to sink, soslowly at first that I hardly realized what was wrong. "

"That is because the mud is firmer near the bank, " said Katherine. "Right out in the centre it will not bear a duck. "

"I should have been under long before, only when I saw what wascoming I sat down, so sank more slowly. But it was horrible, horrible!" he exclaimed, with a violent shudder. 

"Don't think about it more than you can help, and we shall not belong in getting you home, " she said; then bent to her oars andtried to forget how sorely her blistered hands were hurting her. 

CHAPTER XVI

"We Must be Friends!"

When her father decided not to go to Akimiski, Mary spent a longmorning in roaming about Seal Cove, visiting the various littlehouses dotted near the fish shed, and making herself thoroughlyacquainted with the neighbourhood. But when her father got intoStee Jenkin's boat, and was rowed across the river to survey theland on the farther side, Mary had herself rowed up the river, withthe intention of spending the afternoon in arranging the littlebrown house to suit her own fancy. The afternoon proved so warmthat she decided on leaving the arranging to the next day, and satdown to write letters instead. Even this proved a task beyond herpowers, for she was more exhausted than she realized by the longjourney over river and trail, and the hot day was making thefatigue felt. 

One letter, short and scrappy, got itself written, and thenweariness had its way. Mary went into her little bedroom, and, lying down, went fast asleep. It was three hours later when sheawoke, and, feeling fearfully ashamed of her laziness, she went outto the little kitchen to light a fire for getting a cup of teaready for her father. 

No matter how well-to-do in money and gear people may be, if theyleave the beaten tracks of civilization and immure themselves inthe wilderness they will have to learn to help themselves or elsesuffer hardship. So Mary Selincourt, whose father's yearly incomewas a good way advanced in a four-figured total, found herselfcompelled to the necessity of lighting her own fire, or goingwithout the tea. There was plenty of kindling wood close to herhand, so the task presented no especial difficulty, but she laughedsoftly to herself as she watched the leaping flames, and thoughthow astonished some of her aristocratic friends would be if theycould see her doing domestic work amid such humble surroundings. 

When the kettle began to sing she went into the little sitting-roomto set the table for tea, and was enjoying the work as if it wereplay and she a child again, when a sound of voices and footstepsbrought her in haste to the open door. Two of the boatmen werecoming up the path from the river leading a mud-coated figure whomat first Mary did not recognise. But a second glance showed herthat it was really her father. With a cry of alarm she met him atthe door, full of concern for his uncomfortable plight, yet not fora moment realizing how terrible his danger had been. 

"Dear Father, where have you been?" she cried. 

"Within a hand-grip of death, " he answered, with a quaver ofbreakdown in his voice, for it had shaken him fearfully, that long, slow torture of being sucked into the green ooze of the muskeg. 

"Don't talk about it!" she said hastily. "I will put your cleanthings ready. There is happily a kettle on the boil; the men willhelp you to bath, and when you are in bed I will bring you tea. "

"Yes, " he answered languidly, while she flew to get things ready, and called one of the men to assist her in putting water into thebig tin pan which was the only bath the house afforded. 

She was going to put the pan in the bedroom, when the man who washelping stopped her with a suggestion. "You had better leave thepan here in front of the fire, Miss; the poor gentleman is soexhausted, you see, and the fire will be a comfort to him. "

"I had not thought of that, but I am quite sure you are right, " shesaid; then got the water to a comfortable temperature, and left themen to do their best. 

They were prompt and speedy. In half an hour Mr. Selincourt waslying in bed, spent and faint it is true, but as clean as soap andwater could make him. Mary hovered about him with a world oftenderness in face and manner, but she would not let him talk, would not even let him tell her how or where he had come so near tofinding his death on that sunny June afternoon. It was not untilhe was asleep that she ventured to go back to the kitchen. The menhad removed all traces of their work by cleaning the splashedfloor, and were busy now in the open space behind the house washingthe mud-caked clothes which they had stripped from Mr. Selincourt, for those men who go on portage work must have at least anelementary knowledge of washing, or be content to go without cleanshirts most of their time. 

Mary beckoned for one of them to come to her. 

"What happened to my father?" she asked. "I would not let him tellme, he is too thoroughly upset. "

"We don't know, Miss, " replied the man who had made the timelysuggestion about the bath. "We were down on the bank, getting theboat ready that is to start for the south to-morrow, when a boatrowed by a girl came up the river. She was dripping withperspiration, and looked as if she had been rowing for a wager. Mr. Selincourt was sitting in the stern, and there was a small boycovered with mud too. The girl bade us take Mr. Selincourt and gethim to bed, and said that she would send down river for Mr. Ferrars. "

"How truly good of her!" cried Mary, with a mist of tears cominginto her eyes. "It must have been Miss Radford from the store overthe river. I was going to ask one of you to go to Seal Cove forMr. Ferrars, but if he has been already sent for he may soon behere. So will you please go over to the store instead, give mylove to Miss Radford, and ask her to tell you what was wrong?"

The man dried his soapy hands by the simple process of rubbing themon his trousers, and started on his errand, while Mary entered thehouse again and peeped in at the open door of her father's room, tomake sure that he was still sleeping. 

There was a good fire in the kitchen, and the kettle was boilingagain. Mary had not had her cup of tea yet, although she had madeone for her father. But she had forgotten all about that--forgotten, indeed, that she had taken no food, except twohard biscuits, since her early breakfast. It seemed such a longtime before the man came back. His comrade was still busy out atthe rear of the house, rubbing, pounding, and punching at themud-stained clothes to get them clean, and as he worked he whistledsoftly over and over again two or three bars of "The Maple Leaf forEver". For years afterwards Mary never heard the song withoutrecalling that afternoon, with its keen anxiety, the glorioussunshine, and the steamy, soapy atmosphere of the little kitchen. 

From front door to back door she paced, always treading softlythrough fear of disturbing the sleeper in the room beyond; thenpaced from back door to front door again, and paused to wait forthe messenger whose coming was so delayed. Presently she heard thesound of oars, then a boat grounded, and a moment later the mancame up the path, carefully carrying something in a basket which hepresented to Mary. 

"It is a bottle of ginger posset which Mrs. Burton has sent overfor Mr. Selincourt. She says you must give him a teacupful as soonas he wakes, and you ought to make him swallow it even if heobjects, as there is quinine in it, which may ward off swampfever, " the man said, with the air of one repeating a lesson. 

"Mrs. Burton is very kind, " said Mary, as she took basket andbottle. "But did you see Miss Radford, and why should there bedanger of swamp fever for my father?"

"Miss Radford had got a party of Indians in the store that weretaking all her time to manage, " replied the man. "Indeed, I had tochip in and help her a bit myself, for while she showed one lotscarlet flannel and coloured calicoes, the other lot were trying tohelp themselves to beans, tobacco, and that sort of thing. But bythe time I had punched the heads of three men, and slapped twosquaws in the face, they seemed to sort of understand that goodmanners paid best, and acted according; then matters began to movequicker. "

Mary clasped her hands in an agony of impatience. Would the manever tell her, or would she be compelled to shake the informationout of him?

"Did Miss Radford tell you what had happened?" she asked, with anemphatic stamp of her foot on the floor. 

"Yes, Miss. Mr. Selincourt, not knowing, ventured out on a muskeg, and was being slowly sucked in, when she and her brother came alongthe back creek in their boat. It was a touch-and-go business then, for she had no planks or hurdles, though luckily she had ropes; butby sending her little brother, who weighs next to nothing at all, to slip a noose of rope under Mr. Selincourt's shoulders, she wasable to haul on the rope, and so drag him out by sheer force ofarm. She sent her love to you, and hopes he will soon be better, "the man said, with a little flourish of his hands. In point offact Katherine had done nothing of the kind, but it sounded betterso, he thought, and gave a consolatory touch to the whole. 

Mary turned abruptly away. Her father's misadventure was so muchworse than she had expected that the horror of it broke down herself-control completely; the solid ground seemed to crumble underher feet, and if she had not sunk into the nearest chair she musthave fallen. Sitting crouched in a corner, with her hands pressedtightly against her face, striving for the mastery over thoseunruly emotions of hers, she failed to hear sounds of anotherarrival, and did not even look up when Jervis Ferrars entered, without any ceremony of knocking. 

A moment he stood in silence before her, not liking to disturb her, nor even to be a witness of her breakdown, for he knew how proudshe was, and the humiliation it would be to her to be watched undersuch conditions. Then, seeing the door of the bedroom half-open, he passed silently and softly into the room, closing the doorbehind him, and Mary was alone again. It might have been tenminutes later before he reappeared, and then the anxious look hadleft his face; he still looked concerned, but that was chiefly onMary's account. 

"Miss Selincourt, I am fearfully disappointed in you, " he announcedgravely, and Mary's head came up with a jerk. 

"I--I did not know that you had come, " she faltered. 

"All the more reason why you should have been brave and courageous, until there was someone on whom to shift the responsibility, " hesaid quietly. 

Mary reddened, and her tears disappeared as if by magic. "Is itpossible that you do not know the terrible danger my father hasbeen in?" she asked frigidly. 

"Yes, I know. But in a wild country like this one must always beexpected to face a certain amount of risk; and it is never worthwhile to weep over the might-have-beens, or how could one be happyat all?" he said lightly. 

"I know it was foolish, but the horror of it broke me down; andthen I was wondering whatever I should do if Father were to be ill, so far away from doctors, nurses, and comforts of any sort, " shereplied, with a shiver. 

"I don't think he will be ill. He is sleeping as peacefully as aninfant, his pulse is steady, and his heart quiet. He may be alittle languid when he wakes, in which case we will keep him in bedfor a day or two. Remember, I am three parts a doctor, and you canbe wholly a nurse. "

"I have had no experience, " she faltered. 

"That is only gained by practice, " he answered. Then, looking atthe partly-set meal on the table, he asked: "What have you had toeat to-day?"

"Not much, " she answered in a dreary tone. "There were cold fishand coffee for breakfast. I had two biscuits for luncheon, butthat was all. "

"You are within seeing distance of starving, I should say, and thatis why your courage has turned to water, " he said; and, going outto the kitchen, he roused the fire again, refilled the kettle, which had boiled itself dry, and when it boiled again made her agood cup of tea, at the same time insisting on her making a solidmeal. 

"Oh, I feel pounds better now!" she exclaimed, when he came backfrom another visit to Mr. Selincourt, who still lay peacefullysleeping. 

"Let it be a warning to you in future not to neglect yourself atcritical moments, " he replied; then asked: "What would you like meto do for you? Shall I stay with Mr. Selincourt to-night? I donot think he needs watching in the least, but if this will be acomfort to you, I will remain with pleasure. "

"It is very kind of you, and I accept thankfully, " she said, withsuch bounding relief at her heart that the whole of her outlookchanged at once. It was the responsibility she dreaded so much, and when that was lifted from her shoulders she could be happyagain. "Can you remain now, or must you go back to Seal Covefirst?" she asked. 

"I will stay now if you like, only I must trouble you to let mesend one of your boatmen down to Seal Cove, with a letter ofinstruction for any of the boats which may arrive in with a cargobefore I can be there to have the shed opened, " he said. 

"One of the men shall go, certainly. But while you are writingyour letter may I take the boat and go over to the store to say'Thank you' to Miss Radford and her brother for their goodness tomy father? I would not have left him if you had not been here, butnow I can go easily enough, and I do want them to know how reallygrateful I am. "

"Go, by all means. I will take care of Mr. Selincourt and write myletter at the same time, " Jervis answered, taking a fountain penand a notebook from his pocket, and beginning to write forthwith. 

Mary walked out of the house and down to the river just as she was, for the sun had gone down sufficiently to render a hat unnecessary. The two men were busy with their boat still, but one of them lefthis work and put Mary across the river in one of the other boatswhich lay drawn up on the bank. 

The Indians, who had been crowding the store half an hour before, were encamped on the bank now, a little lower down, and were busycooking fish for their supper. There were no other customersvisible either inside the store or out. Now that the fishing wasin full swing the fishermen had little time for lounging about thestore; so, although the work of delivering goods was greater, therewere compensating circumstances in not having the store alwayscrowded up with men and lads, who had come more for the sake oftalking than buying. 

Mary walked up the steep bank and across the open space to thestore door with a sense of the strangest unreality all about her. It was herself who walked and moved, yet all the time she seemed tostand aside and let another self think and feel and act. Acomposite odour of groceries, bacon, tobacco, and cheap clothes mether as she entered the rough, homely shed, which was a typicalemporium of the backwoods; but she had no time to analyse theodours, being at once attracted by Katherine, who stood at a talldesk by the window, entering items in a ledger. At the same timeKatherine glanced up and saw the visitor entering the door. Sheflushed at the sight, and became suddenly nervous, acutelyconscious, too, of her poor, shabby clothes, old-fashioned and illcut, as contrasted with the picturesque house gown in which Marywas garbed, a soft grey woollen, which, though simple enough tohave been worn upon any occasion, yet suggested London or Paris inevery line. 

"You are Miss Radford, I think, " said Mary in that quiet, culturedvoice which somehow matched, or at least harmonized, with her gown, "and I have come to say 'Thank you' for your goodness to my dearfather. "

"Oh, but really it was not I who saved him, but Phil! I shouldhave been too heavy to walk three steps across that muskeg withoutsticking fast, " Katherine answered, with a low, nervous laugh. 

But Mary was not to be put off in this fashion, and she went on, her voice fluttering a little because of the emotion she waskeeping down with a resolute hand: "I know it was your brother whowent out on the swamp and put the rope round my father, but I alsoknow that it was really you who planned the rescue and pulled myfather out. I cannot speak of it all as I would wish, and wordsare too faint and poor to express all I feel; but from my heart Iam grateful, and all my life I shall be in your debt. "

A sob came up in Katherine's throat, and her heart flutteredwildly, for she was thinking of that dark secret from the pastwhich her father had told her about, and she was wondering if thework of to-day would in any sense help to wipe off that old scoreof wrongdoing which stood to her father's account. 

"It is only one's duty to help those who are in difficulties, " shesaid, when she could manage her voice, and still that curiousfluttering in her throat. "I hope Mr. Selincourt is not much theworse for his accident. I was afraid that he was terribly shaken. He must have suffered such fearful agony of mind during the time hewas being sucked down. "

"He is sleeping now, peacefully as an infant. Mr. Ferrars, who iswith him, says that his pulse is steady and his heart quiet, so itreally looks as if the after effects may not be very bad, " Maryanswered. Then she said impulsively: "I was on the hill last nightwhen you were waiting for the dogs to help you to make the portage. My heart went out to you then, and I wondered should we ever befriends; but to-day has settled that question so far as I amconcerned, and now we must be friends. "

Katherine crimsoned right up to the roots of her hair. A year agohow happy such words would have made her! And how glad she wouldhave been of the friendship of Mary Selincourt! But now all thepleasure in such intercourse was checked and clouded, because shewas perforce obliged to sail under false colours. 

The rosy flush faded from cheeks, neck, and brow, and her face waswhite and weary as she answered coldly: "It is very kind of you totalk of friendship, but I fancy there is too much difference in ourlives to admit of much intercourse. I have to work very hard justnow, and I have little or no leisure. "

Mary winced as if Katherine had struck her a blow. She was notused to having her offers of friendship flouted in this fashion;but she was too much indebted to this girl in the shabby frock toeven dream of resenting the treatment of which poor Katherine wasalready secretly ashamed. 

"I know that you have to work very hard, " Mary said gently. "Butif you knew how much I honour you for your unselfish courage, Ithink you would not refuse to let me see as much of you as yourwork will allow. "

Katherine had to come down from her poor little pedestal then, butshe made her descent gracefully enough. "If you care to see me atmy work, we may even find time for friendship, " she said, smilingbravely, although her face was still very pale; "but work and I aresuch close comrades that only Sunday finds us apart. "

"Then I will have you and your work all the week, and you withoutyour work on Sundays, " laughed Mary, afterwards saying good nightand going back across the river to her father again. 

CHAPTER XVII

'Duke Radford's New Friend

Mr. Selincourt suffered but little ill effects from his accident. He stayed in bed two days to ward off any danger of swamp fever, but on the third morning got up at his usual hour, and afterbreakfast had himself rowed across the river, and paid a visit tothe store. Early as it was, Katherine and Phil had already startedfor an Indian encampment on Ochre Lake, so Mr. Selincourt foundonly Miles in the store, and he was busy sweeping dead flies fromthe molasses traps, and spreading fresh molasses for the catchingof another batch. 

"Hullo, young man! is it you who pulled me out of the mud the otherday?" he asked. 

"No, sir, " replied Miles promptly; "I'm as heavy as Katherine, sonot adapted for walking on soft spots. It was Phil who put therope round you, but Katherine pulled you out. "

"A plucky pair they were too, for it must have been difficult work. Are they at home?" Mr. Selincourt asked, as he gazed round thestore, and thought what a bare-looking place it was. 

"No, they started for Ochre Lake a good time ago. Where there isportage work it is easiest to get it done in the morning this hotweather. Can I have the pleasure of showing you anything thismorning, sir?" Miles asked, with his very best business manner, which always had its due effect on the Seal Cove people. 

Mr. Selincourt laughed. "I am afraid my wants would have to bemoderate, there is so little left to buy, " he said, wondering if itwere poverty on the part of the Radfords which kept the stock solow. 

"We are not so nearly cleared out as you would think, " Milesanswered, in a confidential tone. "We always like the shelves tolook thin at this time of the year; then when the first shipmentcomes to hand we bring all our surplus stock out of the cellar, andit sells nearly as fast as we can serve it out. "

"Well, that is one way of doing business; a shrewd way too, "remarked Mr. Selincourt, nodding his head. "I shouldn't wonder ifyou make a pile some day of your own; you look wideawake enough. What are you going to be when you grow up?"

"A storekeeper; this store keeper, if Katherine can keep thebusiness going until I'm old enough to take the work over, " Milesanswered, with the same promptness as had arrested Mr. Selincourt'sattention at the first. 

"It is a hard life for a girl, I should think, " he said, as he satdown on a sugar barrel and watched Miles finishing with the traps. 

"Yes, it is very hard. You see, there is so much tramping overportages, rowing up and down river, and all that sort of thing. Icould manage most of it with Phil's help, only there is pricing theskins, the feathers, and the fish which we take in barter from theIndians. They wouldn't accept my prices, but would declare theywere being cheated by the papoose;" and the boy threw so much scorninto his tone that Mr. Selincourt laughed aloud. 

"How do you manage when the Indians come here to buy and yoursister is away?" he asked. 

"Oh, I just call Nellie, that is Mrs. Burton, you know! Shedoesn't know a thing about business, and is ignorant as a babyabout the value of skins, but she is grown-up, so they believe whatshe says, only I have to tell her first. "

"Your father can't attend to anything, then?" Mr. Selincourtenquired pitifully. He had heard a little of 'Duke Radford'saffliction, and sympathized keenly with the children who had such aheavy weight of responsibility to carry. 

Miles shook his head. "Since his stroke, Father has not been ableto do anything at all. His memory is entirely gone, yet he is sopleased to see people, and he always seems happy and content. Haveyou time to go and talk to him for a little while, sir? He wouldlike to see you, I know. "

Mr. Selincourt rose from his barrel with alacrity. "Oh, yes! Iwill pay him a little visit; in fact, I have nothing else to do forthe next hour, for I promised Mary that I would not go wanderinground in soft spots to-day. "

Miles opened the door of the kitchen and ushered the visitor in. Mrs. Burton was making a batch of bread, and had to limit herwelcome to cheery words and smiles; but the twins immediatelyclaimed him as an old friend, rushing upon him with a freedom fromshyness which was surprising, until one knew that they were nevertroubled with that complaint at home. 

"Father, Mr. Selincourt has come to see you. He is the new ownerof the fleet, you know, " Mrs. Burton said, speaking in raised tonesto a tall, worn man who sat in the sunshine by the open door, andsmiled serenely at the pleasant world outside. 

'Duke Radford was not deaf, but they always raised their voiceswhen speaking to him, in order to attract his attention. He seemedto live in a world apart, and it was only by touching him orshouting that he could be brought back to the realities of life. At the sound of his daughter's voice he looked round, and, seeing astranger in the room, at once rose and came forward withoutstretched hand. "I am very glad to see you, sir, " he said, incourteous greeting. 

Mr. Selincourt was so surprised that he could not hide it. He hadexpected to see a miserable-looking invalid, with imbecile writlarge all over him; instead of whom he was confronted by adignified, courteous gentleman, whose infirmity was only hinted atby a certain languor of movement and wistfulness of expression. 

"I am glad to see you looking so much better than I expected tofind you, " Mr. Selincourt said, taking the proffered hand andshaking it warmly. 

"Yes, I am getting stronger. I have been ill, you know, and it hasupset me in many ways; my mind is not what it was, and I cannotremember a great many things which it is very awkward to forget. For instance, I cannot remember, sir, whether I have heard yourname or seen your face before;" and as he spoke, 'Duke Radfordlooked up with wistful uncertainty into the face of the man whomyears ago he had wronged so heavily. 

"My name you have heard, I dare say, but I do not suppose you haveseen me before, because I am an Englishman, and I have only been inCanada for a year, " Mr. Selincourt answered gently. 

Mrs. Burton had left the room momentarily, or she might have saidthat her father was an Englishman also. 'Duke Radford had probablyforgotten the fact himself, and after a moment of silence, in whichhe seemed to be gathering up his scattered faculties, he asked:

"Do you think you are going to like Canada, sir?"

"I like it immensely. I intend settling in the countrypermanently. I have nothing to hold me in England, nor anythingwhich interests me enough to make me want to stay there. But herethere is so much to be done; the country is crying out fordevelopment, and I--well, I think I want to have a hand in thedoing of it, " Mr. Selincourt answered. 

'Duke Radford nodded his head in complete understanding; somethingof his old vigour seemed to have returned to him, and for themoment the clouds were swept from his brain. 

"Canada is a fine country;" he said. "Even her waste placespossess untold sources of wealth. Take this place, for instance:there are fish enough in the rivers and the bay to feed amultitude; there is timber enough to build a dozen towns, andconstruct a navy as well; yet it continues almost as solitary aswhen I came here, I can't remember how many years ago. "

"It is a great pity; but that may be altered with time. We shallsee, " replied Mr. Selincourt, then plunged into talk about theresources of the immediate neighbourhood, the possibilities of vastcoalfields underlying the forest lands, of minerals lurking inbarren hillsides, and many other things. 

'Duke Radford came out of his absorption and talked as he had notdone for many months, and when the visitor rose to go, after acouple of hours' sitting in the pleasant, homely kitchen, with theappetizing smell of new-baked bread perfuming the air, the invalidbegged him to come again very soon. 

"Indeed I will, if Mrs. Burton will let me; but if I have tired youwith such a long talk she may refuse to allow me in, " Mr. Selincourt replied. 

"Nellie won't do that. My children are very good to me, althoughit is very hard on them that I should be left a log on their handslike this. But I hope you will come soon, for you have given me avery happy morning, " the invalid said; and rising to his feet hewalked slowly into the sunshine, supporting himself on a stoutstick, to watch his visitor get into the waiting boat and be rowedaway to the opposite bank of the river. 

When Katherine and Phil came down from Ochre Lake three hourslater, the invalid was still out-of-doors, only now he was seatedon a bank in the shade of a spreading spruce, while the twinsplayed round him, building houses of fir cones, and laying outgardens in patterns of pine needles. 

"Why, Father, it is pleasant to see you out-of-doors again, and Iam sure the air will do you good!" Katherine exclaimed in pleasedsurprise, as she came down the portage path, laden with a greatreed basket filled with ptarmigan eggs. 

"Katherine, I have had such a nice morning!" he said with childisheagerness. "Mr. Selincourt has been to see me, and I like him sovery much. "

Katherine nearly dropped her basket of eggs, being so muchastonished; then, pulling herself together with an effort, shemanaged to say in a natural tone, although her face was ratherwhite: "I am glad you liked him. Did he stay long?"

"Yes, ever so long, and he is coming again soon. He thinks ofsettling here, and building a house. I am so glad, for I think Inever met a man whom I liked better, " he replied. 

"Then it is lucky that I pulled him out of the mud, " put in Phil, who was very much disposed to swagger about his share in rescuingMr. Selincourt. "But if he'd been a disagreeable animal, I mighthave been sorry that I had not left him there. "

Katherine stood in a dumb amazement at the miracle which had beenwrought. All these months she had been dreading the coming of Mr. Selincourt, because of its effect upon her father, and behold, itwas the one thing which had brought him happiness!

"Did you pull him out of the mud? What mud?" asked 'Duke Radfordin an interested tone, whereupon Phil promptly dropped the bundlehe was carrying and launched into a detailed account of the rescueof Mr. Selincourt from the muskeg. 

But Katherine went on to the store with her head in a whirl; almostshe was disposed to believe that dark story from her father's pastto be only a dream, or some conjured-up vision of a diseasedfancy--almost, but not quite. Only too well she knew that it wasthe dread of Mr. Selincourt's coming which had induced her father'sstroke, and now--well, it was just the irony of fate, that what hadbeen so terrible in perspective should bring such pleasure inreality. 

Jervis Ferrars came in quite early that evening, and suggested thatKatherine should go with him to Ochre Lake, as he had some businessat the Indian encampment, and wanted a companion. 

"But I have been to Ochre Lake once to-day; Phil and I went thismorning. I brought home a hundred eggs in one basket, and had tocarry them over both portages myself, " she said, laughing. 

"Never mind; another journey in the same direction won't hurt you, because I will do the work, " he answered. "I want to borrow yourboat, don't you see? and of course it lessens a little my burden ofindebtedness if you are there too. "

"I shall also be useful in getting the boat over the portage, "laughed Katherine, then ran away to get ready. There was reallynothing to keep her at the store this evening, and so few pleasurescame her way that it would have been foolish to refuse. 

"Nellie, I am going to Ochre Lake with Mr. Ferrars. Do you mind?"she asked, as she hurriedly shed her working frock and clothedherself anew. 

"No, dear, of course I don't. Good-bye! I hope you will have apleasant time, " said Mrs. Burton, then kissed her sisteraffectionately. 

Katherine was a little surprised. Mrs. Burton was not given toover-much demonstration of feeling, and so the kiss was out of theordinary. But then the evening was out of the ordinary too. As arule she hurried along the portage path, laden with burdens asheavy as she could carry. To-night she sauntered at a leisurelypace with no burdens at all; even the cares of the day were thrustinto the background for the moment, and she was genuinelylighthearted and happy. It was pleasant, too, to sit at ease whileJervis pulled the boat up river with long, swinging strokes thatnever suggested tired arms in even the remotest connection; and ifthey did not talk much, it was only because the river and thesunset seemed suggestive of silence. They had passed the secondportage, and waved a greeting to Mrs. M'Kree, who was sitting atease in her garden while Astor lounged beside her. Then Jervisbegan to talk about himself, which was unusual, the subjectapparently having but little interest for him in a general way. 

"I have been writing to my mother to-day. It seems strange tothink we shall have a post out from here once a month all thesummer, " he remarked, rowing slower now, as if he were tired ofviolent exercise, and desired to take things easy. 

"How glad your mother will be to get the letters!" exclaimedKatherine, wondering how the poor woman had borne the weary waitingof the past weeks. 

"It has been hard on her, poor little Mother!" he said softly, thenwent on with a hardness in his tone that grated on the ears of thelistener: "Few women have had to know greater contrasts in lifethan my mother. She was brought up in the purple, a maid to brushher hair and tie her shoestrings, but for the last six years shehas lived in a four-roomed cottage, and has done the familywashing. "

"Oh, how hard for her!" exclaimed Katherine. 

"It was hard, poor Mother!" Jervis said, and his voice grew sotender that the listener understood the previous hardness must havebeen meant for someone else. He was silent for some time afterthat, and, pulling slowly up the river, kept his eyes fixed on thewater which was gliding past. 

Katherine sat with her gaze fixed on the treetops, whilst herfancies were busy with the poor lady who had fallen from the luxuryof having a lady's maid to doing the work of a washerwoman. 

"I was to have been a doctor, " Jervis said abruptly, taking up thetalk just where he had dropped it. "We were very poor, so I hadworked my way on scholarships and that sort of thing. I was verykeen on study, for I meant to make a name for myself. I believe Ishould have done too, but----"

He broke off suddenly, and, after a pause, Katherine venturedgently: "Don't you think it is the 'buts' which really make us liveto some purpose?"

"At least they make a mighty difference in our outlook, " headmitted with a smile. "The particular 'but' which stopped mymedical studies, and drove me into the first situation where Icould earn money was the death of my father, and the consequentcessation of the income which had been his allowance under hisgrandfather's will. We had been poor before; after that we weredestitute. "

Katherine nodded sympathetically. Her life had been hard, andthere was plenty of rough work in it, but she had never been withinseeing distance of destitution, and she had plenty of pity forthose whose lives had been fuller of care than her own. 

"I tried keeping near home first, " went on Jervis; "but it was ofno use. There was no room for me anywhere; the only thing I couldget to do was a miserable clerkship at twelve shillings a week. Just think of it! Twelve shillings a week, and there were four ofus to live! I bore it for six months, and then I cleared out. Mynext brother, who is four years younger, got work which brought inenough to buy his food, and I have managed to send home somethingto help to keep my mother and the youngest boy, who is still atschool. "

"Perhaps the necessity to do your utmost has been very good foryou, " Katherine ventured demurely. 

"I think it has, " he answered with emphasis. "At any rate, I don'tfeel disposed to quarrel now with the destiny which has knocked meabout the world, and brought me eventually to an anchorage likethis. "

Katherine's face flamed scarlet, to her intense mortification. What would this man think of her, what must he think of her, if shechanged colour at every word he said?

But Jervis did not appear to notice her confusion, for which shewas devoutly thankful, and in a moment he went on talking: "It isgoing to make a very great difference to me if Mr. Selincourtdecides to spend money in developing this place. The fisheries, properly worked, will yield a cent-per-cent interest on the outlay, and that is going to make a big difference to me, because I am notmanager merely, but I have a share in the profits also. "

"A working partner, " suggested Katherine. 

"Something of the kind, " he replied. Then turning his head he sawthat they were close to the Indian encampment, for long lines offish were stretched in all directions, drying in the sun. 

"The end of our journey, " he said lightly. "Do you sit here in theboat and I will have my business finished in about ten minutes. "

Katherine's gaze went to the treetops again, only now it was nottrees and sky that she saw, but a rose-hued future of happinessstretching out before her. 

CHAPTER XVIII

Standing Aside

Mrs. Burton was perplexed, and a good bit troubled in her mind. She was honestly proud of Katherine's beauty, and longed that hersister should have an easier life than she had had herself. Sothat when Jervis Ferrars had begun to show rather a decidedinclination to cultivate Katherine's society, the elder sister hadfelt both glad and sorry because of it. She was glad, because anygirl might have felt honoured by the notice of a man like JervisFerrars: But she was sorry because he was so poor, and marriagewith him must mean for Katherine a life of hard work and muchdrudgery; for in remote places and pioneer settlements it was onthe women, the wives and the mothers, that the real hardships oflife fell. 

Her own husband had been a poor man, a bright young Canadian, asgood-looking as Jervis Ferrars, but without his culture. TedBurton had commanded one of the boats of the fishing fleet, and washolder of a good many shares in the company as well; but one dayhis vessel came home without him, and Mrs. Burton had to return awidow to her father's house. No wonder she dreaded Katherinewedding after the same fashion. History has a trick of repeatingitself, and she could not bear to think of sunny-hearted Katherinehaving to live always in the shadows, as she herself had done. 

But the worry oppressing her just now was concerned also with MarySelincourt. Mary spent a great deal of time at the store, and whenshe was there she made herself useful like other people. She hadeven served an Indian squaw with coloured calico of an astonishingpattern, had clicked off the proper number of yards in the mostbusiness-like fashion, and then had demanded: "What next, if youplease?" in a manner as collected as if she had served anapprenticeship behind a counter. A most delightful companion wasMary, and Mrs. Burton fairly revelled in her society: but Mary hadone strange habit which puzzled her, she always avoided JervisFerrars when it was possible to do so, and she had a trick ofblushing when his name was mentioned. These symptoms were proofpositive to Mrs. Burton that Mary cared for Jervis, and she wassorely troubled about it. 

Katherine, on the other hand, seemed to be absolutely heart-whole;she went about her daily work with a zest which was refreshing tobehold. She always seemed to be happy and content, while shetreated Jervis in much the same fashion as she did Miles, andteased him whenever the occasion seemed to demand it, which wasvery often. 

It was the middle of July, and the great event of the year hadtaken place, that is, the first steamer had come through HudsonStrait, and was anchored off Seal Cove. 'Duke Radford had heavyshipments in this vessel, and for a few days Katherine left theoutside customers to their own devices, spending busy hours inchecking invoices and helping to stow away the merchandise whichStee Jenkin and Miles brought up river in boatloads from thesteamer. These goods had been ordered in October of the yearbefore, but that was how things had to be done in that awkwardcorner of the world, where ice blocked the ocean road for eightmonths out of the twelve. 

The steamer which brought groceries and dry goods for the store wasto take away sealskins, walrus-skins, narwhal ivory, whalebone, andblubber of various sorts, which had been accumulating in the fishshed since the fishing began. This made Jervis as busy in his wayas Katherine was in hers. Indeed, the press of work was so greatthat Mary went down day after day to do the writing in the officeat Seal Cove, while Mr. Selincourt, with his shirt sleeves rolledabove his elbows, helped Jervis to pack skins and weigh blubber. 

It was easy for Mary to get away, as most of her housework and agood deal of the cooking was done for her by the portage men whohappened to be in residence at Roaring Water Portage. When Mr. Selincourt hired men and boats at Temiskaming, he hired them forthe whole summer, and planned their work to suit his ownconvenience. There were two men to each boat, and after the firstjourney with luggage-laden boats the men found that they couldmanage the journey each way in a little over a fortnight. So twopairs of them were always en route, while the third pair rested anddid housework at the hut at Roaring Water Portage, taking theirdeparture with mails when another pair of their companions returnedfrom the lake. 

When Mrs. Burton was troubled about anything it was sure to comeout sooner or later, and one night during that week of bustle andhard work she spoke of the matter that was on her mind. Thesisters were brushing their hair before going to bed. Somehowhair-brushing lends itself to confidential talk, especially when, as in this case, awkward things have to be put into speech, becausea veil of hair will hide a good many emotions. 

"Do you know, I believe that Mary cares for Mr. Ferrars, " Mrs. Burton blurted out, with considerable nervous trepidation, turningher back on Katherine, and wielding her brush as if her lifedepended on her accomplishing a given number of strokes per minute. 

"What put such an idea into your head, you delightful oldmatchmaker?" demanded Katherine, with a ripple of amused laughter, while her brush went slower as she waited for the answer. 

"A good many things, " Mrs. Burton said, warming to her subject, andfeeling relieved already by the careless ease of Katherine'smanner. "Mary always avoids Mr. Ferrars when it is possible to doso, and I have never once seen her touch his hand, though sheshakes hands with every other person she meets. I have even seenher shake hands with Oily Dave, a thing I would not do myself. "

"Am I to understand, then, that if one person will not shake handswith another it is a sign of being in love?" asked Katherine in ateasing tone. "Because, if so, what about your own refusal totouch the hand of Oily Dave?"

Mrs. Burton laughed, and her heart felt lighter than for many dayspast; for if Katherine could laugh and make jokes in this fashion, it was plain there was no harm done. So she drew a long breath andwent on: "I wish you would try to be serious for a few minutes andlisten to me. What is only fun to you may be grim earnest to poorMary, and I like her so well that I do not care to think of hermissing the best thing that life can give her. "

"Which is----?" queried Katherine mischievously. 

"Which is the love she longs for, " Mrs. Burton answered, with asentimental sigh. 

Katherine broke into irrepressible laughter. Then, when her mirthhad subsided a little, she said: "Just fancy speaking of a girl as'Poor Mary' whose father has an income of five or six thousandpounds a year!"

"Still, she is poor in spite of her money if she can't get what shewants, " Mrs. Burton said, sticking to her point. "Money isn'teverything by a long way, and you can't satisfy heart-hunger withdollars, or pounds either. "

"Did Mary take you into her confidence concerning this want whichmoney can't satisfy?" demanded Katherine, a touch of scorn in hertone and a chill feeling at her heart, as if someone had laid anicy finger upon it. 

"Dear me, no! Mary is not the sort of girl to go round howlingabout what she wants but can't get, " Mrs. Burton replied. "But Ihave eyes in my head, and I think a married woman sees more, andhas a larger understanding of affairs of the heart, than a girl whohas had no experience at all. "

"That is very probable, " Katherine said quietly, while the chillfeeling grew and intensified, despite her efforts to make light ofthe matter. "But what has all this to do with me? Do you want meto approach Mr. Ferrars on the subject, and say to him that he hadbetter make haste and satisfy the heart-hunger of the rich MissSelincourt?"

Mrs. Burton looked absolutely shocked. "Dear Katherine, do beserious for once if you can!" she pleaded. "If I thought that youcared for Mr. Ferrars yourself I should never have mentioned thisto you at all; but you are so plainly fancy-free that surely itwon't hurt you to stand aside and let Mary have her chance. "

"Stand aside? How?" Katherine kept her voice steady by an effort, while her thoughts flew back to that evening when Jervis Ferrarshad taken her up to Ochre Lake, and had talked to her of thestruggles and hardships of his life. She had been so happy thatevening, and every day since had been like a festival. There hadbeen no need to put things into words: she had known that nightthat Jervis Ferrars cared for her; she had been equally wellassured that she cared for him, and the knowledge brought with it arest and contentment such as she had never known before. But ifwhat her sister said was correct, then it might be that she waswrong, something worse than selfish even, to take this good thingwhich was offered to her; and the standing-aside idea would have tobe very carefully considered. 

Mrs. Burton rolled up her abundant hair, and poked in half a dozenhairpins to keep it in place. Then she said: "You are so muchbetter-looking than Mary, and you have so much more charm ofmanner! It is easy to see that Mr. Ferrars is attracted by you, because his eyes always follow you every time you move. Then yousaved his life at considerable risk, which, of course, istremendously in your favour, or would be, if you cared about him. But if you don't really want to marry him it would be kind to standback and let Mary have a chance. Of course it would be an immenseadvantage to Mr. Ferrars to marry Mr. Selincourt's daughter, for Ifancy he is very poor, although he is such a cultured gentleman;and money does make a great deal of difference in the comfort ofone's daily life. "

"Indeed it does, my wise, practical sister. Really, your argumentis not half bad, and is well worth my best consideration, which itshall have, " said Katherine; then giving her sister a good-nightkiss, she dived into bed and promptly went to sleep, or at leastpretended to do so, which was the same thing in its effect on Mrs. Burton, who soon went to sleep herself. 

In reality there was little rest for Katherine that night, for shewas faced by a problem that had never even occurred to her before. If she followed the desire of her own heart, she stood in the wayof two people. True, she might make Jervis Ferrars happy with herlove, more especially as she was quite sure that he cared for her. But would there ever come a time when he might be tempted to wishfor more worldly advantages, and to long for the power that moneybrings? Lying there in the twilight of the northern summer night, which was never in that month quite dark, Katherine faced thefuture with a steady, single-hearted desire to do the right thingat all costs. She felt herself doubly bound. Her own love forJervis made her hesitate about allowing him to bind himself to alife of poverty, or at least a life of continuous struggle, such asmarriage with a portionless wife must bring. 

But Jervis was only one consideration. There was Mary also to bethought of. And then it flashed upon Katherine that Mary had evenmore claim upon her than Jervis. Ever since 'Duke Radford had beenstricken down, robbed of memory, of understanding, and the power tothink and act for himself, Katherine had carried her father's sinas if it were a wrongdoing of her own. He had implored her toexpiate it if she could. But how could she? Even the saving graceof confession was denied to her, for she could not go to Mr. Selincourt and say: "My father did you a bitter wrong many yearsago; please forgive him, and say no more about it!"

It was true that she and Phil had saved the rich man's life bypulling him out of the muskeg, but there had been little personalrisk for herself in the matter, although it had been very hardwork, and there were scars on her hands still where the ropes hadcut into the skin. Hard work was not self-sacrifice, however, andas Katherine understood things it was only by self-sacrifice thatshe could expiate her father's sin, if indeed it ever could beexpiated. 

Could she do it? Lying there in the mean little room, with thegrey twilight showing outside the open window, she told herself'No': she could not do it, she could not stand aside and give up toanother what she wanted so badly for herself. But, as the slowhours stole by, a different mood crept over her. She thought ofthe Saviour of the world, and the sacrifices he had made for man;then prayed for grace to tread the thorny path of self-immolation, if such action should be required of her. 

She dared not rise to kneel and pray, the little bedroom was toocrowded for privacy; and although she often yearned for a room, however small, to have for her sole use, this was not possible. Folding her hands on her breast, she prayed for strength to do whatwas right, for guidance in the way she had to go, and wisdom to seethe true from the false. Then, because her day's work had made herso very tired, she fell asleep, and presently began to dream thatshe was at the marriage of Mary Selincourt with Jervis Ferrars, andthat it was her place to give away the bride. She was doing herpart, as she believed, faithfully and well, although the draggingpain at her heart was almost more than she could endure, and thepart of the marriage service had been reached where the ring shouldhave been put on Mary's hand, when, to her amazement, she found itwas on her own finger. 

"Katherine, Katherine, how soundly you sleep, dear! Wake up, weare quite late this morning!" said Mrs. Burton, and Katherineopened her tired, heavy eyes to find that Beth and Lotta wereenjoying a lively pillow fight on the other bed, and that theirmother was already half-dressed. 

For one moment she lay weakly wishing that she had not to rise towork, to struggle, and to endure; but the next minute found her outof bed and thrusting her face into a basin of cold water, which is, after all, the very best way of gathering up a little courage. 

When she was dressed and out in the fresh air things did not lookso bad. Mrs. Burton might have been quite mistaken in thinkingthat Mary cared for Jervis Ferrars. In the broad light of thesunshiny morning the very idea seemed absurd. The rich man'sdaughter had a wide circle to choose from; it was scarcely likelythat her choice would fall on a poor man, whose position was littleremoved from that of a Hudson Bay fisherman. 

Of course it was absurd! Mrs. Burton must have had a sentimentalstreak on last night, and she herself was uncommonly foolish tohave been made so miserable for nothing at all. 

When Katherine reached this point in her musings her laughter rangout again, the future brightened up, and she was ready to faceanything the day might bring. Happiness is such a great factor inone's life; and when that is secured it is easy to make light ofthe ordinary ills, troubles, cares, and vexations which are sure tocrop up even in the smoothest kind of existence. But she meant towatch very closely for some sign which might guide her in gainingan insight into Mary's heart. She must make absolutely certainthat Mrs. Burton was wrong. It was not easy to see just how shewould be able to do this; but it must be done, of course it must bedone!

The day passed in a feverish round of incessant work. One hourKatherine was happy as of old, the next hour she was horriblyheartsick and oppressed. But it never once occurred to her thatthe reason for this was her exhausted condition from loss of reston the previous night. 

In the evening Jervis came up from Seal Cove, sat and talked with'Duke Radford for half an hour, then asked Katherine to come andwalk with him in the woods to see if the wild strawberries weregetting ripe. But she refused, declaring that her head ached, which, although true, was not the real reason by any means. 

"I am afraid you have been working too hard this week, " he saidkindly. "I have been very much in the same plight myself, or Iwould have come up to help you. Can you save things back for a fewdays? As soon as the steamer has gone I shall be quite at leisure, and will put in a day or two at helping you to get your storesstowed away. "

"It has been hard work, and of course we are to a certain extentnovices at it, " Katherine answered. "But the worst is over nowuntil the next boat comes, when I suppose the confusion will beginall over again, only of course by then we shall be more used tomanaging things. "

"You had better go to bed early and get a good night's rest, or Ishall be having you for a patient next, and I am very much afraidyou would not prove a tractable one, " he said, more troubled by herpale cheeks and weary looks than he cared to confess. 

"I have never been ill in my life, so I have no idea how the roleof invalid would suit me, " she answered with a mirthless laugh, thinking how very pleasant a stroll in the woods would have beenafter her long, hard day of work in the stockrooms. 

"I don't think it would suit you at all, " he replied. Then hesaid, as he rose to go: "As you are not inclined for a walk, I willgo and have a talk with Mr. Selincourt about the plans for thefish-curing sheds. "

Standing aside was dismal work, Katherine told herself; and therewere tears on her pillow when she went to sleep that night. 

CHAPTER XIX

An Awkward Fix

Mr. Selincourt was not the man to let the grass grow under his feetwhen he had any sort of project in hand. He was so rich, too, thathis schemes never had to suffer delay from want of means to carrythem through. Directly he had made up his mind that he meant tohave a fish-curing establishment at Seal Cove, he had the plansdrawn for the buildings, work which fell to Jervis and Mary; then, when these were ready, Astor M'Kree was set to work, with as manyhelpers as could handle a hammer or a saw with any degree ofdexterity. 

Never had there been such a summer of work at Seal Cove; everyonewho could do anything was pressed into service. Some of theIndians, tempted by wages, were set to work, and although they wereno good at carpentry, or things of that sort, they did very well atcod-splitting, or, as it was termed, "flaking", and spreading thefish to dry on the flakes, as the structures were called which hadbeen erected on a sunny headland, after the fashion of thefish-flakes at St. John's, Newfoundland, whence the idea was taken. 

Already Mr. Selincourt was in treaty for the purchase of land onboth sides of the river. He wanted to possess the river frontageon each bank of the water, from the bay up to the first portage;but the drawback to this was that 'Duke Radford owned nearly threequarters of a mile of frontage close to the store, so it was notlikely that the owner of the fishing fleet would get all the groundinto his own hands. 

Mary had a fancy for geology, and when her father had no need ofher help in forwarding his schemes she spent long days in trampingabout the woods and the shore, armed with a hammer and a specimenbag, and accompanied by one or two of the big dogs from the store. True to her resolve, she had lost no time in making friends withthe great, fierce creatures, which roamed as they pleased insummer, as a sort of holiday compensation for the hard work theyhad to do in winter, when stores had to be transported by sledges. She had done her work so thoroughly that the dogs became, notmerely her friends, but her abject slaves, and were ready at anytime to swim the river at her call. 

The coast of the bay to the northward was flat and swampy, butsouthward from Seal Cove it stretched in bold headlands andprecipitous rocks for mile on mile, until the mouth of the nextriver spread acres of swamp 'twixt land and sea. Beyond theheadland on which Mr. Selincourt had erected his fish-flakes thereextended miles of broken ground, with split rocks and riven cliffswhich might have been the result of volcanic upheaval, but wereprobably only the product of the intense frost of centuries. Thiswas Mary's happy hunting ground, a place full of scientificsurprises, and full of dangers too. For the rocks were slippery, the heights tremendous, and a fall in many places must have meantcertain death. 

Jervis Ferrars had been in his boat one morning along the coast toa certain bay or inlet much beloved of the black-headed gulls. These birds were valuable either for their plucked feathers, or fortheir skins with the feathers left on. They frequented the inletin their tens of thousands, and it had occurred to him that itmight be good business to secure a couple of thousand skins, andget them dry for packing by the time the next boat arrived, probably in the middle of August. 

He had beached his boat, and spent an hour or more wandering roundthe crags, and planning the campaign against the luckless gulls, which dozed in sleepy content on the sunny slopes of the inlet. Then, taking to his boat again, he pulled himself back towards SealCove, maturing his plans on the way. He was passing a rockypromontory just before reaching the fish-flakes, when he heard ayelping noise, and, looking up, saw a big dog running to and fro onthe rocks in evident distress. But there were so many big dogsrunning loose in the woods and the wilds at this time of the year, and as they were mostly in distress over something or other, hetook very little notice of the creature, and, working steadily on, arrived in due course at the fish shed. 

Jervis was tired, having pulled many miles through a choppy seawith the wind against him, and he was thinking that it would bereally pleasant to sit writing for an hour or two somewhere out ofthe roaring of the wind. Entering his office, he took off hisjacket and sat down on the rough stool before the equally roughdesk where his clerical work was principally done. 

But he had not entered two items in his book of takings when Mr. Selincourt came in hastily, with a worried look on his face. 

"Have you seen Mary in your travels?" he asked. 

"No; I didn't even know that Miss Selincourt was at Seal Cove thismorning, " Jervis answered, looking up from his writing. 

"She came down a good two hours before I did; said she wanted to goover the rocks to test some ironstone formation which shediscovered the other day. She promised to be back here to meet mewhen I arrived, but that is three hours ago, and she has not comeyet. "

Jervis sat looking at him in an abstracted fashion, as if trying tosettle some clue which threatened to escape him; then, with astart, he asked: "Had she a dog with her?"

"Most likely; she never moves very far without one or two of thosegreat brutes from the store to keep her company, and a good thingtoo. I always feel more comfortable about her then, than if shewere alone. "

Jervis jumped up and began to pull on his jacket with nervoushaste. He was remembering the dog he had seen on the rocks an houror two ago, and the creature's evident distress, which probablymeant that Miss Selincourt was in trouble also. 

"What is the matter?" demanded Mr. Selincourt. 

"Nothing, I hope. But as I came home a while ago from the inlet Inoticed a dog on the rocks, a big creature that seemed in trouble. I didn't think much of it then, but of course it must have been theanimal that was with Miss Selincourt, so I am going to see if sheis all right, " Jervis answered. 

"I will come with you, " said Mr. Selincourt. 

"Please, no; I can go faster alone. And if she is not really indifficulties we might both miss her, and have a long, anxious huntfor no purpose at all. If you will walk over beyond thefish-flakes, and come to the rocks from that direction, you willeither meet her or meet me, " Jervis said, then hurried off to hisboat, which was drawn up on the shore at a little distance from thefish shed. 

It must have been two miles away, perhaps three, that he had seenthe dog, and now he blamed himself because he had not taken morenotice of its trouble. The worst of it was, he was not quite sureas to where he had seen the creature. The sky was overcast, andthe weather looked so threatening that, unless he could find MissSelincourt soon, and hurry her home, she would scarcely escape avery bad wetting. 

Resting on his oars, he sent out a mighty shout, then waited withevery sense on the alert. One minute passed--two--and when fiveminutes had gone he shouted again, following this up with a whistleso piercing that it fetched a distant echo from the rocks. 

But was it an echo?

The sound had scarcely died away when it was repeated again. Amoment later Jervis heard it yet again, and knew for a certaintythat it was no echo, but someone whistling back to him. 

The breeze had freshened to a gale that roared in his ears likethunder, as he drew his boat high up beyond reach of the tide thatwas running in strongly; and when the boat was safe he set out toclimb the rocks. Up, and up, a dizzy height he went, findingfoothold with difficulty, for what looked like solid rock had atrick of crumbling when stepped upon, just as if it were rottenmortar. 

But he reached the top at last, and paused to look about him, holding fast with both hands, for the force of the wind at thisheight was so great that he feared lest he should be blown away. 

On one side was the bay, with great waves, foam-crested, rollingin, to break with a thunderous roar on the beach. Spread out onthe other hand was the wild, rocky waste, full of dangers now, forin the deep valleys between great rock boulders the incoming tidewas rising and making deep pools where a little before had been dryground. 

It was these pools that Jervis feared. If Mary had slipped into oneof these deep places she might easily be caught by the risingflood, and drowned before help could reach her. 

The mere thought turned him sick, and he whistled shrilly as before. 

The answering whistle came so promptly, and sounded so close, thathe started in surprise, then shouted: "Where are you?"

"Here, " replied a voice that sounded so close, so audibly that helooked round in mystification. Then he saw a deep gulch yawningbelow him, and caught the flutter of a handkerchief on the farside. But how could he reach there? Down he plunged with recklesshaste, having little or no regard for his own safety--and, indeed, he who hesitated here was lost, for at every step the rock crumbledand slid under his weight. 

"It will be queer work getting back!" he said to himself, thenpressed onward to reach the side of the gulch, where now he couldsee Mary Selincourt crouched on a narrow ledge or shelf against aperpendicular cliff, while the water was rising higher and higher, creeping nearer and nearer to where she sat. 

How could he rescue her from there? One hope he had, that hershelf might be above high-water mark, in which case patientendurance would be all that was needed until the tide ran outagain. A glance at the wall of cliff behind Mary proved this hopeto be futile, for the mark of the water showed above her head, andif she were not rescued speedily, he could only stand by and seeher drown. 

"Are you hurt?" he called out when he had scrambled low enough totalk to her. 

"I have twisted my foot rather badly, " she said in an exhaustedtone, "and I seem to have been shouting and whistling for help forso long. I had great difficulty to make the dog leave me and gofor help, but I think it understood at last, because it went off atsuch a pace. "

"Well, we must get you out of this as soon as possible, for thetide is coming up fast. Do you mind a wetting!" he asked, creepingdown to the edge of the dividing water, and wondering whether hecould wade or if he must swim. 

"Mind or not mind, I shall get one, I expect, " she answered, with anervous laugh. "Be careful, Mr. Ferrars, there is a very deepplace just below this shelf, and the water showed there beforeanywhere else; it seemed to ooze up from the bottom. "

"I must swim for it, then, I suppose, " he said, pulling off hisjacket and his boots; then, slipping into the water, he struck outand crossed the strip of rising tide, which lay like a river alongthe bottom of the gulch. 

But when he reached the shelf it was above him, and the cliff wastoo steep for climbing. 

"You must roll off that shelf and drop into the water, " he said ina sharp, decided tone. 

"Oh, I dare not! I cannot swim, and I might be drowned!" criedMary, her face turning ashen white. 

"You won't drown--I will catch you. But make haste, this water isso cold that I am afraid of cramp, " Jervis said, feeling his teethchatter. Although it was July, there was so much ice in the bay inthe shape of floating bergs that the water was of course fearfullychill. 

"I can't do it; I simply can't!" she cried, with a shudder. "Mr. Ferrars, I would rather lie here and drown than have to roll offinto that dreadful water. All my life I have been a coward, and itis of no use expecting me to be brave now. "

"You must do as you choose, of course, as you are too high up forme to be able to reach you, " he said, keeping his voice as steadyas he could, although his teeth were chattering still; "but all thetime you stay there you keep me here, so in compassing your owndeath you compass mine also. "

"Go away, Mr. Ferrars, go away, and save yourself, " she groaned. "I cannot, I dare not, plunge into that dreadful water!"

"You must; there is no other way to safety. Come, be a brave girl, and take the plunge, " he urged, a note of entreaty coming into histone, for life was sweet to him, sweeter than it had ever beenbefore, and it was dreadful to think that he must throw it awaybecause this wilful girl refused to allow herself to be saved. Butshe only covered her face with her hands, moaning and cryingbecause of the panic that had her in its grip. 

Then Jervis felt himself lifted higher; the water was rising fast, and now, by straining upward and reaching as far as he could, hemanaged just to touch the shelf whereon Mary was crouched, "Here I am. Now, take my hand and come, " he said urgently. 

She only covered her face with her hands and moaned, but would notstir nor look up. 

In that narrow gulch they were sheltered from the wind, but therain was beginning to pour down in torrents, and Jervis thoughtgrimly that she would soon be as wet as if she had taken the plunge. 

He was kicking vigorously in the water, and was thankful to findthat, now he had got over the first chill, his teeth were notchattering so miserably. 

Another ten minutes, he reckoned, would put him high enough in thewater to scramble on to the ledge, and then it would have to be atussle of physical strength, if necessary, for he meant to saveMary somehow, whether she would let him or not. 

The minutes dragged slowly on, the rain beat down with tempestuousviolence, and in that dreary gulch it was dark, almost like night. But the water was rising still, and putting out all his strengthJervis dragged himself up on to the shelf of rock. Mary saw himcoming. Then she scrambled to her feet with a cry of fear, and, before he could stretch out an arm to save her, reeled and toppledover into the water. 

CHAPTER XX

Katherine Makes a Discovery

Katherine was having a thorough turn-out of the store. Everythingwas off the shelves, the cobwebs had all been swept from theceiling, and now, armed with a scrubbing-brush, she was cleaningall the shelves with soap and water. To use her own expression, itwas "horridly" dirty work. But it had to be done, so the sooner itwas got through and finished the better. She had done the topshelves all round, and, changing the water in her pail, had startedon the next lot and was scrubbing vigorously, when she heard along-drawn, mournful howl from the other side of the river. 

"That is Hero, " she said to herself in surprise; and then, remembering that Mary Selincourt had called for the dog thatmorning on her way down river, she came down the ladder, and, goingto the door, looked out. 

There was Hero plainly enough, a big black-and-white dog, which, while looking like a Newfoundland, had such a marked aversion towater that it would never swim if it could avoid doing so. Katherine would have turned back to her work, and left the dog toremain where it was until someone came along with a boat, but sheremembered that Mary had wanted the dog to accompany her in aramble, and so it was rather disquieting to find the creature hadwandered home again. 

Sitting on its haunches, the dog was flinging up its head foranother howl, but, chancing to catch sight of Katherine, it brokeinto eager barking instead, pleading so plainly for a dry journeyacross the river that, with a laugh at her own weak yielding, sheran down to the bank, and, getting into the boat which was mooredthere ready for anyone who might want it, rowed across to the otherside, where the dog awaited her in a perfect ecstasy of welcome. 

She had no hat on, the sleeves of her cotton blouse were rolled upover her elbow, and she wore still the big rough apron she haddonned for scrubbing. It struck her, as she crossed the river, that the wind was very cold, and that the day was grey andcheerless, now the clouds had hidden the sun. 

Hero jumped into the boat, and, crouching at Katherine's feet, fawned upon her with great affection and delight. 

"Oh, yes, you are very glad to see me, I have no doubt, but reallyyou are a fearful fraud to bring me away from my work on a busy daylike this, by pretending you cannot swim, when it is plain you havebeen in the water, for you are dripping with wet!" Katherine said, seeing the water which ran from the dog's thick coat as it sat inthe boat thumping a grateful tail in thanksgiving. Then shenoticed that the dog had something tied round its neck which lookedlike a silk waist-belt, and that a handkerchief was knotted to thebelt. 

"Something is wrong!" she muttered to herself; then, reaching theother side, she moored her boat and proceeded to investigate themessage wrapped About the dog's neck. 

A scrap of paper with writing upon it was crumpled up in thehandkerchief, and spreading this out she read:

 "Please come and help me, for I have had a tumble down a steep rock and twisted my foot. I can't walk, and I am on a ledge deep down a gulch near the sea, on the rocks beyond the fish-flakes. MARY SELINCOURT. "

"Deep down in a gulch near the sea, " quoth Katherine to herselfwith a puzzled frown; then she jumped up with a cry. "I know whereit is; that gulch is one of the tideholes, and she will be drownedif I don't make haste!"

Out of the boat she bounded, and rushed up the slope to the store. Springing over the confusion of canisters and boxes, she hurriedinto the house, where Mrs. Burton was sitting at work making newfrocks for the twins. 

"Nellie, will you look after the store for an hour? I should lockthe door if I were you, and refuse to serve anyone who comes, forit is confusion thrice confounded in there, and I don't think youwould be able to find things if you tried. "

"What is the matter, dear?" asked Mrs. Burton, looking up andseeing how frightened her sister seemed. 

"Hero has just come home, and I have found tied to his neck a notefrom Mary, saying that she has sprained her ankle and is lying inone of the tide-holes beyond the fish-flakes. I must hurry down toSeal Cove as hard as I can row, for the tide is coming in now, andshe may be in danger. "

"Are there none of the portage men who could go with you to helpyou?" asked Mrs. Burton. 

"I may find one at Seal Cove, but there are none here. One wentdown river early with Mary, the other rowed Mr. Selincourt down anhour or more ago. I will be back as soon as I can, dear; or it maybe that Miles and Phil will get in first: but keep the store lockeduntil someone comes. "

"Indeed I will; trust me for that!" said Mrs. Burton, dropping herwork and following Katherine to the door to see her start. 

As Katherine turned back to say something, two steps from thethreshold, a coil of strong cord hung on the house wall caught herattention, and after a moment's hesitation she reached up and tookit down. It was the identical coil of rope that she and Phil hadhad in the boat that day when they came home from Fort Garry andfound Mr. Selincourt in the muskeg. It had slipped aside and beenforgotten until a day or two ago, when Katherine had found it, scrubbed it clean of muskeg mire, and hung it up to dry in thesunshine, and again forgotten it. She had flung on a coat, becauseher blouse showed signs of the hard, dirty work she had been doing, and had crammed a woollen cap on her head to hide the roughness ofher hair. 

"Are you going to take the dog? He will only make you more work, "said Mrs. Burton, as Hero leaped into the boat and took his placeas a complacent passenger, looking on at the work being done. 

"Yes, I must. The old dog is very wise; he will guide us quicklyto where Mary is lying, " Katherine said. Then she threw off themooring rope, rowed out to midstream, where she could get the fulladvantage of the current, and then began to row down river as fastas she could pull. 

The sky was still overcast, the wind howled through the trees, andit was so chill that she was glad of her coat, despite the vigorousexercise which she was getting in rowing. Never had it taken solong to get to Seal Cove, or so it seemed in her impatient haste;and after the first half-mile the current did not help her, for thetide was coming in fast and making itself felt. 

Seal Cove appeared to be deserted when she got there. Neither ofthe portage men was to be seen, although both the Selincourt boatswere drawn up side by side on the beach near the fish shed. Theoffice was locked and the key gone. Katherine looked round indespair and shouted at the top of her voice for help. Surelysomeone must be within hearing distance, although the place lookedentirely devoid of life, except for some fishing boats a mile ortwo out from shore, and beating into harbour against the strongwind, which was blowing half a gale, perhaps more. 

The shouts brought Mrs. Jenkin to the door of her house, with anailing babe tucked under her arm and two small children clinging toher ragged skirt. 

"Dear, dear, Miss Radford, what is the matter? Why, you look justawful!" exclaimed the good woman, jogging the wailing babe up anddown, to still its fretful complaining. 

"I can't find anyone, Mrs. Jenkin, and I want help so badly. Whereare all the men? Miss Selincourt has hurt her foot out on therocks beyond the fish-flakes, and I am afraid she may be caught bythe tide before she can be rescued, " Katherine said anxiously. 

"Dear, dear, what is to be done? I don't believe there is a manabout the place, unless it is Oily Dave. Mr. Ferrars went away inhis boat at dawn, and I don't know that he is back yet. I'd gowith you myself, dear, but I can't leave the babies, " Mrs. Jenkinsaid, with so much concern and sympathy that Katherine gulped downsomething closely related to a sob before replying. 

"Will you find Oily Dave and tell him to come on after me as fastas he can? Tell him there is money in the job, then perhaps hewill hurry. If any more men come, send them on after me. And dohave a kettle of water boiling, so that we can give Miss Selincourta cup of coffee or something when we get her back here, " saidKatherine, then hurried away, the coil of rope flung over her arm, the dog following close at her heels. 

It was a long way over a rough track to the rocks. The easier andshorter process would have been to go round by boat, if only therehad been quieter water and less wind; but she knew very well thatit would take more strength than her one pair of arms possessed torow a boat through such a sea, so she was forced to take thelandward route. 

When she reached the fish-flakes it was as much as she could do tostand against the wind, and in crossing the headland her pace wasof the slowest. She had expected to find someone up here, theportage men perhaps, or some Indians attending to the hundreds andthousands of fish which were spread out drying in the sun and wind;but there was no one. She did not know, of course, that Mr. Selincourt had passed that way half an hour before, and hadsummoned the portage men to help him to search for Mary among therocks. Looking back, she could see Oily Dave coming along at ashuffling pace behind her, and with an imperious wave of the handto hurry his movements she sped onward now at a quicker pace, because the ground was descending, and the hill behind her brokethe force of the wind. At the bottom of the hill there were twotracks, both of which led round among the gulches or tideholes, only by different ways and to different points, and it was herethat Katherine knew she would be at fault. 

Hero still trotted contentedly just behind, as if perfectlysatisfied that she should take the lead. But a mistake now mightbe disastrous and waste hours of time; so, calling the dog forward, she began to talk to him in an eager, caressing fashion: "Good oldHero, clever old dog, go and find Mary! Mary wants you ever sobadly; hurry up, old chappy, hurry up!"

The dog threw up its head with an eager whine, and looked round asif to make certain where Mary was to be found, "Mary, Mary, find her, go along!" cried Katherine; then with ashort bark Hero turned to the track leading seawards, and set offat a trot, looking neither to the right hand nor to the left. 

Katherine groaned. The tideholes nearest the sea naturally filledfirst, and it could not be very far from high tide already. Looking back, she saw Oily Dave gaining upon her, and waved to himagain to make haste. It was of no use to shout, because the windwas blowing from him to her, and so her voice would not carry. Then a dash of cold rain struck her from behind, and thankful shewas that it was behind, for if it had struck her in the face shecould hardly have stood against it. Right in front of her Hero wastrotting forward with head carried well in the air, and an eageralertness in every limb. It was clear the creature felt nouncertainty about its movements, and the feeling that she was goingright was an unspeakable comfort to Katherine, who toiled along inthe rear. 

Suddenly the dog stopped dead short, flung up its head with aweird, dismal howl, then bounded forward at a headlong pace. 

What had it heard?

Katherine tried to run too, but the track was uphill now, and theforce of the wind caught her the higher she got. Panting, breathless, her heart beating with fierce, irregular thumps, shetoiled up the rocky track, and, crossing the summit, began todescend on the other side. 

The gulch was before her now. When she had seen it last it was arocky valley, deep in the cliffs, and floored with boulders. Nowit was a long pool, for the tide was in, and the sea, workingthrough the porous, frost-riven rocks, had half-filled it withwater. Katherine, approaching the gulch from the landward side, was coming to the place from an opposite direction to that by whichJervis Ferrars had reached it, and her path downwards was mucheasier than his had been. 

She was hesitating whether it was of any use to go in, thinking thedog must have led her wrong after all, when she caught sight ofsomething bobbing up and down in the water--something that lookedlike a man's head, and at which Hero was barking furiously. 

She ran then with flying, reckless feet, jumping from boulder toboulder, slipping and sliding, but, as she said afterwards, goingtoo fast to fall. The person in the water had put up a wet hand, crying hoarsely for help, and the leaping, suffocating bound whichher heart gave told her that it was Jervis Ferrars who needed her. 

"Can you catch the rope if I throw it?" she cried, flinging thecoil on the ground so that it might unwind easily. 

"Yes, " he said in an exhausted tone, which showed her that she hadcome only just in time. 

As she threw the line she wondered with sick fear in her heartwhere Mary could be, then saw, to her surprise, that Jervis washolding something up in the water, and understood why he had beenunable to land his burden on the steep, shelving bank. 

Directly he had caught the rope with his one free hand, she rusheda few steps back up the hill to wind the other end round a tall, upstanding boulder; then hurrying back she began to pull gently onthe rope, which Jervis had managed to twist round his arm. 

She had forgotten all about Oily Dave, and was fairly startled whenhis voice sounded close to her, saying: "I've got the rope; see ifyou can ketch 'old of the gal quick, for he's got cramp, sure asblazes!"

Katherine made a dash forward, entered the water nearly to herwaist, and, seizing Mary with one hand, clutched at Jervis with theother, holding both until Oily Dave came to her aid and draggedMary's unconscious form out of the water, while she stood clingingto Jervis, unable to lift him, and fearing that he would slip fromher arms back into the water. 

Then Oily Dave came back, and, with much puffing and snorting, assisted her in dragging Jervis out of the water also, while Herobarked like a wild thing, and capered round in mad delight becausethe rescue had been effected. The barking did good, too, for itbrought Mr. Selincourt and the two portage men hurrying to thespot, where they found Katherine doing what she could for Mary, whostill lay in limp unconsciousness, while Oily Dave worked withperspiring energy at rubbing the cramped limbs of Jervis. 

"Miss Selincourt is not drowned, she has not been under water longenough, " Jervis said faintly. "I think she has just swooned fromsheer terror. "

"That is what it looks like, " said Mr. Selincourt, with a suddengreat relief coming into his tone. Then he stripped off his jacketto wrap his daughter in: the other men stripped off their jacketsalso, the drenching rain wetting them to the skin in about twominutes; but Mary must be wrapped as warmly as possible, and somekind of a litter had to be improvised in which to carry her. 

She stirred slightly, put up her hand, and showed signs ofreturning life, and then her father determined to wait no longer, but to carry her off to Seal Cove as quickly as possible, sendingthe men back afterwards to bring Jervis. But by this time, withthe help of Oily Dave, Ferrars had managed to struggle to his feet, and declared that he would walk back to Seal Cove, if someone wouldhelp him. 

Katherine came round to him then, saying simply: "If you will leanon me, the men can carry Miss Selincourt, and if you cannot get allthe way I can stay with you until the men come back for you. "

"Thank you, my dear, you are a brave, good girl, " said Mr. Selincourt, and then he hurried away to help the two portage menand Oily Dave to carry Mary across the hills to Seal Cove. 

The only litter they had was formed by spreading their jacketsunder her, then lifting her so and carrying her as best theycould--no easy task, for she was well grown and well nourished, andin her present condition of collapse she lay a dead weight on theirarms. 

The progress of Jervis was at first but a feeble crawl, while thebitter wind seemed to go through him and the driving rain took hisbreath away. It was the middle of summer, but when the sun hid itsface, and the wind blew from the north, it was hard to remember howhot it had been only yesterday. 

"Can you bear it?" asked Katherine anxiously, as he shivered andshook, clinging to her because he had so little strength to standagainst the blast. 

"I must bear it, " he answered; "at least it is safer than sittingstill. Does the wind often come as chilly as this at midsummer?"

"There are occasional days like this, but the cold don't last long, and then the sun shines again. Do you think you would be a littlewarmer if I walked in front of you?" she asked wistfully, for hisevident suffering, and her own impotence to relieve it, hurt herdreadfully. 

"I don't think the gain of having you for a wind buffer would makeup for losing you as a crutch, " he said, as he hobbled slowly alongin his stockinged feet. He had kicked off his shoes when he wentto the aid of Mary, and the rising tide had floated them away. 

"I am glad that I am so useful, " she said, with a nervous littlelaugh. She was wet through herself, and shivering with cold andfright, yet despite these drawbacks the occasion was like afestival, and her heart was singing for joy. 

"How did you know?" he asked, trying to understand how she chancedto be on hand at the critical moment with a rope. 

"Mary had written a note and tied it round the dog's neck, thensent the creature for help. I found it howling on the other bankof the river, and went over to fetch the poor thing home; then Ifound the note, and came as quickly as I could, " she answered. 

"You came just in time for me, " he said in a shaken voice. "Idon't think that I could possibly have held out five minuteslonger, because of cramp, and I could not lift Miss Selincourt outof the water. "

"I don't think I could have done it either if it had not been forOily Dave, " Katherine answered, a quiver of mirth stirring hertones. "Fancy Oily Dave as a rescuer of people in direful straits!We shall have him posing as a public benefactor soon!"

"He has long been a private benefactor, or at least I have regardedhim as such, " Jervis said slowly. 

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking at him in surprise, andwondering if he had forgotten the grim incident of the flood. 

"I feel grateful to him, and always shall, because he left me inthe lurch that day when the water came in. I had to owe my life toyou that day; and but for you and your rope I must have perishedto-day, Katherine. I am really very much in your debt. Do youthink I shall ever be able to repay you?"

"Of course; if not me, then someone else. Such things are alwayspassed on, " she said lightly. 

"Of choice I would rather pay my debt in this case, if indeed itcan be paid, to the person to whom I owe it, " he said, with a slowemphasis which made her heart beat tumultuously. Then sheremembered that it was her duty to stand aside for Mary's sake, andthat she must not let this man love her if Mary had set her ownaffections upon him, as Nellie had more than hinted. 

A cold shiver shook Katherine then, for now the chill came fromwithin as well as without, and the dreary day wrapped her exhaustedbody in its dismal discomfort. 

"Don't talk, " she said with a touch of authority in her tone. "Save your strength for enduring. See, here comes a man runningdown from the fish-flakes; he has come to help us, and now we shallget on faster, you will find. "

CHAPTER XXI

Matter for Heartache

Three days had passed away, and life had dropped into itsaccustomed monotony again. Mrs. Burton said there never wasanything to vary the sameness of existence at Roaring Water Portageunless someone was in danger of his or her life, and really eventshad a way of proving her to be right. When Katherine had rushedoff in such a hurry that day, to help Mary Selincourt out of herfix, Mrs. Burton had left her sewing, and, taking her sister's workin hand, had finished cleaning the shelves, then restored to themthe various canisters and boxes according to her own ideas ofneatness, instead of with any remembrance as to how they had beenarranged previously. 

On reaching home that afternoon, wet, cold, weary, and with chillforeboding in her heart, Katherine's first sensation was one oflively gratitude to Nellie for having dispersed the confusion shehad left behind when she departed so hurriedly. But when acustomer came in a little later for a quarter of a pound ofmustard, and it took half an hour of hard searching to find it, Katherine began to wonder whether after all it would not have beeneasier to have been left to deal singlehanded with the confusion onthe floor, for at least she had known where to find things. 

Then someone wanted corn-flour, which entailed a still longersearch; but the culminating point came when Mrs. M'Kree sent downin hot haste for carbonate of soda and dried mint, to make someremedy for an unexpected attack of dyspepsia. It took exactly onehour and ten minutes by the clock to find the carbonate of soda, followed by ten minutes' active search for the mint. After thisexperience Katherine decided that tidiness might be too dearlybought, and set to work to re-arrange matters after a morepractical pattern. 

But all this took time, and, with her other work added on, effectually prevented her having time for moping, which was ofcourse a very good thing. She had not seen Jervis since the slowwalk from the rocks to Seal Cove; but she knew that he had spentthe next day in bed with a bad chill and some fever. Mary was atSeal Cove for two days, but had been brought up river on theprevious evening, and was now being looked after by Mrs. Burton, who was never quite so happy as when she had some invalid to carefor. 

Miles and Phil had gone over to Fort Garry that morning. Katherineought to have gone, but in view of the confusion which stillexisted on the shelves it hardly seemed safe to leave Miles incharge, because he had a habit, when he could not find the rightthing, of supplying something else which looked almost like it. Sowhen Katherine found him tying up an ounce of caustic soda, inplace of the tartaric acid which had been ordered, it seemed hightime to interfere, and she had sent him off with Phil to do herwork, while she remained at home sorting out the contents of theshelves. 

Mrs. Burton had been over the river to look after Mary, and hadcome back again, leaving Hero as a sort of deputy nurse andcaretaker, in addition to the portage man who was on duty that day. Mr. Selincourt had been down to Seal Cove, and had returned; thenKatherine, at work on her knees in the far corner of the store, heard someone enter, and, coming out of her corner, found that oneof the portage men had brought her a note from Mary. It ran:--

 "Dear Katherine, Can you come over and spend an hour with me this evening when the store is closed? I feel that I want to see you more than anyone else in the world. Please come. MARY. "

"Miss Selincourt said that a message would do for answer, " said theman who had brought the note. 

Katherine hesitated about what that answer should be. In her heartof hearts she knew very well that she did not want to go away thatevening. Jervis had not been up the river for three days, so hewould be almost sure to come that evening, and she wanted to be athome when he came, to see for herself that he was none the worsefor the long immersion in the water, and the painful barefootedwalk to Seal Cove. 

But the hesitancy did not last long, and, setting her face insterner lines than usual, Katherine told the man that she wouldcertainly pay Miss Selincourt a visit that evening when her workwas done. 

If the work dragged a little after that, and the day lost somethingof the zest which had marked it before, no one guessed it butherself. She was bright and cheerful, teasing Miles, when he camehome, about some fancied indignity which he had received at thehands of the Indians, and rallying Mrs. Burton on the awfulconfusion wrought by her reforms in the store. 

Not even to herself would Katherine admit how much she dreaded thesimple friendly visit she had promised to pay that evening. Shewas afraid that she would see some look or sign of what she fearedmost to know. Mary Selincourt was a reserved, self-controlledgirl, but it is her sort of nature which sometimes betrays itselfmost completely in moments of emotional strain, and Katherine atthis time was very much like an ostrich, being disposed to believethat the thing she could not see did not exist. 

'Duke Radford spent most of his days sitting in the sunshine. Hetalked cheerfully, withal a trifle incoherently, to all of hisfriends and neighbours who came to gossip with him; but he wasalways at his best when Mr. Selincourt or Jervis Ferrars was thereto talk to him, for they spoke of things right away from theordinary course of daily life, and his mind was clearest about thematters which in other days had concerned him least. But neitherMr. Selincourt nor Jervis Ferrars had been near for three days, andthe invalid plainly moped, missing the companionship that cheeredhim most. 

"I am so glad you are going over to sit with Mary to-night, becausethat will probably mean that Mr. Selincourt will come here, and hewill be sure to cheer Father up, " Mrs. Burton said, when Katherinecame in for a hurried cup of tea before finishing her work in thestore. 

"He does look tired and sad to-day, " Katherine answered wistfully. She could bear her father's condition better when he was cheerfuland at ease, but when, as to-day, life seemed a burden to him, thenher heart ached at the sight of his suffering. 

The last half-hour in the store that evening was harder than thewhole of the day which had gone before. The heat was intense, theflies swarmed black in every direction, and, failing other food, appeared anxious to make a meal from Katherine's face; while thecustomers who thronged the store in unusual numbers seemed all torequire the articles most awkward and uncomfortable to serve. There was a run on pickled pork, on brawn canned in Cincinnati, onsoap, molasses, and lard; while at least four customers demandedrock brimstone, flour of sulphur, or some other variety of thatvaluable but homely remedy common to every back-country store. 

They were all disposed of at last, however, and then, bidding Milesshut the door quickly before anyone else came, Katherine went awayto change her dress and get ready for her visit to Mary. Her bestfrock went on to-night. She had so few frocks, and these few hadto be chosen with so much regard to utility, that there was auniformity about them which might well pall upon a girl who lovedpretty things. The best frock was a severely plain garment ofdark-blue woollen stuff, but it was relieved by a shirt of softwhite muslin, and, because a pretty girl always looks charming in aplain frock, Katherine in her dark blue was simply bewitching. 

Phil rowed her over the river, bragging all the way of the mannerin which he was beginning to handle the oars. And then, atKatherine's suggestion, he waited to see if Mr. Selincourt would goover and visit the store for an hour or so. 

Katherine found Mary lying on a couch under the open window, looking pale and worn, with a very tired expression. Mr. Selincourt was reading to her, but when Katherine suggested thewaiting boat, and 'Duke Radford's loneliness, she at once declaredher father ought to go over and pay the invalid a visit. 

"You have been shut up with a fractious convalescent nearly thewhole day, dear Daddy, and I am sure it will be a pleasant changeto go and chat with Mr. Radford, who is always serene, " she saidurgently; and so, more to please her than himself, her father saidhe would go. 

"Come down and see me into the boat, Miss Katherine; it won't hurtMary to be alone, and I want to say thank you for coming to therescue so promptly the other day, " he said. 

"I don't want to be thanked, but I will show you the way to theboat with pleasure, if you are afraid of getting lost _en route_, "Katherine said with a laugh, but falling into his mood, because shesaw he wished to say something to her alone. 

When they were beyond earshot of the open window, he saidanxiously: "Don't you think Mary looks very badly?"

"She looks fearfully tired, " Katherine answered. 

"Yes, that is it. And the tiredness comes from mental strain. Poor Mary! It seems so hard for her to be happy, yet in all herlife she has never lacked anything she wanted save one, and eventhat I am in hopes she will get yet, if only she has the patienceto wait for it. "

Katherine's heart gave a painful bound. What was this one thingthat Mary Selincourt wanted but could not have--yet? But she couldnot answer the question with any satisfaction to herself, and shestood silently watching while Mr. Selincourt took his place in theboat. Then she turned and went back up the path again: but herfeet dragged in spite of herself; it was as if some instinct toldher she was going to meet a heartache. 

Mary welcomed her back with a smile, and, reaching out her arm, dragged a comfortable chair nearer the couch. "Come and sit here, you poor, tired Katherine. What a shame that you should have hadto toil all day, until your very feet ache with tiredness, while Ihave lain here and sighed because the hours crept along so slowly!"

"But that is only because you could not use your foot; you don'tfind time drag when you are able to get about, " Katherine remarked, setting her head back against the cushions with a sigh of content, for the chair was of a restful pattern, and she was tired enough tofeel the cushions a welcome luxury. 

"No, indeed, I can always make sure of interest and amusement whenI have two feet available for service, but I was not cut out forthe peaceful avocation of the couch invalid, and I just loatheinaction. I would rather have had your day, " Mary said with a sigh. 

"Are you sure? To begin with, you don't know what sort of a day Ihave had, and to continue, you have never had to work for yourliving, and don't know how it feels, " Katherine rejoined, thinkingof the stuffy heat of the store, the flies, the pickled pork, andthe molasses, which had all tried her patience so sorely in thelatter part of the day. 

Mary's face took on an injured expression. "Do you think it isquite kind of you to taunt me with never having tasted the sweetsof independence?" she asked. 

"But you are independent of the necessity to toil, " said Katherine. 

"That is not true independence. Riches might take to themselveswings, banks might break, investments fail, then where should I be?I am only independent because fate has given me the use of money Ihave never earned. But you are different; you can carve your owndestiny, and are master of yourself. "

"Am I? Don't indulge in any such mistaken ideas, I beg of you, "broke in Katherine, with a little grimace as in fancy she smelledagain the soap and the brimstone which had offended her so much inthe store. "I set out to be a school teacher, and came home fromMontreal with my head packed full of theories concerning howteaching ought to be done, and how I meant to do it. The firstdisappointment came when I found there were no children of schoolage obtainable, except Miles and Phil; for it is very hard totheorize upon one's own kith and kin, at least I found it so. Night school, also, is not an easy practice-ground for new methods, which was disappointment number two; and then came Father'sillness, which has settled once and for all the question of myteaching, and has caged me up to the business of the store, whetherI would or no. So how can I carve my own destiny, pray?"

Mary clapped her hands. "Why, can't you see that is what you aredoing all the time? In spite of adverse circumstances you havedone your very utmost, and consequently your very best. You havebeen brave, patient, cheerful, and always you have spent yourselffor others until----"

"Oh, spare me any more, and let us talk about something else!"cried Katherine impatiently; her cheeks were getting hot, and hermemory was pointing to many a time when she had been neither brave, nor patient, nor cheerful. 

"Yes, of course we will talk of something else, and now you shallhave the reverse of the picture, for I want to talk about myself, "Mary said, with a quick flush which made the heart of the otherturn chill and cold, with dread of what might be coming next. 

"Self is a sorry subject for over-much meditation, don't you think?And introspection is very bad for invalids, " Katherine saidnervously. 

"I'm not an invalid, not in that sense at least; I am onlyincapacitated through having twisted my ankle. But I simply mustconfide in somebody, or I don't know what will happen to me. Ican't open my heart to my daddy; he has had cares enough concerningme already; while if I tried to tell Mrs. Burton she would be soshocked that she would refuse to come and look after me any more;then whatever would become of me until I can get about and lookafter myself again?"

Katherine laughed, although her heart was heavy as lead. It wasplain she would have to be taken into confidence whether she wouldor no. It was equally plain that she would have to face theconsequences afterwards, for she was not the sort of girl who wouldbe untrue to herself. 

"So you have no scruples about shocking me? Or is it that youthink I am not easily shocked?"

"A little of both, I think, " Mary replied with a sigh of relief. "The fact is, you are so strong and brave that you inspireconfidence. "

"Is that meant for a compliment, and do I have to feel grateful?"asked Katherine. 

"That is as you please. But tell someone I must, or I think themiserable business will wear me out, for I cannot sleep. Katherine, I was nearly suicide and murderer too on that awfulmorning in the tide-hole. "

"What nonsense! What will you be saying next?" cried Katherinewith forced cheerfulness; but the colour faded from her cheeks. 

"I am not talking nonsense, but unvarnished truth. I might havebeen saved easily enough, and Mr. Ferrars need have suffered noinconvenience save a wetting, but for my own fault; for he wasthere long before the water reached the place where I had fallen. "

"But why----?" began Katherine, then stopped short, rememberingthat she did not want to ask questions, nor to seek information. 

"But why wasn't I saved before, were you going to say?" said Mary. "Because I would not let myself be. The fact is, down at thebottom I am a coward, just that and nothing more. My life has beenso sheltered and easy, too, that there has been nothing to stirinto activity any latent bravery that I might have had. Mr. Ferrars could not reach me, or it is probable he would have pulledme from the ledge where I was lying by sheer force. As it was, hewaited in the water for a long lime, until the tide rose highenough for him to reach me. It was almost high enough; I realizedthat in another moment I should be dragged into the water, whetherI would or no, and I just felt that I could not bear it: so Isprang up with a wild impulse to rush somewhere, anywhere--but Ihad forgotten my twisted ankle, the pain from which was so intensethat I reeled, lost my balance, and was into the water all in amoment. "

"Anyone might have felt like that, and acted just the same underthe circumstances, " said Katherine, pitifully. This confession wasso utterly different from anything she had expected to hear thather heart grew lighter in spite of herself. 

Mary laughed in a dreary, mirthless fashion. "Do you know it is abitter humiliation to me to owe my life to Jervis Ferrars?" shesaid brusquely. 

"Why?" demanded Katherine, the question dragged from her in spiteof herself. 

A wave of hot colour surged over Mary's face; it was not often sheblushed, but now she was crimson. "I don't think I can tell youthat, " she replied unsteadily. "In any case it is immaterial tothe story, except that he once asked me a boon I would not grant;and for that I have been sorry ever since, which shows thecontrary-mindedness of women, don't you think?"

Katherine nodded; speak she could not. This was worse thananything she had expected. Mrs. Burton had suggested that Mary wasin love with Jervis, but here was Mary herself plainly intimatingthat Jervis had once asked for her love, but that she had refusedhim, only to regret her refusal ever since. 

"He is such a good fellow, " went on Mary, with a yearning note inher voice which stabbed Katherine like actual pain. "When Fatherasked him about the affair in the tidehole, he never once saidanything about my fearful panic, which so nearly cost him his life;and the very fact of his reticence has made me feel the meanestcreature on the face of the earth. I can scarcely look my fatherin the face, and when he pities me for having been in such sorestraits I feel like sinking through the couch from very shame. "

"Why don't you tell Mr. Selincourt then?" asked Katherine bluntly. "He would understand how panic had unnerved you, and certainly hewould not judge you harshly. "

"I can't tell him; I am not brave enough. I told you I was acoward, and so I am, especially in matters of that sort. It is anawful thing to me to lose anyone's good opinion. My pride, Isuppose; but really I can't help it, " Mary answered with a shrug. 

"Yet you have told me, " said Katherine, forcing a smile. "Were younot afraid of losing my good opinion, or was it that you did notcare?"

"I was just desperate; I had to own up to someone, and so, fromlove of contrast I suppose, I turned to you, who are always brave, "Mary said. 

Katherine shook her head: "You make a great mistake; I am ahorrible coward underneath. I think all girls are; it is one ofthe weaknesses of our nature which neither training nor hardshipwill overcome. "

"Do you expect me to believe you when you talk like that?" askedMary. "What about that time when you got on to the ice to getJervis Ferrars out of Oily Dave's flooded house? Do you think agirl who was a coward could have done that?"

"I could not have done it if I had stayed to think about it, "replied Katherine, a soft flush stealing into her cheeks. "Butthere was no time to think about oneself, the thing had to be donequickly, so it was easy enough. If I had set out from home thatmorning, knowing what was in front of me, I could not possibly havefaced it, of that I am quite sure. "

"In other words, what it really amounts to is this: we are allcowards by nature, but it is possible, by cultivating the grace ofself-sacrifice, so to forget ourselves in our care for others thatwe can rise above our natural cowardice, and become as brave orbraver than men, " said Mary. 

"It sounds like a sermon put that way, " Katherine replied with alaugh. "Why don't you take to writing books, if you can expressyourself so much to the point?"

"Because, before writing books successfully, one must have lived, not merely existed, as I have done, " Mary answered a little sadly. Then she said in a different tone; "You have done me a lot of good, and I shall sleep to-night like a top--the first real rest I havehad since that miserable morning on the rocks. "

"I shall sleep too, I hope, for I have a big day's work to-morrow, "Katherine said, rising to go. 

"Give me a kiss, dear, just to show me that you don't despise mefor being a coward, or rather for remaining a coward, " Mary said, drawing Katherine's head down. 

There was a wild desire in Katherine's heart to push off thosecaressing hands, and rush away in all haste: but she did not yieldto it, realizing that this also was a time for self-forgetting; so, stooping, she kissed Mary on both cheeks. 

CHAPTER XXII

A Business Offer

A fortnight slipped away. August had come in, with lengtheningnights, which sometimes had a touch of Arctic cold in them. But itwas glorious summer still, and although in those uncultivatedwastes there was little harvest from the land, the harvest of thesea went merrily on. Mary Selincourt was out and about again, limping a little at first, and leaning on a stick, but soon gainingstrength enough to go about as usual; only now, made wise byexperience, she took good care to avoid places of danger like thetideholes. 

Since that evening of confidential talk with Katherine, Mary hadhonestly striven for the grace of self-forgetfulness; but thevirtue is not learned in one lesson, nor yet in two, and she wouldprobably have given up striving, through disgust at her ownfailures, if her pride had not been deeply stirred, and theobstinate part of her nature brought into full play. 

Pleading hard work as an excuse, Katherine avoided her after thatevening, from a secret dread of any more confidences. This waseasier than it otherwise would have been, owing to Mrs. Burtonhaving taken the twins over to Fort Garry to spend a week with Mrs. M'Crawney, which left Katherine with the burden of housekeeping onher shoulders in addition to the business of the store. 

Jervis Ferrars came up sometimes in the evening to sit and talkwith the invalid on every subject under the sun, from lunarrainbows to earthquakes, but he got little chance of speech withKatherine, who was always feverishly busy over some task whichabsorbed her whole attention. 

The day after Mrs. Burton came back from Fort Garry another vesselarrived from Liverpool to anchor off Seal Cove. Only one more boatwould be likely to get in before winter came again, and when anoccasion is so rare it is likely to be made much of. The captainheld a sort of reception on board, to which everyone in Seal Covewas invited. The M'Krees came down from the second portage withall their babies; Mrs. Jenkin appeared in finery which no one evendreamed she possessed; and Oily Dave was magnificent in afrock-coat of shiny black cloth, worn over a football sweater ofoutrageous pattern. 

Katherine and her father were the only stay-at-homes, but 'DukeRadford was not fit for excursions of that sort, and if Katherinehad gone Miles must have stayed at home, which would have beenrather hard on a boy as fond of ships as he was. But althougheveryone went to the reception, some of them did not stay long, andone of the first to leave was Mr. Selincourt, who had himself rowedup river and landed at the store to ask Katherine if she would givehim a cup of tea. 

"With great pleasure. Please go in and talk to Father; I shall befree in a few minutes, and then I will come and make tea for youboth, " Katherine answered, holding open the door between house andstore, while she smiled upon the visitor, who was more welcome thanhe knew. She was serving an Indian squaw, who demanded brightcalico, 'bacco, and as much of anything else as she could get, forfourteen beaver skins partly dressed, and as soft as velvet. 

Beaver, even in that district, was becoming very scarce. Indeed, Katherine was sure that these skins must have come a long distance, probably seventy or eighty miles, from some part of unknownKeewatin, where no foot of white man ever trod, and where even thered man only went at trapping time. She bought the skins, ofcourse, adding to the purchase price a box of chocolates with apicture on the lid, a treasure which set the red woman in a stateof the most complacent satisfaction. 

When the squaw had departed, Katherine carefully locked away theskins before going in to make tea, for the Indians were adepts atroguery, and if by any means the woman could have stolen them, shewould probably have returned to the store to offer them in barteragain within the next hour. Katherine had been caught like thatoften enough to have become exceedingly careful. She was talkingabout the exceeding beauty of the skins as she watched the kettlebeginning to boil, and Mr. Selincourt immediately said that heshould like to see them. 

"Will you wait until to-morrow or the next day? Then I will showyou all that we have got. But it is rather dirty work pulling themout and unrolling them, and I have just put on a clean frock, "Katherine said, laughing at the idea of putting a possible customeroff in such a fashion. 

"I will wait certainly, and if the day after tomorrow will suityou, I will come then and see if you have anything which Mary mightlike me to buy for her. By the way, my men are behind with themail this time, a week late, and I am still uncertain whether or nowe shall have to go down to Montreal for the winter, " Mr. Selincourt said, as he helped Katherine to put cups and saucers onthe table. 

"If they had come in time, would you have left by this boat?"Katherine asked. The question of winter quarters had beenconstantly talked of during the last week or two, but nothing hadas yet been decided upon, owing to the delay in the coming of thetwo men with the expected mail. 

"No, this boat will go straight to Liverpool. The next will comeround from Quebec, and return there before going to England; andthat must be our way south, I think, unless we decide to return aswe came, by river and trail. "

"We shall all miss you very much, " Katherine said regretfully; forthe pleasant, kindly man whom she had feared so greatly at firsthad been such a good neighbour that his absence would be keenlyfelt. 

"I should not like it if I were not missed; but I am not going forlong, remember. With the opening of the waters I shall be backagain, to settle for good, I hope. England is a fine country to beborn in, but Canada is the land of my choice, and I have never yetseen a part of it that I like better than these Keewatin wilds; itis unspoiled nature here, " Mr. Selincourt said, rubbing his handswith great enthusiasm. 

"Wait until you have tried a winter here, before speaking toopositively about it; you may find the isolation too dreadful to beborne. We who are used to it do not mind so much, but a personaccustomed to daily papers and frequent posts would seem entirelyout of the world, " she said, thinking of the long, long nights, when the wolves howled in the woods, and the silent weeks when thefalls were frozen; and she wondered how this man, who had beenbrought up in cities, could bear to think of such a life. 

He laughed in a cheery, unconvinced fashion. "I have thought ofall that: but I can live without daily papers, or letters either, if need be; although, if Roaring Water Portage develops as Ibelieve it is going to do, without doubt we shall get a regularpostal service of a sort. If it can't be done any other way, Iwill do it myself. Only I must have a bigger house, for in winterwe should be very much cramped in that little hut over the river. "

Katherine nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, you would want a big room forgiving parties and entertainments. Mary would make a lovelyhostess, and the fisher folk would feel as if they were living in anew world. Oily Dave's dreadful whisky would have no chance at allagainst the attractions offered by your big house. "

Mr. Selincourt frowned. "That drink-selling of his is the thornamong my roses of content, and I don't see how to put it down justat present. I can't, from sheer decency, send the man packing, just after he has helped to save my daughter from a dreadful death. Of course I know that he only helped, and that you could and wouldhave done it without him if he had not been there, still, he wasthere, and I must remember it in his favour, although he hascharged pretty heavily for his services. "

"That is my fault, I fear, " Katherine said in laughing apology. "But I know what Oily Dave is, and that the one thing to move himis money; so when Mrs. Jenkin told me he was the only man about, Itold her to say to him he must come at once, for there was money inthe work. "

"You were quite right, and if you had promised him a hundreddollars I would cheerfully have paid it, " Mr. Selincourt replied;and then he turned to talk to 'Duke Radford, who had been sittingall this time with his head resting on his hand, and taking nonotice at all of what the others were talking about. 

But when the tea-things were cleared away, and Katherine had goneback to the store again, Mr. Selincourt followed her and commencedtalking afresh of what he meant and hoped to make of thatparticular part of the world in the course of the next two or threeyears. He had a special purpose in coming up river that afternoon, for he wanted to consult Katherine on a business point, and did notfeel very sure of his ground. 

Being a straightforward man in all things, however, he statedbluntly what he had to say. "I want to buy your land, if I can, Miss Katherine, and I am prepared to pay you any price in reasonthat you like to ask me for it. I understand that your father ownsthe river frontage for about a mile on this side of the water, which is practically from here to the swamps, and it is land that Ishould very much like to possess. "

"But it is not mine to sell, " she said blankly, too much taken bysurprise to know whether she felt pleased or offended by thesuggestion. 

"I know it is not. But your father cannot be approached on anyquestion of buying or selling, so I had to come to you to see howyou felt about it, and I want you to think the matter over, " Mr. Selincourt replied. 

"All the thinking in the world cannot alter the position so far asI am concerned, " said Katherine, with a little gesture ofweariness. "Our father is apparently a hopeless invalid, afflictedmore in mind than in body, yet no really qualified doctor has seenhim, to certify his unfitness for managing his own affairs. We, his children, are all under age, except Nellie. By the way, whydid you not go to her?--she is the eldest. Though, even if youhad, she could only have spoken as I have done. "

"I came to you because you stand in your father's place, carryingon business in his name, " Mr. Selincourt said quietly. "And if youfelt that it would be for the good of yourself and the others tohave some easier life than this, it would be very much my pleasureto help you in realizing your wishes. "

"But how?" asked Katherine, who failed to see how her father'sproperty could be disposed of without consulting him, while he wasin life, and they, his children, were all under age save one. 

Mr. Selincourt smiled. "Things can mostly be managed when onewants them to be done. If you and the others believed it would befor the good of the family to sell your father's property, we couldbring a doctor up here to certify to his unfitness for business. Your sister would have to be made acting trustee for the rest ofyou, and so the thing would be done. "

Katherine shook her head in a dubious fashion, saying: "I will talkto the others about it if you wish, but I do not think it will makeany difference; we must just go on as we are doing, and make thebest of things as they are. Of course I don't know much aboutbusiness, except what I have picked up anyhow, for my profession isteaching; but we have done very well since the work has been dumpedinto our hands, and our profits this year are in excess of anypreceding one's. "

"That is very encouraging. But then you would succeed in anythingyou undertook, because you put your whole heart into it, and thatis the secret of success, " Mr. Selincourt said warmly. After amomentary hesitation he went on: "Mind you, this is a businessoffer that I am making you, and even though I might give you doubleor treble what your land would fetch in the open market at thepresent time, I should still look to get a fifty-per-cent return onmy invested capital, although I suppose it is very unbusinesslikeof me to tell you so. "

"But how would you do it?" demanded Katherine. 

"My dear young lady, I believe there is a fortune in every acre ofground on either side of the river, " said Mr. Selincourt excitedly. "Mary is keen on geology, as you know, and I have studied mineralspretty closely. We have found abundant traces of iron, of copper, and of coal. Now, the last is more important than the other two, for without it they would be practically useless, so far fromcivilization; but with it they may be worked to immense advantage. "

"Would not the working be rather costly at the first?" Katherineasked, with a sensation as if her breath were being taken away. 

"Doubtless! It has already been proved, over and over again, thatif you want to get a fortune from under the earth you must firstput a fortune in it, " he replied. 

"But suppose, after you had put it in, you found yourselfdisappointed in your returns--discovered, perhaps, that there wasno fortune awaiting you in the ground after all? What would you dothen?--for of course you could not get back what you had spent, "said Katherine, with an air of amusement, for to her the statementof there being a fortune in every acre of that barren groundsounded like fiction pure and simple. 

"In that case I should probably have to take off my coat, roll upmy sleeves, and go to work to earn a living for myself and Mary;but I am not afraid of having to do it just yet, " he answered, laughing. Then as a customer entered the store he went off to talkto 'Duke Radford, who was sitting outside in the sun, and Katherinedid not see him again that evening. 

As in duty bound, she decided to take counsel with the others, although her own mind was fully made up with regard to Mr. Selincourt's offer. Life in some other more civilized place wouldprobably be easier and pleasanter for herself. Such work as shehad to do now was labour for men, and by no means suitable forwomen or girls. But it was not herself she had to think of firstin this case; Miles and Phil were the ones to be considered here, and she determined that the light in which Miles regarded thequestion should be the standpoint from which she would view it too. By this time she was quite satisfied in her own mind of her abilityto keep the business working in a profitable manner; but if shewere to venture upon earning a living for the six who weredependent upon her efforts in some other way, she would not be sosure of herself, and to doubt might be to fail. 

It was not easy to get time to confer all together in that busyhousehold, but by good fortune a chance occurred that very evening, and Katherine took it thankfully enough, knowing that it might belong before such an opportunity came again. Her father had gone tobed, tired out with his day of sitting and walking in the sunshine, and was sleeping peacefully. The twins had also been put to rest, and were droning themselves to sleep in a drowsy sing-song duetwith which they always filled the house before subsiding into theirnightly slumber. 

"Don't go to bed for a few minutes, Phil; I want to talk to you. We have got to have a family conclave, " said Katherine, as Phil, with a mighty yawn, was turning his steps to the ladder which ledto the loft. 

"What's a conclave? And it is no use going on at me about thatbucket of water I tilted over down the ladder on to Nick Jones; itstood so handy, and wanted such a little push, that I just couldnot help doing it, " the boy answered in a sullen tone. He had beenin mischief on board the steamer, escaping with a warning from thecaptain and a lecture from Mrs. Burton; but he was by no meansrepentant yet, although perhaps a trifle apprehensive of the formof reprisal which Nick Jones might choose to take. 

Katherine laughed. She had been in mischief herself too often whenat Phil's age not to feel sympathy with him on the score of theprank he had played that afternoon. It was this same sympatheticunderstanding of their moods and actions which gave her so muchinfluence with the boys, enabling her to twist them round herlittle finger, as Miles expressed it. 

"A conclave is a talk, discussion, or argument, but it has nothingto do with your getting into mischief, Phil. It was a greattemptation, as you say, and I expect that in your place I shouldhave longed to do the same. Only there is another side from whichto view the business, and that is the side of Nick Jones. No doubthe feels a bit ruffled, and if he thrashes you for your impudence, or ducks you in the river, why, you will just have to take it lyingdown. "

"He has got to catch me first, " said Phil, with that disposition toswagger in which he delighted to indulge. Then he burst outeagerly, as he slid his arm round her waist and leaned his headback against her arm: "It was truly lovely, Katherine, and youwould have laughed until you choked if you had been there. Nickwas just setting his foot on the bottom of the ladder, and his facewas all smuts and smudges, so that he looked as if he had notwashed for a fortnight; he had got his mouth open too, wide open, and I guess that was the first mouthful of clean water that he hasswallowed for a good long while past. "

"You are really a shocking boy, and if you get a ducking it will beonly what you deserve, " said Katherine, who was laughing at thispicture of the discomfiture of Nick Jones. "But sit down here andlet us get our business settled, because we are all tired andlonging for bed. "

"I'm not tired, " said Miles, shutting the book he had been readingwith a sigh. It always seemed to be time to go to bed when hewanted to sit up, just as it was always morning and time to get upwhen he was in the full enjoyment of being in bed. 

"But you will be tired to-morrow, and no one who is weary can dothe best that is in him, " said Katherine gently. 

CHAPTER XXIII

The Majority Decides

To the surprise of Katherine, Mrs. Burton was very anxious that Mr. Selincourt's offer should be accepted, and she urged that pointvery strongly. 

"If you were a boy, Katherine, I would not say one word toinfluence you either way. Even now it is for your sake, not mine, that I should like to take the chance of getting away from thisplace. For myself, I would rather be here than at any other placein the wide world; but I do know that you are hopelessly buriedalive, and the work you have to do is unsuitable for any girl. "

Katherine put up her hand with a pleading gesture, and there wasdistress in her eyes as she said hurriedly: "That is not fair tothe boys, Nellie. I asked that you should all speak foryourselves, not for each other; that can be done afterwards: themain thing is to know how we each feel about the matter personally. Now, Miles, let us know what you think?"

Miles fidgeted, looked supremely uncomfortable, and finally burstout: "I think it is just horrid to go settling things like thisabout Father, as if he were dead, while he is still alive!"

"Just what I feel myself, " broke in Katherine, giving Miles anaffectionate squeeze. "Still, dear, the necessity has arisen todiscuss the business, and we must just face it as otherdisagreeables have to be met and overcome. So, putting Fatherentirely out of the question for the moment, tell us what you thinkyou would like best. "

"That can be done in a very few words, " he said gruffly. "I daresay it sounds beastly selfish, but I'd rather stay here than goanywhere else on the face of the earth. The land is our own; whyshould we not keep it? We have got a good paying businesstogether; why should we give it up? If we could pull through lastwinter and make a profit, we certainly ought to do better stillthis year, for we are all wiser, older, and stronger. It isfearfully hard on Katherine to be obliged to do the journeys, Iknow, but that can stop when I am a bit older, and more of a dab atvaluing pelts. "

"Now, Phil, it is your turn, " said Katherine quickly; she had seenthat Mrs. Burton was about to speak, and was anxious that Philshould have first chance. 

But the boy was half-asleep, and had to be well shaken up by Milesbefore they could bring him to a full understanding of what wasrequired of him. Then he asked drowsily: "If we went to liveanywhere else should I have to go to school in summer as well as inwinter?"

"Of course you would, " retorted Mrs. Burton promptly; adding, witha touch of quite unusual severity: "and it would be a very goodthing for you, because in that case you would have no time to playsuch monkey tricks as that which you indulged in to-day. "

"Then I'd rather stop here. School in winter is quite tiringenough, but school all the year round would about wear me out. Store work is just play compared with the fag of simple equationsand that sort of thing. "

Katherine and Miles laughed merrily, while even Mrs. Burton had tosmile. Phil's attitude towards book-learning had always been oneof utter distaste, although in other things he was a good, hard-working boy, never disposed to shirk nor to waste his time, even if the matter in hand was not entirely to his mind. 

"Now you have all said what you think and feel about it, " saidKatherine, "I can have my say on the matter, and I might begin byputting the most conclusive argument first, which is that I amquite certain we have no legal or moral right to lay a finger onFather's business affairs at present; I mean, in the way ofupsetting them. If things were different, and the business was notprospering, we might have some excuse for meddling and changing; asit is, we have none. "

"Then what did you make all this bother about?" demanded Phil, whohad been roused from his sleepiness by having a wet dishclothtucked firmly round his neck by Miles. 

"Because it is a privilege we all share equally to do our very bestfor our father, and no one of us ought to decide anything momentousconcerning him without taking counsel with the others, " Katherineanswered, leaning forward and catching the dishcloth, which Philhad aimed at Miles. 

"It is all very well for Mr. Selincourt to offer us a fancy pricefor our land, but if there is a fortune in every acre why shouldn'twe have it? I shouldn't in the least mind being a millionaire, "said Miles. 

"Of course you would not; neither should I: but the secret of thewhole matter turns, according to Mr. Selincourt, on first of allhaving a fortune to put into the ground before we can get out theone that is there waiting for us, " laughed Katherine. 

"Very well, we'll stick at the store until we have made our pile, then we can do as we like about throwing it away in order to getanother. Meanwhile we will keep the land, while Mr. Selincourtamuses himself by digging holes and flinging away money on theother side of the river, " said Miles, getting up from his chair andyawning widely. 

"Hear, hear!" echoed Phil, clapping his hands. 

"Nellie, dear, it is the majority that decides, and you have lost, "Katherine said, as she hustled the boys off to bed, and prepared toretire herself. 

"For my own part, as I said before, I'm not sorry to lose, and I dofeel as you do, that we have no right to dispose of Father'sproperty, " Mrs. Burton said. Then she went on, her voice shaken byreal feeling: "But, Katherine, the life you have to lead just aboutbreaks my heart. You are the brightest and cleverest of us all, and should have the best chance, instead of which you just have nochance at all. Take to-day, for instance; we have all been outenjoying ourselves, whilst you have been grubbing at home at work. "

"It had to be either Miles or me, " Katherine reminded her gently;"and think how he enjoyed it. There are so many pleasures whichcome my way that would not interest him at all, and that makes meso thankful for a chance of giving him a treat like that of to-day. "

"I don't mind going out with Miles, because his manners are decent, and he is so quiet, " said Mrs. Burton, "but I did not know whereto put my head for very shame when Phil threw that pail of water onto Nick Jones. "

"It was very foolish and silly, of course, and I expect Phil willhave to pay pretty dearly for his mischief. If only Nick will payhim back in a manly fashion, without being cruel, I shan't care. Boys learn wisdom quicker through having to bear the consequencesof their own actions, and it does not do for them to be too muchshielded. Did you have a pleasant time?"

"Yes; it was lovely. The captain and the officers were so politeand nice, and the tea was very prettily done. Mary was there, ofcourse, and Mr. Ferrars. I heard a good bit of talk about themtoo, " Mrs. Burton said, with a happy little wag of her head. Herown hope and joy in life having become so much a thing of the past, made her much more interested in the concerns of others. 

"What sort of talk?" asked Katherine. Of course she knew very wellwhat the answer would be, and that it would make her heart acheworse than ever; but the situation had got to be faced, so thesooner she became hardened to the pain the better for her peace ofmind. 

"Oh, the usual things! Mrs. M'Kree said she thought they wouldmake a lovely pair: for though Mary isn't pretty, she is verydistinguished; and Mr. Ferrars has a way of carrying himself whichmakes me think he must come from a very good family indeed. Inoticed that Mary's manner was very different to him to-day, andfrom the way he treated her it looked almost as if they had come toan understanding. " Mrs. Burton's air was one of beamingsatisfaction now, for she liked Jervis Ferrars quite well enough tobe glad there was a chance of his marrying a rich wife, and sobeing lifted out of the fierce struggle with narrow means. 

Katherine's heart felt sick and cold within her. She rememberedwhat Mary had said about the boon asked by Jervis, which had beendenied, and the denial regretted ever since. Probably that rescuefrom the tidehole had given Jervis the courage and the right to askhis boon again, and this time Mary would know her own heart toowell to refuse happiness, even though it came to her at the handsof a poor man. 

She was glad to turn out early next morning and go with Phil to dothe "back-ache" portage, because it took her away from anylikelihood of an encounter with Mary, who would probably bebrimming over with happiness. 

"It is quite natural that she should feel like that, and I am veryglad for her, " Katherine announced to herself in a defiant tone, asshe loaded packages of groceries and bundles of dry goods on to thedogs in the morning, for them to carry over the portage to theboathouse above the falls. 

It never once occurred to her that she could have made a mistake, or that she had jumped to wrong conclusions in the matter. She wasso used to making up her mind on all sorts of subjects without anywaste of time, that naturally she decided she was right in thisthing also. The dogs trotted up the portage path with a heartygoodwill, for they had the sense to know that the journey was not along one and that their work would soon be over. There were onlythree of them this morning, for Hero was at the house over theriver. 

Katherine and Phil followed the dogs. They also carried burdens, and, as the portage path was steep, they were glad not to wastetheir breath in talking while they toiled up the hill. The lastdog, which walked just in front of Katherine, carried two woodenboxes, filled with marmalade for Mrs. M'Kree, and it was funny tosee how careful the creature was to keep right in the middle of thepath, so that its burden did not bump against the rocks whichprojected on either side of the narrow trail. 

"Good dog! You shall have a smear of marmalade on your biscuit forsupper to-night, if I don't forget it, " Katherine said, when theboathouse was reached without any danger to the consignment ofmarmalade. 

"Pity to waste good stuff like that on a creature which can'tappreciate it. Now, I am very gone on marmalade, " remarked Phil, as he put the two boxes into the boat. 

"You shall have some for supper too; but you must not begrudge thepoor dog just a little taste, " Katherine said, as with a brief wordof command she sent two of the dogs hurrying back to the store forsome bundles of meal and flannel that had been left behind for asecond journey. 

While the dogs were gone, she and Phil stowed into the boat all thegoods which had been brought over, then they sat down to wait forthe remainder of the load, and Phil's tongue began to be busy onthe events of yesterday. 

"I'm downright glad we've got to do the backache portage to-day, because, as we can't be in two places at once, I shan't be found atthe store if anyone comes to see me special, " he said, winking upat a bluebird which sat on a bough above his head. The bird gave alittle chirp, whisked its tail, and then stayed motionless, as ifmuch interested in the talk. 

"Who would be likely to make a special visit to you to-day?" askedKatherine, momentarily forgetting Phil's prank of yesterday. 

"Nick Jones, of course. I guess if I had been minding storeto-day, and had seen him coming in at the door, my heart would haveabout gone down into my boots, " admitted Phil, with great candour. 

"But he may come to-morrow, you know, " suggested Katherine. 

"No, he won't, for a lot of them start the next morning in the_Mary_ for a week's fishing off the Twins; and Mr. Ferrars is goingtoo, I know, because I heard him say so, " replied Phil. 

"The Twins are those two islands east of Akimiski, are they not?"asked Katherine. 

"I suppose so; they are out in the Bay somewhere, I know, and theyare very dangerous, because there are such strong currents allround them and no end of hidden rocks, " Phil said in a cheerfultone, as if he were rather pleased than otherwise that his enemyhad to face so much danger in the near future. 

"That must be the place where a boat was wrecked two years ago andall the people were drowned. I wonder they are taking the _Mary_, "said Katherine, for that was the biggest and best of the new boats, built by Astor M'Kree in the previous winter. 

"They are taking her because she is such a good boat; no use havinga leaky old tub for such work. Here come the dogs!" and Philjumped up in such a hurry that the bluebird flew away in alarm. 

The dogs were unloaded, the things they had brought being packedinto the boat; then Katherine and Phil took their up-river way, andthe dogs went back to the store to spend the morning as theythought fit. 

Phil's news, had puzzled Katherine a great deal. It seemed sostrange to her that Jervis Ferrars should go off to the rough, dangerous work of fishing off the shores of the inhospitable Twinsif he were really engaged to Mary. His absence from Seal Covewould mean that someone would have to do his work there, as theboats coming in had to have their cargoes totalled and entered, while the drying, sorting, and packing needed constant supervision. Perhaps some little ghost of a hope crept into her heart thatmorning; at any rate, the pull up river seemed easier, and it wasnot such hard work as usual doing the second portage, even thoughshe had to carry the wooden boxes, with the jars of marmalade forMrs. M'Kree, swung across her own shoulders, a heavy, uncomfortableburden to be carried through the hot sunshine. 

Backwards and forwards they went along the portage path, but theydid not have to carry the boat, fortunately, as a birchbarkbelonging to Astor M'Kree was always available for their use on thelong portage--a great convenience this, as Katherine and Phil wouldhardly have managed the burden of the boat between them. Mrs. M'Kree as usual received Katherine literally with open arms, andpressed her to remain on her way back for tea. This invitationKatherine would have promptly refused, but for an appealing lookfrom Phil, whose courage regarding a meeting with his enemy wasfast evaporating. 

"You are very kind. We ought to be back about four o'clock, thenperhaps we can stay for an hour, " Katherine said, accepting onPhil's behalf, although her own desires were solely and entirelyfor getting home as fast as she could. 

"A regular brick you are, Katherine!" exclaimed Phil, as theysettled themselves in the birchbark for the journey up to the longportage. "I just wish to be as late home as possible this evening, and then most likely I shall be tired enough to want to go to beddirectly I get there. "

"It strikes me that it is not your strength which is likely to giveout, but your nerve, " Katherine answered with a laugh; then went onin a graver tone: "I don't scold you when you play monkey tricks, as you did yesterday, but it is hard work not to despise you when Isee you trying to escape the consequences of what you have done bysneaking off to bed, pretending you are tired, when in reality youare only afraid. "

Phil reddened, looked dreadfully ashamed of himself for about twominutes, then said in a cheerful tone: "It is rather nice of me tobe willing to play round with those sticky M'Kree babies, as if Iwere a kid myself. "

"I suppose it is; yet down underneath I dare say you rather likethe playing round, as you call it, " laughed Katherine, and then sheworked on in silence up the solitary reaches of the river, with theglaring sunshine on her unsheltered back, and swarms of fliestormenting her unprotected face and neck. These last became suchan intolerable nuisance after a time, that she was forced to swatheherself in a hot and cumbering veil. 

The "back-ache" portage was worthy of its name that day, and it wasconsiderably past noon before they arrived at the Indian village towhich they were bound. At first they could not find anyone athome, the whole community being away in the forest peeling barkfrom the birch trees for the making of canoes. But the same kindof thing had happened before, so Katherine was not at a loss. Picking up a tin pan, she commenced beating a military tattoo uponit with a thick stick; while Phil, with a trumpet improvised from aroll of birchbark, produced an ear-splitting din which must havecarried far through the quiet woods. It was not long before theircustomers arrived on the scene, and then the business of barterbegan. A very long business it proved to-day, for, the weatherbeing warm and comfortable, the red men and women seemed tothoroughly enjoy sitting round at their ease and taking time toconsider whether they wished to be purchasers or not. 

[Illustration: Bartering with the Indians]

But Katherine was patient and tactful too. After all, the trainingof a teacher is not lost in the buying and selling of a backwoodsstore. The same gifts of persuasion are needful in both cases, andthe same gentle firmness is useful in settling the bargain whichhas come to completion. It was four o'clock before Katherine wasable to turn her back on the Indian village, but by then she hadsold every article which had been brought up river, and was ladenwith a currency of valuable furs and some specimens of narwhalivory, very beautiful, but apparently of great age. The same kindof thing had happened before, and she could never quite make outwhere it had come from, for the narwhal was so rarely met with inthe Hudson Bay waters now, and was a creature so fierce, that itwas puzzling to know how people in birchbark canoes, armed onlywith spears, could ever manage to secure it. A theory held by herfather in his days of health was, that in places along thoselittle-known shores the tusks of narwhals dead centuries beforemight be found by the Indians buried in the sands, and it was findsof this sort which they dug up and offered for sale. 

Their stay at Mrs. M'Kree's house was very short after all, thoughKatherine was thankful indeed for the cup of tea awaiting herthere, and much too grateful for the kindness to be fastidiousabout its overdrawn condition. As a matter of fact, the tea hadbeen gently on the boil for more than two hours, but this was aminor detail in the comfort of people who had an outdoor life andworked hard from dawn to dark. 

It was pleasant to slip down on the swift current of the river whenthe cool of the evening came on. Katherine was almost sorry whenthe home portage was reached, for it was like taking up the burdenof life again, and she was tired enough to feel that rest was aluxury indeed. The dogs were soon over at the boathouse to helpwith the parcels, and then Katherine and Phil, both heavily laden, passed up the portage path, and night came down. 

There were lights twinkling in and about the store when theyreached it, and Katherine laughed to see how Phil crept past thedoor of the store, making for the entrance to the house instead. 

But she did not call him back, being quite willing to shield hisretreat so far as she could possibly do so, for a ducking at thattime in the evening would not be pleasant; moreover, Mrs. Burtonwould have his clothes to dry, which was another consideration ofimportance just then. 

Nick Jones was not in the store when she entered, and she noticedat once that the crowd of evening loungers was less than usual. They were busily talking, too, and although they all bade her acivil good evening, went on with their talk where they had droppedit. 

"Mr. Ferrars came up to see you this evening, " Miles whispered, when she went to help him with some boxes which were beyond hisreach. 

"To see me?" Katherine asked in surprise. 

"Yes, he even went over the portage to see if you were coming, buthe could not wait, because the Mary sailed with the evening tide, "answered Miles. 

CHAPTER XXIV

Mr. Selincourt is Confidential

The hot colour flamed in Katherine's cheeks; but no one saw it, forher back was to the group of men talking by the store door, andMiles had turned round to put on the counter the box which she hadreached down for him. 

"Why did Mr. Ferrars wish to see me?" she asked, strivingsuccessfully to make her voice steady. Of course it might havebeen that Jervis wanted to see her on some matter of businessconnected with the store; but in any case, and whatever his errand, it was pleasant to think that he had come up the river on purposeto see her. 

"I don't know, he didn't say; but he carried himself with as muchswaggering importance as if it were he, and not Mr. Selincourt, whointended buying up as much of Roaring Water Portage as he could layhands upon, " Miles answered, in a grumpy tone. The group of men atthe door had moved outside, where it was cooler, so brother andsister were for the moment alone. 

"I don't think Mr. Ferrars ever put on much side, " protestedKatherine, taking up the cudgels in defence of the absent one, although there was an increased heaviness in her heart as shereflected that perhaps, after all, he was betrothed to MarySelincourt, and hence the inward elation resulting in the outwardswagger. 

"Oh, he could, sometimes!" went on Miles, who appeared to be inrather a bad temper just then. "I suppose he is going to marryMiss Selincourt, and that is why he puts on such a fearful lot ofcheek. Downright horrid money-grubbing, I call it, for before shecame he was always----"

"Always what?" demanded Katherine sharply. Her voice sounded atrifle muffled, because for some reason or other she had stuffedher head and shoulders in a bean bin, and was measuring beans in adesperate hurry, which seemed a rather unnecessary task, as she hadno orders to fill. 

But Miles, who had stumbled perilously near to an indiscretion, plainly thought better of it, and ventured on no more speechconcerning the matter, calling instead to one of the men standingoutside the door to ask some question about goods which had beenordered for the next day, and had to be sent down to Seal Cove. 

Katherine went to bed in a very mixed frame of mind that night. Atone moment she was sorry that she had not been at home when Mr. Ferrars came to see her; then, with a quick revulsion of feeling, she was heartily glad that she had been away, and shrank with veryreal reluctance from the thought of the next time she would have tosee him. But that would not be for another week; a good manythings might happen before then, though she did not even guess howmany were going to happen. 

In the morning Mary came over to the store very early indeed, andher face was in a pucker of dissatisfaction and discontent. 

"It is so truly horrid of things to fall out like this, " she beganvehemently, bursting into the store, where Katherine and Miles werebusy weighing and packing goods which had to be delivered that day. 

"How have they fallen out?" asked Katherine with a smile. She wasused to Mary's excitable outbursts, which were usually abouttrifles too small for notice; but this was a bigger matter. 

"The men came up with the mail yesterday; the delay was owing to abreakdown on one of the portages, and they had to camp for a wholeweek whilst they were repairing their boat. It is very vexing, coming as it does just now, because we should have known our fateso much earlier. We have to go back to Montreal for the winter, and it is so tiresome!" sighed Mary. 

"I'm afraid you won't get much pity for your hard fate, " laughedKatherine, with a lightening of heart which made her secretlyashamed of herself. "I found Montreal very pleasant for winterquarters, and I only wish it were possible for us to spare Miles togo for this next winter. "

"I don't want to go!" interposed Miles hastily. 

"Neither do I, Miles, " said Mary; "so we are both in the same boat. Only the worst of it is I have got to go, whether I like it or not, because my father will not leave me here without him. Suchnonsense! As if I were not old enough to take care of myself!"

"Which you are not. Remember the tidehole, " Katherine remarked, ina tone of mock solemnity. 

"Once bitten, twice shy! No more tideholes for me, " Mary answered, with a shake of her head. Then she went on: "I have brought oversome newspapers for Mr. Radford, but there was no public mailmatter in this lot except some English letters for Mr. Ferrarswhich had come directed to our agent in Montreal; so we sent themstraight down to Seal Cove yesterday afternoon without troublingthe post office at all. "

"That was very kind of you. If they had been sent here I shouldhave had to deliver them last night after I got back from the longportage, " Katherine answered, as she took the bundle of paperswhich Mary put into her hand. 

"Which would have been a great shame, for I am sure that you musthave been tired out. Besides, you would have been too late, forMr. Ferrars sailed for the Twins last night with the evening tide;and I have got to be clerk and overseer whilst he is away, so Imust be off. Don't you wish me joy of my work?"

"I certainly hope that you will enjoy it, " Katherine replied, andMary went off in a bustle, calling for Hero, who was her constantcompanion morning, noon, and night, a sort of hairy shadow, anddevotion itself. 

When she had gone, Katherine sighed a little, then said to Miles, who still looked a trifle sullen: "I do wish it had been possiblefor you to go to the city this autumn. I know Father wished it somuch, and here would have been a good opportunity for your journey, because you could have gone with the Selincourts, then you wouldnot have felt so lonely. I know that I nearly broke my heart whenI went, because of feeling so solitary. "

"I am very glad that I can't be spared, because I simply don't wantto go, and should not value the chance if I had it, " Milesanswered. "I will settle to work at books again directly wintercomes, and will put as much time in as I can spare at them, especially at book-keeping. Education is not much good to peoplewho don't want it; and I would rather work with my hands any daythan work with my head. But of course there are some things I mustknow to be a good man of business, and these I can learn at home, Iam thankful to say. "

Katherine dropped the sugar scoop with which she had beenshovelling out brown sugar, and, crossing over to where Miles wasstanding, gave him a hearty hug and a resounding kiss. 

"What is that for?" he asked, with a wriggle of pretended disgust, although there was a lifting of the sullen look in his face. 

"Because you are such a thoroughly good sort, " she answered. "Youhave been such a comfort, Miles, ever since Father was taken ill;it was just as if you went to bed a boy and woke up a man. "

When the boys had been started off to Seal Cove with a boatload ofgoods, and Katherine had tidied away the litter in the store, shewent into the stockroom at the back to spread out the furs inreadiness for the coming of Mr. Selincourt. In an ordinary way shewould have taken them over to Fort Garry to-day, but with theprospect of a customer they could wait for a more convenient time. 

She was still busy spreading out and arranging pelts of black fox, white fox, silver fox, beaver, skunk, and racoon (there werewolfskins in plenty, too, but these she did not produce, as theywere commoner, and so would doubtless not appeal to the rich man'sfancy); then she heard a noise of knocking in the store, and, running out, found that Mr. Selincourt and an Indian had arrivedtogether. 

Neither of them was in the slightest hurry. But Katherine attendedto the red man first, being desirous of getting rid of him, thenwatched him down the bank and waited until he had embarked in hisfrail canoe before attending to her other and more importantcustomer. 

"Please pardon me for keeping you waiting, " she said, turning withsmiling apology to Mr. Selincourt; "but that is Wise Eye from OchreLake, and he is the wiliest thief on the river. Ah, I thought so!He is coming back again. Quick! stand back in that corner behindthe stove, and you will see some fun. "

Mr. Selincourt promptly flattened himself into a small spacebetween a bag of meal and a barrel of molasses, while Katherinedived into a recess by the bean bin, and then they waited, holdingtheir breath as children do when playing hide-and-seek. 

It was a good long wait, for Wise Eye was a shrewd rogue. Then Mr. Selincourt from his corner saw a figure on all-fours coming overthe doorstep. At first he thought it was a dog, because of thepeculiar sniffing sound it made, but a second glance showed it tobe Wise Eye in search of plunder. Gradually, gradually he edgedhimself inside, creeping so silently that there was no sound atall, and a thievish hand had just shot out to annex a bag of ricethat stood within reaching distance, when Katherine emerged intoview and said quietly: "You can't have that rice unless you pay forit, Wise Eye; we don't give things away. "

The red man erected himself with a shocked look, as if insulted bythe bare mention of stealing, and, opening a dirty hand, showedhalf a dollar tucked away in his palm. 

"Wise Eye not want the rice, nor anything, but what he pay for, " heanswered loftily; "but he drop his money here and come look for it, just to find it lying close to rice bag, and now he find it he saygood morning and go. "

Katherine laughed, for, angry as Wise Eye's depredations made her, it was amusing to find him bowled out once in a while. 

"Had the fellow really lost his money?" asked Mr. Selincourt, coming out from his hiding-place very sticky on one side and veryfloury on the other. 

"He has none to lose except that one bad coin, which is hisgreatest treasure, and which he has tendered in payment so oftenthat I am quite sick of the sight of the thing, " Katherine replied. "But he keeps the coin ready as an excuse, do you see? I guessedhe would try coming back, because you said that you had come to seethe furs, and he knows we do not keep those out here in the store. "

"Well, he is a wily rogue! What are you going to do now?" askedMr. Selincourt, as she moved across to the door. 

"Turn the key on him; it is the only thing to do. These Indiansare really a great trial; we have to keep such a sharp lookoutalways. It is because of them that we never dare leave thingsoutside unless there is someone to watch. "

"Your father is sitting out there in the sun, " said Mr. Selincourt, who could never seem to realize the extent of 'Duke Radford'slimitations. 

"I know, but he would not understand, poor dear; he never noticesthings like that, " Katherine answered, with a mournful drop in hervoice, as she turned the key and led the way to the stockroom. 

Mr. Selincourt followed silently, and when Katherine first began toshow him the furs he looked at them with an abstracted gaze, whichshowed his thoughts to be far away. But his interest grew in thebeautiful things after a time, and he selected with a judgment anddiscretion which showed that he knew very well what he was about. When he had bought all that he required he turned away from them, and began to talk of the matter which was uppermost in his mind. 

"Well, have you come to any decision about disposing of your land?"he asked. 

"Yes, " answered Katherine, who was busy rearranging the pelts whichMr. Selincourt had rejected. "We had a family consultation, andthe majority settled the question, and decided that we did not wantto sell, and that we had not sufficient reason for selling even ifwe had wanted it very much indeed. Our business is paying verywell, and there is no need to upset existing arrangements. "

Mr. Selincourt nodded his head thoughtfully, then he answered: "Imust say I think you have done wisely; although, of course, it isagainst my own interest to admit it, because I wanted to buy. Butit is a very hard life for a girl. "

"It will be easier in a few years, when Miles grows up; and he getsbigger and more capable every day. Oh, I shall have a very easytime, I can assure you, when my brother is a man!" she said, with alaugh. 

"I trust you will, and a good time too, for I am sure that no girlever deserved it more than you do, " he replied warmly. Then hewent on: "I had a very hard time myself when I was a young man, anexperience so cruelly hard and wearing that sometimes I wonder thatI did not lose faith and hope entirely. "

"But don't you think that faith and hope are given to us inproportion to our need of them?" asked Katherine, a littleunsteadily. Her heart was beating with painful throbs, for sheguessed only too well to what period of his life Mr. Selincourt wasreferring. 

"Perhaps so. Yes, indeed I think it must be so, otherwise I don'tsee how I could have pulled through. I have recalled a good dealabout that time since I have been here at Roaring Water Portage, and have seen how you have had to work, and to sacrifice yourselffor the good of others; and I have often thought that I should liketo tell you the story of my struggle. Would you care to hear it?"

"Yes, very much, " Katherine answered faintly, although, much as shewished to know all about it, she dreaded hearing the story of herfather's wrong-doing told by other lips than his own. 

"When I was a very young man I was clerk in a Bristol businesshouse, taking a good salary, and, as I believed, with anunblemished character. My father was dependent on me, and twoyoung sisters, and I was rather proud of being, as it were, thekeystone of the home. Then one day an old friend of my father'scame to see me, and paid me fifty pounds, which he said he had owedto my father for twenty years--a gambling debt. He begged andimplored me to say no word about it to anyone, especially to myfather. "

"Why not, if it was your father's debt?" asked Katherine, who waskeenly interested. 

"Because my father would not have taken it, although twenty yearsbefore he had paid the fifty pounds out of his own pocket, to savethis friend of his from exposure and ruin. At first I was disposednot to take it either; but, as the man represented to me, I hadothers dependent on me, and for their sakes I was in duty bound totake it, and to do the best I could for them with it. "

"I think so too, " murmured Katherine; but Mr. Selincourt continuedalmost as if he had not heard her speak. 

"I took the money and banked it with my other savings, feelingrather proud of having such a nest-egg, and making up my mind thatwhen the summer came I would give the girls and the old man such aholiday as they had never even dreamed of before. Then the blowfell. I was called into the room of the chief one morning, andasked if I were a gambler. Of course I said no, and that with avery clear conscience, for I had never been addicted to betting norcard playing in my life. Then I was asked to explain the lump sumof fifty pounds which I had added to my banking account in theprevious week. "

"But I thought that banking accounts were very private andconfidential things, " said Katherine. 

"So they are supposed to be; but the private affairs of a fellow inmy position would be sure to get closely overhauled, and a shrewdbank manager might deem it only his duty to enquire how anyone withmy salary and responsibilities could afford to pay in big sums likethat, " Mr. Selincourt replied. "Of course I could not explain how Ihad come by the money, and to my amazement I was curtly dismissed, and without a character. "

"How horribly cruel!" panted Katherine, whose hands were pressedagainst her breast, and whose face was deathly white. No one knewhow terribly she suffered then, as she stood there bearing, as itwere, the punishment for her father's guilty silence, while shelistened to the story of what his victim had had to endure. 

"It did seem cruel, as you say, horribly cruel!" Mr. Selincourtsaid, a grey hardness spreading over his kindly face, as if thememory of the bitter past was more than he could bear. "The twoyears that followed were crammed with poverty and privation; therewas almost constant sickness in the home, and I could get no workexcept occasional jobs of manual labour, at which any drayman ornavvy could have beaten me easily, by reason of superior strength. I left Bristol and went to Cardiff, hoping that I might lose mywant of a character in the crowd. But it was of no use. 'Give adog a bad name and hang him', is one of the truest proverbs we'vegot. What is the matter, child?" he asked, as an involuntary sobbroke from poor Katherine. 

"Nothing, nothing; only I am so sorry for you!" she cried, breakingdown a little, in spite of her efforts after self-control. 

"You need not be, as you will hear in a moment; and, at any rate, Idon't look much like an object of pity, " he said, with a laugh. "Iwas on the docks one winter evening, wet, dark, and late, when Isaw a man robbed of his purse. I chased the thief, collared thepurse, and took it back to its owner, who proved to be one of therichest merchants of the town. He wanted to give me money. I toldhim that I wanted work. I told him, too, about my damagedreputation, and my inability to clear myself. "

"Did he believe you?" she asked eagerly. 

"He did; or if he didn't then, he did afterwards. Years later headmitted that for the first twelve months of my time with him hepaid to have me watched; but that was really to my advantage, as Icame scatheless through the ordeal. "

"It was really good of him to take so much interest in you, " saidKatherine. 

"So I have always felt, " Mr. Selincourt answered. "Christopher Raystood to me for employer and friend. In course of time he becamestill more, for he gave me his daughter, Mary's mother, and when hedied he left me his wealth. "

"It was not all a misfortune for you, then, that for a time you hadto live under a cloud, " said Katherine eagerly. 

"Rightly speaking it was not misfortune, but good fortune that cameto me when I lost position and character at one blow. I have oftenthought that perhaps I owed my downfall to someone who either saidabout me what was not true, or kept silent when a word might haveput me straight; but, if so, that person was my very good friend, and it is to him, or to her, that I owe the first step to thesuccess which came after. "

Poor Katherine! One desperate effort she made after self-control, but it was of no use, and, covering her face with her hands, sheburst into tears. 

CHAPTER XXV

The Rift in the Clouds

"My dear child, I can never forgive myself for having made you crylike this!" exclaimed Mr. Selincourt; for Katherine was sobbing asvigorously as she did most other things, and he was genuinelydistressed. 

"Oh, I am glad to cry! I mean, I am so happy, because it came outall right. And oh, please do forgive me for having been sofoolish! I wonder whatever you must think of me!" and, heaving adeep sigh of relief, Katherine sat up and wiped her eyes. 

"I think you are a very charming and tender-hearted young lady. But I shall have to be very careful how I tell you sad things, ifthis is the way you are going to receive my confidences, " he said, with a rather rueful air; for she was by no means the sort of girlhe would have expected to indulge in the weakness of tears. 

Katherine laughed. She was desperately ashamed of having been sofoolish; but those words of gratitude, spoken by Mr. Selincourtabout the person who had wronged him were like balm to her soreheart. It was as if her father had confessed his fault, and hadbeen forgiven on earth as well as in heaven. 

"You must pay the penalty of your eloquence by seeing your audiencedrowned in tears, " she said lightly. Then, rolling up theremainder of the furs, she left the stockroom and returned to thestore, whither Mr. Selincourt followed her; and as there were nocustomers he sat on a box and talked on, as if it were a realpleasure to have found a sympathetic listener. 

"Those two years of struggle, of disappointment and bitter poverty, have had their uses, " he said, in a meditative fashion, as he satlooking out through the door, which Katherine had unlocked again. His gaze was on the river, which sparkled and gleamed in thesunshine, but his thoughts were far away. 

Katherine answered only by a splitting, rending noise, as she torea piece of calico. But that did not matter, because he was toomuch absorbed in his own thoughts to need other speech just then. 

"Perhaps if I had not been poor myself I should not have hadsympathy with other men who were in the slough and couldn't getout, " he said, speaking as much to himself as to Katherine. 

"It is fine to be able to help other people, " she replied, cuttingthe next piece of calico to avoid making so much noise. 

"Yes, but I think no one realizes the full blessing of it who hasnot known in his own person what it is to be in trouble and to behelped himself, " he said, his tone still dreamy, and his gaze onthe hurrying water. 

"Have you helped a great many?" she asked softly. 

"A few, " he answered. "Some have been disappointments, of course, and once or twice I have been robbed for my pains; but I have hadmy compensations, especially in Archie Raymond and Jervis Ferrars. "

"Who is Archie Raymond?" demanded Katherine, who was measuringcalico as rapidly, and with as much dexterity, as if she had servedan apprenticeship behind a drapery counter, instead of having beentrained for teaching. 

Mr. Selincourt brought his gaze from the river, jerking his headround to get a good view of Katherine; then he asked, in asurprised tone: "Hasn't Mary told you about him? I thought girlsalways talked to each other about such things. "

"What things?" asked Katherine. 

"Why, sweethearts, and all that sort of stuff, " he answered vaguely. 

Katherine flushed, caught her breath in a little gasp, and, clenching the hand which held the calico, said rather unsteadily:"Mary and I have certainly not discussed sweethearts and that sortof stuff, as you call it. "

Mr. Selincourt laughed in great amusement, then said more gravely:"Mary has been very much spoiled, and in all her life she has neverbeen denied anything save one, as I told you before, and I amhoping very much that it will all come right for her yet, when shehas learned her lesson of patient waiting. "

Katherine dropped her calico, and, nerving herself for a greateffort of endurance, said: "Won't you tell me what you mean? Inever could understand hints and vague suggestions about things. "

"It is like this, " began Mr. Selincourt, who was only too pleasedto get a listener as sympathetic as Katherine: "a year ago lastwinter Mary fell in love with Archie Raymond, or else he fell inlove with her; anyhow they became engaged, although I demurred alittle, on account of his inability to support a wife. But I gaveway in time, for he was a thoroughly good fellow, and one of thesort who was bound to rise when he got a chance. Mary wasexacting, however--I told you she had been spoiled--and Archiewasn't the sort to be led about on a string like a lapdog; sonaturally they quarrelled. "

"Poor Mary!" exclaimed Katherine softly. 

"And poor Archie too, I guess, " returned Mr. Selincourt. "It washis misfortune that he cared so much for her. I believe she wouldhave treated him better if he had not been so much her slave; buteven slaves can't endure too much, so he revolted after a time. Jervis Ferrars, who was Archie's friend, came to Mary and beggedthat she would see Archie, if only for ten minutes, because therewas something to be said between them which could not be put into aletter. But my girl is made of obstinate stuff that crops up inawkward places sometimes; so she sent word by Jervis that if Archieliked to send her a letter of apology she would read it, but shewould not see him until that had been done. "

"Did he do it?" asked Katherine eagerly. A white light ofillumination had suddenly flashed into her mind concerning thenature of the boon which Jervis Ferrars had begged at the hands ofMary, and been denied. 

Mr. Selincourt laughed. "I told you that he was a man and not alapdog. That sort don't go crawling round asking pardon for wrongsthey have not committed. The next we heard of Archie Raymond wasthat he had joined Max Bohrnsen's Arctic Expedition in place of aman who had fallen out through sickness, and that he had sailed forthe Polar Seas on a two years' absence. "

"Poor Mary!" sighed Katherine again, then immediately felt ashamedof her own secret light-heartedness. 

"Yes, it was poor Mary then, " replied Mr. Selincourt, a shadecoming over his pleasant face. "The worst of it was that she hadonly herself to thank for all the trouble that had come upon her, and as it was not a thing to be talked about, it had to be bornewithout any outside sympathy to make it easier. "

"Has she never heard from him since?" asked Katherine softly, andnow there were tears in her eyes, and a whole world of pity in herheart for this girl who had deliberately flung away the love shewanted, from pure obstinacy and self-will. 

"Only once. Directly she knew that he had gone beyond recall shebegan to repent in good earnest, and sent him a cable to the onlyport where his vessel would be likely to stop, something to thiseffect; 'It is I who apologize; will you forgive?' And after weeksand weeks of waiting this answer came back: 'Yes, in two years'time'. "

Katherine drew a long breath, and her eyes were still misty. "Howlong the waiting time must seem to Mary, and the months can bringher no tidings of what she most wants to know. "

"That is true; but I am quite sure it is good for her, " Mr. Selincourt answered. "Never before has there been anything in herlife which called for waiting or patience, and it is the lessonswhich are hardest to learn which do us most good. "

"Won't Mary be displeased because you have told me all this?" askedKatherine. 

"It will make no difference to her if she does not know, and youare not the sort of girl to go about bragging of the things youhave been told. But it seemed to me that it might help you to anunderstanding of Mary's character if you knew, " Mr. Selincourtreplied rather awkwardly. 

Katherine flushed a sudden, uncomfortable red, and began measuringcalico in a great hurry; only, as she had turned her work round, and was doing it all over again, it was rather wasted labour. Athought had flashed into her mind that perhaps this good, kindlyman had heard some of the talk which was coupling the names of MissSelincourt and Jervis Ferrars, and so had told her this about Maryof set purpose. 

"Thank you for telling me, " she said; then went on hurriedly: "I amso glad to know. It explains why sometimes Mary does not lookhappy. I had thought it just boredom and discontent. "

"Most people would think so, but that is just because they don'tunderstand her. She is made of fine, good stuff at the bottom, only sometimes it is rather hard to get at. This week she will beperfectly happy and charming to live with, because she will have tobe at the fish sheds all the time, checking the incoming boats; andnext week she will be down in the dumps, because she has nothing inthe world to do. "

"That at least is a complaint that I am in no danger of sufferingfrom, " laughed Katherine, as, realizing that she had been workingtwice on the calico, she folded it up and started on another length. 

"And I have been wasting your time in a fearful fashion; butperhaps you will forgive me, because I like talking to you somuch, " he said, rising from his seat and laughing, as he looked athis watch, to think how the morning had flown. "Now I will go andtalk to your good father for a little while, and then I willwhistle for Pierre to come over and row me down to Seal Cove forlunch with Mary, to round off the morning. "

Katherine rushed about the store with great vigour and muchbustling energy after the visitor had betaken himself outside. Ofcourse he had wasted her morning to a serious extent, but whatmattered arrears of work compared with the peace of mind the talkhad brought her? Never once since the day on which her father hadconfided to her the secret trouble which was weighing him down hadKatherine been so light-hearted. Now, at least so far as she wasconcerned, that trouble, even the remembrance of it, might be putaway for ever. Mr. Selincourt had said that he owed a debt ofgratitude to the person who had wronged him; so plainly there wasno question of making up to him for any loss that he had suffered. True, the wrong was there, and nothing could undo the sin which hadbeen committed; but it was the sinner who had suffered, not thesinned against. Katherine looked out through the open door of thestore and saw her father walking up and down beside the man he hadwronged, and a sharp pang of pity for the invalid smote her heart. His punishment was very heavy; but even she, his daughter, wholoved him so well, could not deny that it was just that he who didthe wrong should pay the penalty thereof. 

"Poor darling Father!" she murmured. "But no one need ever know. Nothing could be gained by dragging the old, bad past to light, andso it shall be buried for ever. " Then, covering her face with herhands, she prayed that the forgiveness of Heaven might rest uponthe poor sinner, whose punishment had come to him on earth. 

The hours of that day flew as if every one of them were holidaytime, instead of being crammed to the full with even harder workthan usual. The other matter of which Mr. Selincourt had spoken, Mary's engagement to the unknown Archie Raymond, Katherine burieddeep in her heart, a thing to be gloated over in secret, a causefor happiness which she did not care to be frank over, even toherself. So the long, busy day went on to evening, and, in spiteof all the work there had been to get through, Katherine foundherself with half an hour of leisure before bedtime. 

She was standing outside, fighting the mosquitoes, and wondering ifshe had sufficient energy left to go up the portage path to thehigh ground, to see the moon rise, when she saw the Selincourt boatshoot out from under the alder trees on the other side of theriver, and make across for the store. 

"It is Mary!" she whispered to herself; and Mary it was, with aweary, white face, and a fleecy white shawl wrapped about her headand shoulders. 

"Will you come up the hill, Katherine, and see the moon rise?" sheasked, in a tired tone. 

"I was just thinking of doing so, only it seemed hardly worth theeffort to go up alone; now you have come it will be pleasant, "Katherine answered, and, although she knew it not, there was morefriendliness in her tone than Mary had ever found there before. 

"Do you know, I tried going up the hill on my side, a better hillthan yours, and with a better view, but it was so lonely! Isn't itfunny what a difference companionship makes?"

"Sometimes, and in some moods. But there are other times and othermoods in which companionship is a nuisance, and solitude the onlything to be desired. At least, that is how I have felt, " saidKatherine. Then she added hastily: "To-night I felt as if I wantedsomeone to see the moon rise with me, so I am very glad you came. "

They walked up the hill in silence, despite the desire for companywhich both had felt, and stood together at the top, watching thesilver glory of the moon coming up over the black pine trees, withno speech at all until Mary asked with a ring of envy in her tone:"What has come to you to-night?"

Katherine flushed, answering in quick apology: "Please forgive me. It is fearfully rude of me to be so silent and abstracted. "

"It wasn't that. Speech is only one way of expressing one'sthoughts, and very often not the most eloquent way either. But youlook so light-hearted to-night; it shines from your eyes, and--and--well, it is awkward to express what I mean, but it isvisible in every gesture. To put it briefly, you look like aperson to be envied. "

"I believe I am to be envied, " Katherine answered, flushing againunder the amused scrutiny in Mary's glance. "Everyone who hashealth and vigour, with an infinite capacity for enjoyment, shouldsurely be envied by those not equally blessed, don't you think?"

Mary sighed. "I have health and vigour too. I am not so sureabout the infinite capacity for enjoyment; but I like work, andplenty of it. Do you know, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at SealCove to-day. I went out on the landing wharf to help the men tocount the take, then I entered it, wrote out the tokens, and workedas hard as if I were doing it for a weekly wage. "

"Well?" There was gentle questioning in Katherine's tone, but nocuriosity; happily there was need for none. She could understandsomething of Mary's moods without explanation now, and could givethe sympathy, which was also better expressed without words. 

"It isn't well; that is the trouble of it, " Mary said wistfully. "The work is all very well while it lasts, but when it is done, oneis tired, and there is nothing left but weariness and moodsagain--just these and nothing more. "

"Oh yes, there is! You are leaving out the most important thing;there is rest. And when one is rested, really rested, the world isall new again for a time, " Katherine answered brightly. She wasspeaking now from her own experience, for that was how she had feltwhen her trouble was at its blackest. 

"I had forgotten rest; but then it won't always come, sometimessleep is impossible. " Mary sighed again, for to-night her moodverged on the morbid. 

"Sometimes, but not often, when people are as healthy as we are, "Katherine replied with a laugh; then, slipping her hand throughMary's arm, with a persuasive touch she drew her homeward. "Come!People who have to get up and work in the morning must go to bed atnight, or suffer next day. I am fearfully sleepy, and to-morrow Ihave to go over to Fort Garry with all those furs which your fatherdid not buy. "

"I too must be at work in good time, for I want to be at Seal Covebefore ten o'clock, and that does not leave much space for one'shousekeeping duties, " Mary said, in a brighter tone, as the twocame down the hill together. 

"Let Mr. Selincourt keep house while you are so busy, or, betterstill, get Nellie to do what you want; she will be delighted, "urged Katherine, who was disposed to the belief that Mary's morbidmood was largely the result of fatigue. 

"Oh, Mrs. Burton is more than kind in making bread for me, and allthat sort of thing; while, as everyone knows, my father spoils meall the time! But I like work, and just now I feel as if I couldhardly have too much of it; so I don't mind how long Mr. Ferrarsstays away at the fishing at the Twins, " Mary said. Then, biddingKatherine good night at the foot of the hill, she got into her boatand was rowed across the river. 

Katherine shook her head a little doubtfully as she went indoors;for in her heart she did not echo the other's last words. 

CHAPTER XXVI

Fighting the Storm

The summer had been one of such almost unvarying fine weather thatthe next morning's outlook came as a disagreeable surprise toKatherine. The sun shone with a pale, watery gleam, grey cloudswere piled along the horizon, and a moaning wind crept through thepine trees, made the birch leaves quiver, and thinned the foliageof the alders at the foot of the rapids. 

"Phil, we shall have to be quick this morning, or we shall have tocome crawling home round the shore instead of rowing straightacross the bay, " Katherine said, as she piled bundles of pelts intothe boat, and tied over them a canvas sheet, for security from anychance wave. 

"Oh, we can hustle, and very likely the storm won't break beforenight!" Phil said easily. 

"More likely that it will break before noon, " retorted Miles, whowas helping to bring out the pelts from the stockroom. "Don't goto-day, Katherine; it is fearful work crossing from Fort Garry whenthere is a strong north-east wind. I came across with Father once, when we thought we must have been swamped every minute. "

"Do not worry yourself, my dear boy, " laughed Katherine, "I shallnot attempt to cross if the weather is very rough; I shall skirtthe shore all the way. It is miles farther, of course, but it issafe, and that is the main thing. "

"I wish you were not going, or that I could come with you, " Milessaid in a worried tone. "Look here; couldn't Phil manage the storefor one day with Nellie's help, then we would take an extra pair ofoars, and I would help to row?"

Katherine shook her head. "It is not to be thought of, dear. Iexpect some of those Indians from Nackowasset Creek will be overthe portage to-day; then Wise Eye is in the neighbourhood, I know, and if he as much as caught a glimpse of both of us going downriver in a boat he would fairly haunt the store until we came back, and Phil would have a tottering time of it. "

"That Nackowasset lot are a horrible set of thieves, " said Miles. 

"Yes, and neither Phil nor Nellie would be up to all their tricks;so, you see, you will be quite indispensable. I shall get on verywell; don't worry about me in any case, for if the storm shouldprove terrifically bad we could even stay at Fort Garry all night, "Katherine replied. 

The last pelt was tucked away under the canvas sheet, Philscrambled aboard and crouched down in the most convenient place hecould find, and Katherine nodded a bright farewell to Miles, wholingered on the bank with a very dissatisfied look on his face;then the boat moved out into the current and began to slip quicklydown river. At present they felt little or nothing of the wind, but when the hut of Oily Dave was in line with them they began tofeel the influence of the freshening puffs of wind on theirprogress, and Katherine decided to take a middle course across theopen water to the fort; that is, she would not venture so far outas usual, nor would she hug the shore entirely. 

But although the wind came sighing and moaning over the water, itwas nothing more at present than a fairly stiff breeze, and, finding it so much better than she had expected, Katherine tookheart again, and was glad that she had persevered in herundertaking; for she was anxious to get the furs off her hands. Every place at the store was so crowded now, from the shipmentswhich had recently come in, that it was really a relief to getthese bundles of pelts cleared out of the way. 

"Oily Dave's hotel is closed, so I suppose the proprietor hascleared off out to the fishing, " Phil said, as the little brown huton the left shore slid by, and they began to rock on the open waterof the river's mouth. 

"I expect he has, " replied Katherine, who was pulling with long, steady strokes, the exercise and the wind between them bringing abright glow into her face. "Do you know, I am sure he has workedharder and more honestly this summer than for many a year past; Ibelieve he is beginning to be a reformed character. "

"How long will it take to reform him?" asked Phil, laughing; butKatherine could only shake her head and say she did not know. 

The gulls were riding on the crests of the waves, or skimming soclosely down on the water that it was hard to know whether theywere swimming or flying; and long strings of geese overhead allheaded southward showed plainly that summer was on the wane. Allthese things Katherine took note of as she pulled across the choppywater to Fort Garry, only now they did not sadden her as two daysago they would have done. Hope had shone into her life again, aheavy burden had been lifted, and it seemed to her that she couldnever again feel quite so sorrowful and worn down as she had donesometimes during the last few months. 

"Hurrah! Safely arrived!" she exclaimed, as the boat grounded onthe pebbly beach in front of the old blockhouse, which looked evengrimmer and uglier on this grey day than when the sun shone downupon it. 

"Good morning, Miss Radford! Now, I wonder who told you how badlyI needed a woman of some sort to happen along this morning?" saidPeter M'Crawney, coming out from the stockade on which the housewas built, and advancing to meet Katherine, who was coming up fromthe shore with a great bundle of pelts on each shoulder, whilePhil, laden in similar fashion, walked behind. 

"Does that mean that Mrs. M'Crawney is ill again?" Katherine asked. 

Peter shrugged his shoulders. "She is desperate uneasy in hermind, poor lass, and as hard to live with as a houseful ofmosquitoes, which it is lucky I haven't got, or I should be forcedto drown myself to keep from going out of my mind. "

"Not so bad as that, I hope, " Katherine said with a laugh, andinstantly resolved that it would be her duty to stay an hour withthe poor woman, who pined so much because of the solitude in whichher life was cast. 

"It is pretty bad anyhow, " he growled, a frown coming over hisface. He was a fairly patient man, all things considered, but hisdomestic tribulations were greater than anyone knew or even guessedat. 

Katherine turned an anxious eye towards the sky before going in atthe house door. If she could start back in anything under aquarter of an hour she might hope to go as she had come, with notmuch extra labour nor fatigue; but an hour or perhaps an hour and ahalf hence it would be very different. The storm was comingslowly, but when rough weather came like that it had a trick oflasting sometimes for several days. However, if the worst came tothe worst, she could always skirt the shore, and, consoling herselfwith this thought, she entered the house, leaving M'Crawney andPhil to unload the pelts and bring them up from the boat. 

The miserable, neglected look of the house struck Katherine first. Peter was not great at housework, while the half-breed, Simon, wholived with them, helped with the trapping in winter, and did alittle of all sorts of work, was rather less clean and tidy in hisways than even Peter. The sight of the dusty, ill-kept roomirritated Katherine. Last night's supper dishes still littered thetable, and had probably served for breakfast dishes as well. Whatwas the use of wasting her time in trying to console a woman who soneglected her home, and the privileges of home-making that camewith it? For a few minutes she felt disposed to turn back withonly a five minutes' civil talk. But there was one's duty to one'sneighbour--and that is a more important duty in isolated placesthan in more crowded centres. 

Then an idea flashed into her mind. If by any means she couldcontrive to make Mrs. M'Crawney ashamed of herself, it might bemore useful than medicine, might even work a cure, in fact; andthat would be something worth doing, even though it entailedskirting the shore all the way home. To think was to act. Whisking off her coat and hat, she rolled up her sleeves, and forwant of an apron pinned a big towel round her; a very dirty towelit was too, but something she must have to protect her frock, andit had to be the towel or nothing. 

First, with plenty of noise and clatter, she piled the dirtycrockery ready for washing, and, filling the stove with wood, set akettle of water on to get hot. This done, she flung door andwindow wide, and proceeded to sweep the room. By the amount of dustshe raised she judged that it must have been at least a week, perhaps a fortnight, since it was swept last. 

Of all the work in the world she hated sweeping most, declaring toherself that doing a portage in blazing sunshine, with a load offurs on one's back, was play to sweeping. The dust got on herface, it walked up her nostrils and down her throat, making herfeel as if she must in self-defence throw down her broom and flyoutside, where the clean, strong wind was blowing. But it was notlike her to give up, when once she had set her hand to anything; soshe finished the sweeping, then fled outside to let the dust blowaway from her face and hair while the thick atmosphere in the roomshe had left cleared enough to admit of the next set of operations. 

Peter M'Crawney was talking to Phil on the other side of the fence, and from several inarticulate growls which reached her ears shejudged that Simon must be there too. Then she heard Phil start ona description of what had taken place at the captain's reception onthe ocean-going steamer, and judged herself safe for another tenminutes, for well she knew that he would not spare them fulldetails, especially of the monkey trick he had played on Nick Jones. 

In ten minutes one could do a great deal if one tried; so backagain she hurried, and set to work dusting the furniture with anold cotton jacket of Peter's, because she could find no duster. The buttons got in the way sometimes, but that was a minor detail, and it did not do to be over-particular about trifles when one wasin a hurry. The dusting was done, and she had started work on thedirty dishes, when the door of the inner room came open with ajerk, and Mrs. M'Crawney, very much in undress, poked her head out. 

"Miss Radford, is it you?" she cried in profound astonishment. "Icouldn't think what the noise was out here. If it had been night Ishould have settled it in my own mind that Peter and Simon had beenhaving too much to drink, though no two men could be more soberthan they are. "

"A good thing they are, for there must be terrible temptations formen living in such discomfort to drown their troubles in strongdrink, " Katherine answered severely. Then she asked in a morekindly tone: "Do you feel better this morning?"

"Oh, I am well enough, thank you! It isn't my body; bodies don'tmatter unless they ache, which mine doesn't, the saints bepraised!" Mrs. M'Crawney exclaimed with pious fervour, as sheemerged from her bedroom and seated herself in all her squaliduntidiness on the nearest chair. 

"If it is not your body, what is it, then? Do you think you aregoing out of your mind?" demanded Katherine sharply; and turningfrom her dish-washing, she treated the woman to a calm appraisingstare, which took in every detail, from the unbrushed hairstraggling over the ragged nightdress to the unwashed, naked feet. 

"Going out of my mind?" screamed Mrs. M'Crawney in furiousindignation. "Indeed no! I've got my wits as well as you've gotyour own, Miss Katherine Radford; more so, I should say, for I havea deal too much sense to go slaving myself to death doing work thatno one is likely to say 'thank you' for. "

Katherine laughed merrily: "Don't be too sure of that. I expectthat you will be saying 'thank you' presently, when you are washedand dressed; it makes such a difference when one's hair is tidy!If you will go into your room again I will bring you some hot waterin a minute. But I can hear my brother Phil coming, and he is sucha dreadful mimic that he will be taking you off for the benefit ofSeal Cove to-morrow, in spite of all that I can do to stop him. "

Mrs. M'Crawney vanished with all speed, the hint about being madefun of being more powerful to move her than anything else wouldhave been. 

Katherine carried in the hot water and tried not to see how badlythe bedroom needed sweeping also. She had no more time for heavyhousework that day, nor did she deem it a duty to waste herstrength on labour which the Irishwoman was equally well able toperform. Peter had come in when she returned to the outer room, and was looking about him as if scarcely able to believe theevidence of his own eyes. 

"Well, if it don't beat everything!" he exclaimed, then strode overto the shelf and examined the books, which Katherine had beencareful to dust. "You've taken the dust off the books too! Iexpect you found it rather thick on 'em, didn't you? I don't thinkit has been rubbed off 'em these six months past. "

"Just what I thought!" she retorted, scrubbing the table with greatenergy. "But I hope you don't expect me to pity you for that. Aman who can read books ought to know how to dust them. "

"I hadn't thought of doing it myself, that's a fact; but they lookreal nice now, " he said admiringly. And he was wheeling round topay Katherine a compliment from another direction, when the bedroomdoor opened again, and a surprised: "Hullo! what's up?" burst fromhim. 

Even Katherine looked amazed, the transformation had been so rapid. Ten minutes ago a tousled, unclean creature, in a ragged nightgarment had disappeared, and now a clean-faced woman in a tidyfrock, and with tidy hair, came from the inner room. 

"It is like your impudence to be asking such personal questions asthat, " Mrs. M'Crawney retorted lightly, with a smile which showedher good-looking when she was not peevish. "But it is better I'mfeeling in myself, which is sure to come to the outside sooner orlater. Now, Miss Radford, dear, there's no call for you to goblacking that stove; I'll do it myself after you are gone. I'mjust dreadful obliged to you for what you've done, especially forsweeping the floor. I've a soul above sweeping, I have, and Ican't be always lowering myself to dirty work of that sort; it isdamaging to the morals, I find. "

Katherine laughed until the tears came into her eyes, then gaspedout in jerky tones: "It would be very bad for my morals to livewith floors unswept, and I think that is how most people feel. "

"Perhaps they do, but I was never the ordinary kind of woman; mymother always said I was sort of one by meself, and she was right. When Mrs. Burton was staying here, with them two blessed babies, Iused to marvel how she could laugh and carry on as she did, whilethe hungry sea as drowned her husband rocked at the very door ofthe house. Now, if it had been me, and my husband lay somewhereout there under the grey, heaving water, I could not have sung anddanced and played hop-scotch, blindman's buff, and things of thatsort, the same as she did. "

Katherine's lips took on a scornful curl, and there was anindignant light in her eyes as she retorted: "No, I expect if Mr. M'Crawney died you would wear crape a yard deep all round yourfrocks, and talk morning, noon, and night of how much you lovedhim. But I am quite sure that he would love you a great deal moreif you took the trouble to give him tidy rooms and well-cookedmeals. If I were a man I should just hate a woman who treated meas badly as you treat Mr. M'Crawney. "

"Hooray, you've got it now, and no mistake, old woman!" interjectedPeter, rubbing his hands in huge enjoyment of the scene. Katherinehad forgotten all about him, or it is possible she would not havespoken so plainly; as it was, at the sound of his laugh, she turnedwith a swift apology to Mrs. M'Crawney. 

"Please forgive me, I have no right to meddle in your concerns; butit just makes me feel wrathful to see you throwing away thehappiness you might have, and existing in such dirt and discomfort, when everything about you might be clean, sweet, and wholesome. "

Mrs. M'Crawney dropped into a rocking-chair and laughed in greatamusement. "Sure, it is as good as going to a theaytre to see youa-carrying on and lecturing me with the stormlight in your eyes. You are a very pretty girl anyhow, but when you are angry it isdownright lovely that you are. I'd forgive ye for a deal more thantelling the truth, if you'd only come a bit oftener and row me. "

"I say, Katherine, are you nearly ready to start?" asked Phil, putting his head in at the door. He had been with Simon to inspectsome tame wolf cubs; but, seeing that the weather was growing morethreatening, had decided that the sooner they got away from FortGarry the better. 

"Yes, I will be ready in two minutes, " Katherine answered; and, receiving payment for the pelts in a written order upon theCompany, which she tied in a bag round her neck for safety, shedrew on her coat, tied her hat securely on her head, and declaredherself ready to start. 

A fine rain was beginning to blur the sea like a fog, and sherealized that the journey before her might be a great deal worsethan she had expected. 

"Good-bye, my dear; a safe journey to you, and the best of luckalways!" exclaimed Mrs. M'Crawney, following her to the door. Then, seizing her in a bearlike embrace, the Irishwoman whispered:"It is downright ashamed of myself you've made me; and if I don'tdo better in future, then my name is not Juliana KathleenM'Crawney, and never has been!"

"Good-bye! We shall get home all right; don't worry about us, "Katherine answered bravely. 

"There is one comfort: we shan't need to wash our faces any moreto-day, though we may need a little drying, " remarked Phil, as theyrounded an angle of the coast and caught the full force of the wind. 

"It might be worse, for we are being blown along, " Katherinereplied, as she tugged at her oars and faced the driving rain. 

For three hours they toiled on, working their way from point topoint, skirting the swamps, and keeping in close under the alders. 

There was never real actual danger close inshore for anyone whounderstood the management of a boat, but the work was fearful, andKatherine was so near to exhaustion when she at last pulled roundpast the shut-up house of Oily Dave, that she was thankful to letPhil take the oars and pull up the quieter waters of the river toRoaring Water Portage. 

"I wonder how Oily Dave likes being at the fishing to-day?" saidPhil, swaying himself to and fro and jerking the boat fearfullywith his short, uneven strokes. 

But Katherine, sitting in a huddled, wet heap on the opposite seat, did not answer. She was thinking of someone else who was at thefishing, and praying that he might be kept in safety and broughtback unharmed. 

CHAPTER XXVII

A Bearer of Evil Tidings

In was a very tired Katherine who awoke to face the work of thenext day. It was storming still, with a driving rain, so journeysof any kind were out of the question; and, yielding to the wisdomof Mrs. Burton, she remained in bed until nearly noon. Her armsached so badly that she could scarcely move them, her body wasweary in every part, and the long night had been hideous for her byreason of the nightmare dreams which broke her rest. Always itseemed when she fell asleep that she was tormented with visions ofJervis Ferrars struggling for his life in deep waters, falling frombeetling cliffs on to rugged rocks below, or being pursued byenraged and vindictive walruses across slippery places, where noone on two feet could hope to stand without falling. 

Even when she awoke the dreams haunted her still, and it was notuntil the new day came, and the rest of the household had gone totheir usual avocations, that any real sleep came to her. The twinswere singing when she awoke at noon; indeed, they almost alwayswere singing: but this morning it was a lilting baby song about"The sun is always shining, somewhere, somewhere", and Katherinetook heart as she listened, then rose and dressed in great haste, for it was years since she had remained in bed so late in the day, and she was wondering what the others were doing without her tohelp them. 

Miles was standing at the store door looking out across the riverwhen she entered by the other door from the living-room, and he wasso absorbed that he did not hear her come up behind him, and onlystarted when she put her hand on his arm to shake him intoattention. 

"What are you staring at?" she asked lightly. 

"Someone in oilskins has just rowed up and stopped over the riverat Mr. Selincourt's. It looked like Oily Dave, but Phil said lastnight that he was away at the fishing, " Miles answered, as heturned back into the store. 

"So he was, " said Katherine. "There was the usual legend in hisdirty windows that all drinks must wait until he came back, whichis a fearful temptation to temperance people to wish that he wouldnever come back at all. "

"His sort is sure to turn up safe and sound, no matter how greatthe danger; it is the best and worthiest that never come back, "Miles said, so gloomily that Katherine took instant alarm. 

"What do you mean? Has any bad news come?" she asked, gripping atthe rough deal counter for support, and wondering how she would beable to bear it if he said yes. 

"Mr. Selincourt went down to Seal Cove this morning and looked inhere on his way back, " said Miles. "He wanted to see you, but wetold him that he could not; then he said that there was a good bitof worry about the boats. One was blown clean into the swamps lastnight, and will have to stick there until the weather is fineenough for her to be towed off, and another came ashore, badlydamaged, at the fish sheds; and he is afraid that some of the otherboats may have been driven on to the rocks. "

"The boats right out in the bay would be safe, wouldn't they?"Katherine asked, with fear in her eyes. 

"You never can say what will be safe in weather such as we had lastnight, " Miles answered; then he moved restlessly towards the doorof the store again, and stood looking out, eager to catch the manwhose boat was moored under the alders on the opposite bank of theriver, and to learn from him if there was news from the sea. 

Katherine sat down suddenly. It was as if someone had already beenin to say that a boat was wrecked. Disasters which were expectedalways came, so she told herself, and sat leaning her head againsta box of soap, the smell of which ever after suggested shipwreck toher. 

Ten minutes went past, then twenty minutes, and nearly half an hourhad gone before Miles cried out excitedly: "Here he comes down thepath; Mr. Selincourt is there too, without any hat, and it israining hard! Yes, it is Oily Dave, and there goes his hand up tohis mouth, just as if he were drinking!"

Katherine was at work by this time, packing stores into boxes, bags, and bundles, which would have to be carried over the longportage next day; but she left her task now and came round to thedoor, where she stood behind Miles and looked over his shoulder. 

"If Mr. Selincourt were not there I would go down and call to thefellow to come over, " said Miles impatiently. 

"No need, " rejoined Katherine quietly, "he is coming without anycalling; don't you see that he is turning his boat across theriver?"

Neither spoke after that until the boat grounded, and Oily Davestepped out on to the bank. 

"Miles, you must serve him with what he wants: don't call me; I--Iam going to be busy, " Katherine said hastily, then beat a rapidretreat from the door. But she only went to the corner where a lotof gay-coloured rugs were hanging, and stood there waiting to hearwhat Oily Dave might have to tell. 

How slowly he walked up from the bank! She could hear his heavyseaboots squelching through the mud, then the deep, grunting noisewhich always accompanied any of his movements. 

"Good morning!" said Miles curtly, as the squelching boots crossedthe threshold. 

"I don't call it a good morning, " snarled Oily Dave. 

Katherine drew yet closer into the shadow of the rugs, and clenchedher hands tightly to keep from screaming; something bad had got tobe told, she was sure, and she doubted her ability to bear it. 

"What is wrong?" asked Miles. 

"A good deal more than will ever be put right in this world, or thenext either, perhaps, " replied Oily Dave. "We are afraid the_Mary_ has gone down. "

"Ah!" The involuntary moan escaped the listener who was out ofsight, but Oily Dave did not hear, or at any rate he did not heed, and, after a brief pause, he went on:

"We was off Akimiski yesterday after walrus, but when it came on toblow we turned home, for there is no anchorage to run to there indirty weather, but plenty of rocks to fall foul of, which are notquite so pleasant. But we couldn't get home for a while, beingblown along the east coast of the island, with a lively chance ofbeing wrecked at any minute. We were beating along under the leeof the island when we saw a boat drifting bottom up, and when wehooked her we found she was the Mary's boat. "

"It sounds bad, but it does not spell disaster quite, because, don't you see? they might have lost their boat on the way out, "retorted Miles, in a defiant tone, which meant that he did notintend to believe bad news until it was proved beyond a doubt. 

"There was a water jar and a bag of biscuits tied to the thwarts, "replied Oily Dave. "It's true there wasn't nothing of the jar butthe handle, and the biscuits was pap, as was to be expected, butthe signs wasn't wanting of what had been taking place, don't yousee? If we'd found the boat with nothing in it we could have hopedthat it had just been washed adrift, and, though we should havebeen anxious, there would have been room left for hope, which incommon sense and reason there ain't now. "

"There is always room for hope until we know, " objected Miles. "Besides, Akimiski isn't the Twins by any means; why, they must befifty miles away, if not more. "

"Nearer seventy. But who is to say that they ever got so far asthe Twins? If they'd run into any sign of walrus on Akimiski onthe way out, they would stop there for certain, a bird in handbeing worth two in a bush any day in the week, and though all isfish that comes to our net, it is walrus we're keenest on, aseveryone knows. I've been to Mr. Selincourt with the news, and ithas about corked him up, poor gentleman! But the young lady wasworse still; she turned on me as spiteful as if I'd gone anddrowned the _Mary's_ crew myself. "

There was a deeply injured note in Oily Dave's tone now. Heevidently resented keenly the fact that his bad tidings had notreceived a more sympathetic hearing. 

"Who was on the _Mary_?" asked Miles. 

"The usual lot: Nick Jones, master, Stee Jenkin, Bobby Poole, andMr. Ferrars. A perfect Jonah that man is, and disaster followswherever he goes, " said Oily Dave, with a melancholy shake of hishead. 

"What do you mean?" demanded Miles, with a stare of surprise. 

"What I say, " retorted Oily Dave. "Mr. Selincourt sent him to me asa lodger; the river came down in flood and tried to drown him, andspoiled my house something fearful. Then he gets caught in atidehole, when out walking with his sweetheart, which MissSelincourt is, I suppose, though it passes me why a young lady withdollars same as she has got don't look higher than a fisherman. But the thing that strikes me is that the man must have donesomething pretty bad, somewhere back behind, for the waters to befollowing him round like this. "

"Look here! don't you think it is a pretty low-down thing to betaking a man's character away, directly there's a rumour goinground that he is dead?" asked Miles stormily. 

"I ain't taking away his character. I'm only saying that if he wasfated to drown it is a great pity that he wasn't left to drown inthe first place, seeing that it would have saved a lot of bother, and other precious lives also, " replied Oily Dave, with the lookand pose of a man who is bitterly misunderstood. 

"Why, you must be stark, staring mad to talk like this!" exclaimedMiles, in doubt whether to heave the nearest article on which hecould lay hands at the head of Oily Dave, or to pity him as alunatic. 

"I'm no more mad than you are, young 'un; but there's a deal ofwhat scholars call practical economy in me, and I can't bear wasteof no sort or kind, I can't. Why, when customers come to my hoteland leaves any liquor in their mugs, which is but seldom, I alwaysgoes and drains 'em down my own neck, to stop waste. And so I saysthat if Mr. Ferrars hadn't been saved that first time, we shouldhave been spared trouble since. "

"What trouble have you ever taken in the matter?" demanded Miles. 

"Didn't I risk my life, and wet myself to the skin, pulling him andMiss Selincourt out of the tidehole?" asked Oily Dave. "If youmisdoubt my word, ask your sister, who was there and helped as wellas a gal could, which isn't much anyhow. Well, there was threelives in danger that time, him, and me, and Miss Selincourt, and Idare say your sister got dampish at the feet. Now, this third andlast time, matters is a deal more serious still. Nick Jones leavesa widow, though she don't much count. Stee Jenkin leaves a widow, nice little woman too. Then there's the children, poor things, orphans afore they are big enough to earn a penny for themselves. Bobby Poole hadn't a wife certainly, but he would have had by andby, most likely. It is a bad business altogether. And now I wantsome tobacco. "

Oily Dave jerked out this last statement with a swift change oftone from mournful regret to cheerful business complacency, andMiles served him in silence, too saddened by the heavy tidings fromthe sea to break into resentful angry speech with this man, whoappeared devoid of either heart or feeling. Then the heavy bootssquelched out again, going towards the river bank, where thewaiting boat was tied to the mooring post. A moment of waiting tomake sure he did not return, and then Katherine, pale now as aghost, glided out from the shadow of the rugs. 

"Miles, dear, can you do without me for the rest of the day if needbe? I am going down river to poor Mrs. Jenkin, " she said, hervoice steady though strained. 

"I can manage; but look at the rain!" he exclaimed, swinging hishand towards the open door. 

"All the more reason why I should go to her, poor little woman, "Katherine answered, then passed with a quick step into the house, in search of garments to keep out the weather. 

Mrs. Burton was preparing the early dinner, and Katherine told herof the news Oily Dave had brought, speaking in quiet, mournfultones which yet lacked any note of personal loss. Not even toherself would she admit the sorrow at this time, or it would havebroken her down completely. Her instinct of going to comfortsomeone else was the outcome of the strife she was having not tocollapse in a miserable, selfish breakdown. 

Mrs. Burton turned white and shivered. Just so had her heavy newscome to her, and in her sympathy for Mrs. Jenkin her own woundsbled afresh. But Katherine could not stay to comfort her, theother poor woman needed it so much more. 

"Nellie, I am going down to Seal Cove, and if Mrs. Jenkin needs meI shall stay until the morning, " she said hurriedly. 

"That is good of you, dear, " sobbed the elder sister, and wouldhave said something more, only Katherine went out of the room sohastily that there was no chance. 

Poor Katherine had fled so precipitately through fear that Nellieshould say some word about Jervis, with possibly some commiserationfor Mary, and that just now would be a thing too hard to bear. Wrapping herself from neck to heels in a mackintosh coat, with acap of the same, Katherine got into her boat and pulled down riverthrough the driving rain. She rowed as fast as she could, not somuch from haste to be at the end of her journey as from a desire tohave no time to think. 

Tying her boat up at the foot of the path leading to Mrs. Jenkin'shouse, she climbed to the house door, slipping at every step. Amoment she paused before knocking, expecting to hear sobs andwailing from the inside; but instead there came a burst of childishlaughter and a great stamping of little feet, and then she heardMrs. Jenkin singing in a cheerful, if not very musical, voice: "Mylove is a soldier dressed in red". 

Katherine stood appalled. Was it possible that Oily Dave had nottold this poor woman of the trouble which had come to her? In thatcase she would have to break the heavy news herself, and at thethought she turned coward, and would gladly have slipped away againby the way she had come. 

Mrs. Jenkin reached the end of the verse, and shrill, childishvoices took up the chorus:

 "In red, in red, he's all in red, My love is a soldier dressed in red". 

Katherine stood listening while the chorus ended. Then Mrs. Jenkinstarted on afresh: "My love is a sailor clothed in blue". 

But this was too much, and Katherine, pushing the door hurriedlyopen, forgetting the small ceremony of knocking, crossed thethreshold and stood, a dripping figure, just inside the door. 

"My dear Miss Radford, what is the matter?" cried the little woman, jumping up in such a hurry that she upset the baby on to the floor, where he lay and yelled, more from consternation than because hewas hurt. 

Katherine hesitated. Where could she begin? But then, to hersurprise, Mrs. Jenkin burst out excitedly: "You surely haven't beenputting any belief in that story that Oily Dave has been goinground with this morning?"

"Isn't it true?" faltered Katherine; then, feeling suddenly weak, she dropped into the nearest seat, and tried to keep her lips fromquivering. 

"Did you ever know him speak the truth, the whole truth, andnothing but the truth?" demanded Mrs. Jenkin scornfully, as shepicked up the yelling infant and cuddled him into quiet again. 

"But the others were with him, Jean Doulais, and Mickey White, andthey found the boat of the _Mary_, " faltered Katherine, "What of that?" cried Mrs. Jenkin. "The _Mary_ had two boats, andone might easily have got adrift through accident. I laughed inhis face when he told about the water jar and the bag of biscuit. Nick Jones and Stee always keep water and biscuit in the littleboats when they are hoping for a whale, for sometimes it is a longchase, and then the men get just about worn out. "

"The fleet boats have been very safe so far, " remarked Katherine, trying to find comfort from the little woman's cheery front, yetrather failing. 

"Yes, the safest boats that go fishing in the bay, my man says, andhe reckons it is because they are so small and well built, " Mrs. Jenkin went on, plainly delighted to have a visitor, and evidentlynot much concerned about her husband's safety. "But slip that wetcoat off, dear, and come closer to the stove; this damp makes uschilly, and reminds us that winter will soon be sneaking up at theback of the wind. You surely are not out delivering goods on amorning like this?"

"No, I came because I was so sorry for you, " Katherine answeredsimply. 

"Now, that is the real sort of friendship, and I thank you with allmy heart, " said Mrs. Jenkin, patting Katherine on the shoulder witha hand that was not too clean. Then she issued a command to hereldest daughter: "Take Percival, Gwendoline, and do you and Valeriego and play on my bed; you can have a lovely time rolling round inthe blankets. "

Shrieks of delight greeted this suggestion, and the three grandlynamed but very dirty babies promptly retired to the next room, leaving their mother and the visitor in peace, if not in quiet. The walls of the little house were very thin, and rolling round inthe blankets appeared to be a very noisy pastime. 

"If I believed that the _Mary_ had gone down, it is a verymiserable woman I should be to-day, " said Mrs. Jenkin, who wasswaying gently in a rocking-chair, "for Stee is a good husband, though perhaps he hasn't always been as straight as he ought tohave been. But that was when Oily Dave was in power here. It islike master, like man, you know, and Stee is desperate easy led, either wrong or right. "

"If only we knew that the _Mary_ was safe!" moaned poor Katherine. 

"I should know if it wasn't, " Mrs. Jenkin answered confidently. Then she hesitated, turned very red in the face, and burst intoimpetuous speech: "I knew Stee was in danger that night last winterwhen he and Oily Dave went through the snow to steal goods fromyour cache, and the wolves set upon them. I perspired in sheerhorror that night, though I knew nothing about what was afoot, andI knelt praying on the floor till Stee came home with his clothesall torn, and told me what he had been through. Ah! that was adark and dreadful night; may I never see such another. "

"I do not think you will, " said Katherine softly. She spoke withconviction, too, for certainly Stee Jenkin had been a verydifferent individual since that time. 

Mrs. Jenkin wiped her eyes with a pinafore of Valerie's, whichhappened to lie handy. "I don't believe in that saying about lovebeing blind, " she remarked, with considerable energy. "I know thatI have been able to see Stee's faults plain enough, and yet he isall the world to me. Yes, dear, you had better be wed to a faultyman that you really love, than be tied up to an angel that youdon't love. "

Katherine rose and began to struggle into her long wet mackintosh. "I would have stayed if you had really needed me, " she said; "butall the while you can hope you are not to be pitied. "

"Thank you, thank you, Miss Radford, good of you to come, " said thelittle woman. Stee isn't dead yet, or I must have known it. Believe he has been in danger even. "

"If only I could feel like that!" murmured Katherine to herself, asshe went out into the driving rain once more. 

CHAPTER XXVIII

The Gladness

Six days went by. The weather had cleared as if by magic, abrilliant sun shone every day in a cloudless sky, and summer hadreturned again to cheer the northern land. But never a word hadcome from across the waste of grey, heaving waters, to let theanxious watchers at Seal Cove know whether the _Mary_ still lived, or whether her crew had really gone to the bottom from the littleboat which Oily Dave and his mates had found floating keel upwards. 

Mrs. Jenkin still preserved her attitude of determinedcheerfulness, and persisted in her belief that no harm had come tothe vessel or the men. But she was the only one who still hoped. Mrs. Jones, the wife of Nick Jones, a woman shunned by herneighbours, and of a disposition the reverse of friendly, hadalready put on black. Her mourning garments were of ancient make, for up-to-date mourning apparel was not regarded as one of thenecessaries of life, and so it was not stocked by the store atRoaring Water Portage. 

Mr. Selincourt said little, but it was easy to see how much hefeared, while Mary went about wearing such a look of bereavementthat the folk at Seal Cove were confirmed in their belief that somesort of engagement really had existed between her and the young manwho managed the business of the fishing fleet. 

Katherine, shielding herself behind this mistaken belief on thepart of other people, carried her sore heart bravely through thosedays of hoping against hope and sick apprehension. The only twopeople who even suspected her suffering were her brother Miles andMr. Selincourt; but neither gave any sign of understanding thatthere might be any personal sorrow hidden under her sympathy forMrs. Jenkin and the unpleasant Mrs. Jones. 

On the sixth day it became necessary for Katherine to do the longportage with supplies for the Indian encampment, which had aboutdoubled in population during the last two or three weeks. Therewas the usual bustle of getting off--the scampering of dogs backalong the portage path for fresh burdens, the shouting of Phil, andall the cheerful accompaniments of busy toil and work willinglydone. But Katherine did her part with a mechanical precision, forcing herself to this task and to that, yet feeling no zest orpleasure in anything. 

Although the days were so warm and sunny, the nights and earlymornings showed already a touch of frostiness, a chilly reminder ofthe winter that was coming; and Katherine was glad to wear a coateven while she was rowing, until the second portage had beenreached. Astor M'Kree met her himself this morning, his firstquestion being the one she most dreaded to hear. 

"Any news of the _Mary_ yet, Miss Radford?"

"No, " she answered sadly. "Mr. Selincourt's little flag washanging at half-mast when we started this morning. "

"If she has gone down, it is the first boat I've built that hascost a human life, that I know of, " he said, "and it makes me feelas if I should never have the courage to build another. I've gotone on the stocks, but I haven't touched her since this news cameup river. "

"But disasters at sea will come, do what you will, and the bestboat ever built would go to pieces on those Akimiski rocks, "Katherine said, trying to cheer him because he seemed so sad. 

"It isn't clear to me why they were on Akimiski at all, when it wasthe Twins they were making for, " he replied, in a gloomy tone. "Mr. Selincourt told me the other day that he believed it would bebetter if I did my boatbuilding down below the portages; but I saidno. There is no difficulty in taking the boats down when the riveris in flood, though of course it would not be possible now; andI've got the feeling that I like to take the first risk in themmyself. It is a queer sensation, I can tell you, to feel a boatcoming to life under your feet, and when I took the _Mary_ over thefalls it was just as if she jumped forward in sheer glee, when shefelt the swing and the rush of the water swirling round her sides. "

Katherine nodded, but did not speak. There was a rugged eloquenceabout the boatbuilder which always appealed to her, but thismorning it was almost more than she could bear. 

"Perhaps I will come in and see Mrs. M'Kree as I come back, but Imust hurry now, for I am anxious to get my business done and turnmy face homeward as soon as I can, " she said, after a little pause. "Father did not seem quite so well yesterday, and Nellie thinks itis the gloom of other people which has upset him. "

"Very likely: poor man, he'd be bound to be sensitive in unexpectedplaces; afflicted people mostly are. I will tell my wife you maybe in later; and look here, could you spare Phil to go to OchreLake swan-shooting this evening? My two lads and I are going, andit is always fun for a boy. I've got an old duck rifle he can use, and we'll send him down river in time to make himself usefulto-morrow morning. "

One glance at Phil's face was sufficient to make Katherine decideshe could do quite well without him when she got back over thesecond portage, and so it was arranged. 

The journey that day was got through sooner than usual, owingchiefly to Phil's tendency to "hustle" in order to be back in goodtime for the swan-shooting. He helped Katherine over the secondportage, and tumbled bundles of pelts and packages of dried fishinto the boat. Then, uttering a wild whoop of delight, he turnedhead over heels in the dried grass on the bank, and started backalong the portage path to the boatbuilder's house at a run. 

Being in good time, Katherine did not trouble to row herself downriver, but, pushing the boat out in midstream, let it drift on thecurrent. It was a great luxury to be alone--to let her face takeon the saddest expression it could assume, to let her hands dropidly on her lap, while for a brief space she let her grief havesway. She was thinking of the day when Jervis had come over theportage to meet her, and she had been so late that he was obligedto go back before she came. What had he come to say to her thatday?

This was the question which had ceaselessly tortured Katherinethrough the days and nights since Oily Dave had brought the badnews about the _Mary_. Her heart whispered that he might have comethat day to ask her to marry him, but she was not sure. If shecould have been certain of this, then it seemed to her the worst ofher suffering would have been removed, because then she would havehad some shadow of a right to mourn for him. 

But there was the portage looming in sight, and she could hear thewater rushing round the bend in the river and over the falls. Thenshe turned round in the boat, and, taking up the oars, prepared torow in to the boathouse. 

A figure, partly hidden by the cottonwood and the alders, steppedforward at this moment and prepared to moor the boat for her. 

Was it instinct that made her turn her head then, or was she merelylooking to see how much farther she had to row in? A frightenedcry escaped her at what she saw, and the colour ebbed from herface, leaving it ghastly white. 

"Katherine, did you take me for a ghost?" asked the voice of JervisFerrars. 

"I think so, " she said faintly, then sent the boat with a jerkagainst the mooring post, where he tied it up for her. 

"Did you really think we had gone down, or had you the cheerfulfaith of Mrs. Jenkin?"

"I--I am afraid that I had no faith at all, " she said with aneffort, and never guessed how complete was her self-betrayal. 

He looked at her keenly, was apparently satisfied with what he saw, then said cheerfully: "Will you row me up to Astor M'Kree's, or, rather, permit me to row you? I want to go and assure him that the_Mary_ is quite safe, and the soundest boat that ever sailed theBay. Shall we leave this luggage here, or row it up river for thesake of having a load?"

"Rowing is quite sufficient exercise without having an unnecessaryload, " replied Katherine, with a shake of her head, as she handedhim the bundles to place on the bank. She was trembling so thatshe could hardly trust herself to speak, and was horribly afraid ofbreaking down like a schoolgirl, and crying from sheer joyfulness. 

When the bundles were all out, Jervis got in, took the oars, andsent the boat's head round for up river again, then pulled steadilyfor a few minutes without speaking. 

A boat is an awkward place for a person afflicted withself-consciousness. Katherine would have been thankful for someshelter in which to hide her face just then, but, having none, sherushed into nervous speech instead. 

"Were you in danger? Was the _Mary_ wrecked?" she asked, miserablyconscious of the unsteadiness of her voice, yet feeling altogethertoo nervous to remain silent. 

"No, " he said. "We have had a very easy and prosperous time, though, unfortunately, we lost one of our boats on the way out--theboat picked up by Oily Dave, which has made all the trouble. Wefell in with a lot of white porpoises; so the take has been avaluable one, and the men came home very well pleased with theventure: though Nick Jones felt his spirits rather dashed bymeeting his wife tricked out in mourning attire, and flying apennon of widowhood from the back of her bonnet. "

Katherine laughed: she could imagine the tragic figure Mrs. Jonesmust have looked, and the effect the sight would have on thesusceptible nerves of a Bay fisherman. Then she said hurriedly: "Ishall have great faith in Mrs. Jenkin's judgment after this, although I have wondered how she could be so persistently hopefulin the face of such evidence as we had. "

"And you yourself--how did you feel about it? Would it have madeany difference to you if I had gone under, dear?" he asked, with acaressing note in his tone that she had never heard there before. 

For answer she jerked her head round, staring at the tops of thepine trees, with the blue sky behind them, but seeing nothing andheeding nothing save the world of happiness which had suddenlyopened before her astonished eyes. 

It seemed a long time before any sound broke the silence save theregular splash of the oars, then Jervis said quietly: "Are youquite sure that you are not afraid to marry a poor man, Katherine?"

She looked at him with only a glance, then asked, a trifleunsteadily: "What do you mean?"

"Well, you might have looked higher, of course. I have told youhow miserably poor my people and I have been. Thanks to Mr. Selincourt, things are easier with me now; but there is a streak ofmodesty in me somewhere, and I have been afraid to ask for what Iwanted, " he said, with a certain wistfulness of intonation whichbrought Katherine's glance round again. 

"You need not have been afraid, " she said softly. 

"Because why?" he asked, in the tone of one who meant to beanswered. 

Katherine looked at the tops of the pine trees again, but, findingno help there, let her gaze drop to the dancing water, and finallyfaltered in a very low voice: "Because love is better than money, or that sort of thing. "

He bent forward until he could look into her downcast face, thensaid earnestly: "You mean, then, it makes no difference to you whatmy worldly position may chance to be?"

"Of course not; why should it?" she asked, her glance meeting hisnow in surprise at his earnestness. 

Their progress up river was rather slow after that, and it wassomething over an hour later before they reached the secondportage. Astor M'Kree had started for the swan-shooting by thattime, and there was only his delighted wife to scream with joyfulrelief at the news, that the Mary was riding safely at anchor inthe river. 

"Poor Astor! He has been that down he could scarcely take hisfood, " said Mrs. M'Kree, wiping away the tears which sheerhappiness had brought into her eyes. 

"Get an extra big supper ready for him, then, for I expect you willfind his appetite has come back with a bounce, " said Jervis, laughing. "You can tell him from me to get on with that new boatas fast as he can, and we will name it the Katherine. "

"Are you joking?" asked Mrs. M'Kree, who had suddenly become veryserious, as she looked from Jervis to Katherine, whose face was astudy in blushes. 

"No, I am quite in earnest, " he answered. "But we must go now, forwe dumped a lot of fish out on the portage path, and I should notbe surprised if half the dogs in the neighbourhood are there, sampling it, when we get back. "

"I hope not, or my trouble in bringing it over the long portagewill all have been thrown away, " said Katherine, who could not helpsmiling at the bewilderment on the face of Mrs. M'Kree. 

There was no need to row going down the river; they just sat sideby side and let the boat drift on the current, while they talked ofthe present and the future. Katherine remembered her other journeydown, earlier in the afternoon, and the bitter, black misery whichhad kept her company then. 

[Illustration: Drifting down the river. ]

"What a difference things make in one's outlook!" she exclaimed. 

"What things?" he demanded. 

"I was thinking of when I let the boat drift down this afternoon, "she said. "The pine trees looked so gloomy then, and those great, black spruces yonder on the bank made me think of the decorationson funeral hearses years and years ago, the sort of thing one seesonly in pictures; but now----"

"What do they let you think of now?" he asked, holding her hand ina tighter clasp, as the boat swept slowly past the funereal spruces. 

"Oh! they make me think of the ornamental grounds in Montreal, orof the Swiss mountains which I see in visions when I dream I am'doing Europe', as the Yankees say, " and she laughed happily at herwild flights of fancy. 

"Would you like to do Europe--after we are married?" he asked, agravity coming into his tone that she could not understand. 

"Why worry about the impossible?" she said gently. "Books arecheap, if travel is not, and we will do our European travel sittingby a winter fire. "

"It might be possible some day; one never knows quite how thingsmay turn out, " he said gravely. Then he asked: "Did anyone tellyou that I came up river to see you that afternoon before we sailedfor the Twins?"

"Yes, " she answered, flushing as she remembered how much his visitand its purpose had been in her mind during those days of keenanxiety. 

"I came then to ask you the question I asked just now, " he saidslowly. "It has been in my heart to ask it ever since that day youhelped me across the ice, saving my life at the risk of your own. But I had my mother to support then, in part, and the burden on mewas too heavy for me to dare to put my personal happiness first. There was a letter for me in Mr. Selincourt's belated mail, however, that changed my outlook pretty considerably, and left mefree to do as I liked; so I came to you directly. "

"Do you mean----?" began Katherine, then stopped in some confusion. 

"Do I mean that I have only myself to keep now, were you going toask?" he said, laughing as he shifted his seat and took up the oarsto bring the boat in to the mooring post under the boathouse;"because that is just what I do mean. I have only myself to keepuntil I have the privilege of keeping you; and there will be nomore portage work for you then, I promise you. "

Katherine sprang ashore, whistled for the dogs, then turned to himwith a saucy air. "Don't be too positive about the portage work;fishermen do not exactly come under the heading of the leisuredclasses, and I may be glad to earn an honest dollar where I can. "

CHAPTER XXIX

Winter Again

Never had there been such excitement in Seal Cove and at RoaringWater Portage as when, following close on the safe return of theMary, the tidings leaked out that Jervis Ferrars was going to marryKatherine Radford. With a very few exceptions everyone wasdisappointed, for common consent had given him to Mary Selincourt, and Dame Rumour does not care to make mistakes. Some there werewho insisted that Mary Selincourt took the news badly, and lookedpale for days afterwards; but these were the very wise ones, whoalways knew everything without any telling, whom nothing surprised, and who were never taken unawares. 

Mr. Selincourt had himself rowed across the river directly thetidings reached him; for he was anxious to offer hiscongratulations, and to inform Katherine that he had expected itever since he had been at Roaring Water Portage. Katherine's eyesgrew suspiciously dim when he had gone: she was thinking of the daywhen he had taken her into his confidence about Mary's love affairwith Archie Raymond, and she guessed that he had told her onpurpose to prevent her putting any belief in the rumours flyingabout concerning Jervis and Mary. 

The person who was most surprised was Mrs. Burton. So keenlyremorseful was she, too, because of all the advice she had givenher sister about standing aside, that Katherine had to turncomforter, and assure the poor little woman that the well-meantcounsel had done no serious harm. But she shivered at theremembrance of how she had suffered; for the pain is always mostwearing that has to be crushed down out of sight of other people'seyes. 

It was the last week in September when the Selincourts sailed fromSeal Cove. Mary wanted to go south by river and trail, as they hadcome; but the weather was so stormy that it seemed better to get toMontreal with dry feet, if they could manage to do so. They werecoming back next summer to settle permanently; but before then abigger house would have to be built, and many changes were to takeplace on both sides of the river from Seal Cove to Roaring WaterPortage. 

Jervis had begged Katherine to marry him before the winter began, so that he might take the heaviest of her burdens on his ownshoulders. He was to live in Mr. Selincourt's house during thewinter, and it seemed to him an ideal arrangement, if onlyKatherine had been willing to live there too. But she could notselfishly take her own happiness while the others needed her somuch, and she steadily refused to even think of marriage until thespring came again. By that time Miles would be old enough toassume the government of affairs, and her father would not miss herpresence from the house so much when the bright, long days cameround again. 

Finding that he could not alter her resolution, and secretlyadmiring her all the more because of it, Jervis set himself to passthe months of waiting as best he could. This winter it was he whotaught the night school, thus relieving Katherine of what had beena heavy and sometimes very embarrassing burden. There were morescholars this year; for the river was crowded with boats, so manyfishermen who had formerly wintered at Marble Island preferring tocome south in order to begin work earlier in the spring. 

The snow came early, shutting them in a full two weeks sooner thanusual. But "early come early go" was the legend at Seal Cove, and, since the winter had to come, the sooner it was over and done withthe better. 

Idleness for the fishermen had been the rule in previous winters, and, as idleness is usually only another word for mischief anddissipation, the morals of the men had suffered seriously. Butnext summer had to be prepared for, and as there was money inplenty to pay for the work which had to be done, it seemed probablethat Mr. Selincourt's plans would be pushed forward as fast as hedesired. 

Astor M'Kree had set up a team of dogs and a sledge painted abrilliant blue, and in this equipage, or on snowshoes, he was upand down between his house and the bay several times in most days. Some of the fishermen were fairly expert carpenters, and thesefound the winter brought them as much work as the summer had done, with less risk and better pay. 

To Katherine the weeks of winter passed like a dream. Sometimesshe contrasted them with the dark, anxious weeks of the previouswinter, when the nightmare trouble about her father had firstdescended upon her. She was a keener business woman now than then, readier at buying and selling, quicker to see what was the rightthing to do under the circumstances of the moment; but her chiefaim this winter was to stand back and push Miles forward so thatother people might understand who was to be business chief of theestablishment in the future. Whenever Jervis could spare time tocome over the river and help Phil in the store, Katherine had Milesfor companion on the long journeys which were still necessary hereand there. 

It was pure comedy now when they went to the Indian encampment. The Indians of the bay shore could not be brought to believe that aperson could have any sound, reliable judgment on any subjectwhatever until he had done growing; so, when Katherine appealed toMiles regarding every skin offered in barter, the red men firstmocked. Then, however, they grew doubtful, and finally they veeredround to a respectful attitude towards the young tradesman whichMiles found very soothing. 

Mr. Selincourt had arranged for an intermittent postal servicebetween Maxohama and Seal Cove, to be carried on by Indians, duringthe winter. Two mails had safely reached the post office atRoaring Water Portage in this way; then three months passed withnever a word from the outside world reaching the little isolatedcolony on the bay shore, and the people thus cut off could notunderstand the reason why no tidings reached them. Then one daywhen Katherine and Miles had gone up to Ochre Lake, where a companyof Indians had made themselves winter quarters, they came upon aclue to the mystery of the missing mails. 

Ochre Lake was, as usual, frozen solid, except at one end, where anenormous quantity of fish was to be found. It was nearly the endof March, but as yet there was not the slightest prospect of thefrost breaking up. The nights were getting shorter, and the dayswere brilliant with sunshine, but it was only a cold brilliance asyet. 

The Indians had remained there all the winter, so they said, because there was such an abundance of fish for food. Their winterquarters consisted of holes, about four feet deep, dug in theearth, roofed over with spruce branches heaped with snow. Fireswere kindled in these lairs, and the people rarely came out savewhen driven to it by the necessity to catch fish for food. 

The day Katherine and Miles went to the encampment it wasgloriously fine, and for the first time that year the sun had realwarmth in it. This had induced some of the miserable creatures tocrawl out to the daylight, who perhaps had not been outside theholes for weeks. There was quite a crowd of children visible, andKatherine, whose heart always warmed to the pitiable littleobjects, with their mournful black eyes, produced a packet ofsweets, which speedily brought a swarm of youngsters round her, Doling the sweets out with strict impartiality, she noticed thatone child had a fragment of paper in its skinny hand. This waspuzzling, for the Indians were not given to education or culture inany shape or form, and the paper looked like a fragment from aletter, for she could plainly see writing upon it. 

With a sign to Miles to keep the elders busy, Katherine proceededto bribe the child to give up his dirty fragment of paper inexchange for the bag, which still had some sweets in it. 

When this was done, she told Miles to cut the business short, andthen they started for home. She had thrust the fragment of paperin her glove, and did not venture to look at it until they weremiles away from the lake, because she did not wish the Indians toknow that her curiosity had been aroused. But when the dogs haddropped into a walk, and were coming slowly up the hill at somedistance behind, she pulled off her glove and proceeded to examinethe dirty fragment. 

It was part of a letter, and directly she saw it she recognized thehandwriting as that of Mrs. Ferrars, the mother of Jervis. He hadshown her some of his mother's letters, and there was no mistakingthe regular, delicate handwriting. The paper was only written onon one side, and only two lines of the writing were legible:

 "--is very ill; you may be sent for now at any time. "

Katherine pondered over the dirty fragment with a very puzzledexpression. There were three ways of explaining the presence ofthat bit of paper at the encampment on Ochre Lake: it might havebeen stolen from Jervis by the Indians, when they came down to theCove; or the Indians coming up from Maxohama might have been robbedof the mails they were bringing by other Indians; or they mighthave perished in one of the winter storms, and the bags might havebeen found afterwards, and appropriated as justifiable treasuretrove. 

Katherine said nothing of all this to Miles; she wanted to speak toJervis about it first, for, of course, it might be only part of anold letter that he had lost, and of no importance at all to anyoneelse. If this were proved to be the case she would be greatlyrelieved. A whole host of misgivings had arisen in her heart onreading the words: "You may be sent for now at any time". IfJervis were to go away, what a blank it would make in her life! Ofcourse he would come back again, but the dreary months of hisabsence would be very hard to live through. 

She did not see Jervis that day until evening. He came in as usualwhen night school was over. Then all the family were gathered inthe one sitting-room the house contained, which left little chancefor private conversation of any kind; the boys went away to bedafter a time, taking their father with them, and then Mrs. Burtonwent to put her little girls to bed, and the lovers were alone forthe brief half-hour which was all the time they could get foruninterrupted talk on most days. Then Katherine produced thefragment, stated how she had discovered it, and asked a littleshyly if it were part of an old letter, or a bit of one he hadnever received. 

"I have never had it, of that I am quite certain, " he said, with avery grave look on his face. 

"Then who is ill? Is it one of your brothers?" she asked, with apainful throb at her heart; for something in his looks and hisexpression made her certain that if the summons came he would haveto go. 

"No, George and Fred are hard as nails; nothing is likely to ailthem, nor would their illness necessitate my going home. I expectit is Cousin Samuel who is ill, " Jervis answered, with a curioushesitancy of manner and a sort of constraint which made Katherine'sheart heavy as lead, although she held her head high and lookedprouder than ever. 

"What will you do?" she asked, and her tone was breathless, despiteher efforts to make her voice have merely a casual sound. 

"If Cousin Samuel dies I shall have to go to England, I suppose. He is the well-to-do member of our family, and his death would meanbusiness affairs to look after, " Jervis answered, as he surveyedthe scrap of paper, turning it over and over, as if to see if therewere anything on it that might have been missed. 

"Is he your cousin or your father's?" she asked. "Neither; he ismy grandfather's first cousin, a hard, cruel old man, with not anounce of charity, nor even ordinary kind-heartedness, in his wholecomposition, " Jervis answered in a hard tone. "I asked his help formy mother when she was left a widow, but he turned a deaf ear tothe plea, and left her to struggle on, to sink or swim as best shecould. "

"I see, " said Katherine, and now it was her voice which wasconstrained. Then she asked timidly: "If you go to England, whenwill you have to start?"

"That will depend upon you; for of course I am not going to Englandto leave you behind, that goes without saying, " he answered, in amasterful tone that set her heart throbbing wildly, only now it wasjoy, and not sorrow, that caused the emotion. "I must see what Ican do about getting a minister up here to marry us, " he went on;"then we should be ready to start directly the waters are open, ifneed should arise. "

"Wouldn't it be wiser to put off our wedding until you come back?It will cost you such a fearful lot to take me too, " she said, feeling that she must take a common-sense, prudent view of thesituation, although the prospect of going with him set her nervestingling with delight. 

"No, no, sweetheart, I am not going to leave you behind, " he said, holding her hand in a pressure that hurt her. "If I go to EnglandI will take my wife along with me; if that can't be managed I willstay where I am. "

Katherine laughed. "It is all very well to be so positive, but Idon't see how it is to be managed. It is one thing for me to marryand just go over the river to live, because then I can always cometo help when I am wanted, " she said, the mirth dying out of herface, and leaving it with a troubled look; "but it is quite anothermatter to marry and go straight away to England. "

"Nevertheless, it may have to be done, " he said; adding, with asmile: "Don't be so conceited as to think the world can't turnround without your help in pushing it. Here comes Mrs. Burton; letus ask her opinion. "

"Upon what?" said Nellie, who came out from the bedroom at thatmoment. 

"Upon our getting married at the very earliest opportunity andgoing to England afterwards on a honeymoon trip, if we feel soinclined, " replied Jervis promptly. 

Mrs. Burton looked considerably surprised, but she said quickly:"The trip would do Katherine a lot of good, if you can afford thetime and the expense, and we could spare her somehow. "

"Just my own opinion, " he answered, with a laugh. 

CHAPTER XXX

Preparations

The weeks slid past at a faster rate when the snow began to meltand the water came over the rapids with a roar, and a rush thatthreatened to sweep everything before it. Jervis went up to OchreLake a day or two after Katherine brought him that dirty fragmentof paper, and offered to buy any more of the same kind of thingwhich the Indians might happen to possess, and pay for it liberallywith tobacco. But no one appeared to know anything about thescrap, and no one had any more fragments to offer in barter, so hehad to go away with the mystery unsolved. Then a week later, whenKatherine and Miles went to the encampment with a sledgeload ofprovisions it was to find that the whole lot had vanished, leavingthe dug-outs, in which they had existed so long, deserted. Therewas no chance of tracing them, for the very next day it began tosnow again, and after two days of uninterrupted snowfall it beganto rain, and everyone realized that spring was coming. 

There had been no trouble on the score of 'Duke Radford's health inthis second winter. His mind was placid, though clouded still. Hewas gentle and affectionate, and easily pleased, and he played withthe two little girls as if he had been one of themselves. 

Katherine, watching him with anxious, loving eyes, noticed that nowhe clung to Nellie more than he did to her. At first this raisedan acute jealousy in her heart, for she was very human, and in hisdays of health and mental vigour her father had always clung mostto her; but a very little reflection brought her to see that thischange was really a matter for thankfulness, as he would not missher so much during her absence. It was good for Mrs. Burton, too;for the more there were to love and depend upon her the easier didshe find it to rise to the occasion, and be ready to meet all thedemands upon her. 

The great difficulty in arranging for an early marriage lay insecuring a minister to perform the ceremony. Directly the waterswere open, Jervis sent men with mails to Maxohama, withinstructions to bring back a clergyman with them--the bishop ifthey could get him; but if he were not available, that is, if hisspring visitation had not begun, then some other clergyman must besecured. He also sent a letter to Mr. Selincourt, urging thatgentleman's speedy return, stating as his reason the necessitythere might be for his own absence when the fishing commenced. 

When the men had gone there were other preparations to be setafoot, and, although five weeks might possibly elapse before themen returned with the clergyman, arrangements for the ceremony hadto be set about without delay, because there was so much to be done. 

A wedding in that out-of-the-way place was such an extraordinaryoccasion that everyone at Seal Cove and Roaring Water Portage wouldexpect an invitation, so preparations must be made to welcome andentertain the entire population. Katherine would have muchpreferred to be quietly married in their sitting-room, with no onebut her own people to look at her; but Mrs. Burton protested loudlyat this, and even Jervis took sides with her, saying that everyonewould surely be disappointed if shut out. 

"But you don't mean to ask everyone?" exclaimed Katherine. 

"I expect everyone will want to come, " Jervis replied, with a shrugof his broad shoulders. 

"Do you mean to ask Oily Dave, Bobby Poole, and all that lot?" shecried in dismay. 

"If they will come I shall be delighted to see them, " he answeredgravely. 

"But Oily Dave----" she began, then stopped as if she had no wordsadequate to the expression of her feelings. 

"Tried to kill me once, were you going to say? I know he did. Butperhaps if he had not fastened me in, to drown like a rat in ahole, you would not have come to rescue me; and as that fact somuch out-balances the other, why, I feel rather in Oily Dave's debtthan otherwise. "

It was the Sunday after the men had started with the mail forMaxohama, and Jervis was walking with Katherine in the woods abovethe first portage, while the laughing chuckle of the ptarmigansounded on all sides. 

Katherine began to smile at the figure her wedding guests might beexpected to cut, then cried out in alarm: "Oh dear, whatever shallwe do if the bishop comes, as you have asked? What will he thinkof such a mixed medley of folks?"

"I have no doubt that he will think it a fine opportunity forpreaching a sermon, and, as he is really a very eloquent man, he issure to be worth listening to, " Jervis said quietly. 

"There is one thing Nellie and I can't agree about, and I want youto settle it for me, " she said, facing round upon him with a suddengravity which surprised him, because she had been laughing only amoment before. 

"What is it?" he asked. 

"Nellie wants to take French leave and borrow Mr. Selincourt's newhouse for the wedding; but I should hate it!" she exclaimedvehemently. 

"There is no need--besides, Mr. Selincourt will probably be here. Why not use the store? Your stocks of goods are nearly at theirlowest, and the people that could not get inside could stayoutside, " he said. 

Katherine drew a long breath of relief; then she said softly:"Thank you; I thought you would not disappoint me. You never have;I do not think you ever will. But Nellie said--"

"Yes, what did she say?" he asked, his voice very gentle now, as ifhe understood something of the trouble and diffidence which laybehind. 

"Nellie said that you would not care to be married in a countrystore, with cheese and bacon and all that sort of thing about. Sheand Ted Burton were married so, but that was different, " Katherineanswered jerkily. 

"The store seems to me an ideal place for the ceremony, seeing thatwe have no church. How do you feel about it yourself?" he askedabruptly. 

"I should prefer it there. Only, I wanted to be sure you would notmind, " she said, flinging her head up with a proud gesture, although the laughing light had come back to her eyes. 

"I think, my dear, that the man who marries you will be sosupremely fortunate that it will matter nothing whether theceremony is performed in a cathedral or an Indian dug-out, " hesaid, with a gravity that showed the words to be no emptycompliment, but the sincere expression of what he felt. 

Katherine's lips quivered, but it was a day for smiles, not tears;so she laughed in the nervous fashion with which she was apt tocloak all deep emotion, and said: "I suppose the store may beregarded as the middle way between the cathedral and the dug-out;anyhow, it will be cleaner than the latter by a good long way. Ishall tell Nellie to-night that you are quite satisfied to bemarried in the store, and then perhaps her scruples will vanish. "

"We will hope so, at all events, " he answered. "The easiest way toissue invitations will be to chalk a notice on the board outsidethe store, inviting anyone who wishes to be present at the weddingof Miss Katherine Radford with Jervis Ferrars, date to be fixedlater on. That had better be attended to to-morrow, so that theintending guests may have time to get their finery all inreadiness. "

"Oh, what finery it will be!" exclaimed Katherine, with a ripple ofamused laughter. "There will be the oddest assortment of garmentsthat anyone can imagine. I believe Oily Dave possesses a 'top'hat, and that will be certain to appear. "

"Never mind; we shall survive, I dare say, and so will the bishopif he comes, " Jervis answered; and then the talk of the twowandered on to the golden future which they were to spend together, while the glad sunshine filtered down upon them through the pineboughs, and the world was a joyous place because of the love whichmade everything beautiful. 

Jervis chalked the general invitation to the wedding on the boardoutside the store next day, and great was the satisfaction whichthe announcement produced. If everyone was invited, then no onefelt left out in the cold; and immediately there ensued a greatbustle of preparation for the function, which certainly would bethe event of the year to the dwellers on the bay shore. 

Katherine and Mrs. Burton were busier than anyone, for they had thestore to spring-clean, and that was a task calling for hard workand careful management. There was also the question of weddinggarments; but these, in consideration of the limited stock ofmaterials at their disposal, could not amount to much. For abridal dress, Katherine had decided on a white embroidered muslinwhich had been her one extravagance when she was in Montreal, andwhich was made with a high neck and long sleeves. Sometimes shewondered if embroidered muslin were quite the right material forthe wedding dress of a fisherman's wife; but as she had no otherfrock which would serve, it had to be that or nothing. 

The days slipped away one by one, and at last they were watchinghourly for the return of the men who had been sent to Maxohama forthe clergyman. It was a glorious day early in June when Katherine, who had been over to Fort Garry with Phil, was rowing up the backcreek, and came suddenly upon quite a procession of small boatswhich was passing up river. 

"Hurrah! It is Mr. Selincourt!" yelled Phil, pulling off his capand waving it like mad. 

"And Mary!" exclaimed Katherine, who suddenly went rosy red, for inthe last boat of all was an elderly man, with a kind face and aclerical air, whom she instantly recognized as the bishop from thedescription Jervis had given her of him. 

"Katherine, Katherine, how bonny you look!" cried Mary, and thenthe boats came nearer together, and greetings became general. 

Katherine was introduced to the bishop, who bowed and smiled in akindly fashion, although introductions at fifteen or twenty yardsapart are rather awkward affairs. Then Mary insisted on beingtransferred to Katherine's boat, and as unceremoniously orderedPhil to occupy the place she was leaving. 

"Oh, my dear, I am glad to be back again!" she cried, as shesettled herself on the seat from which she had just turned Phil. 

"We are very glad to see you back, " Katherine answered soberly. The sight of the bishop had set her pulses fluttering wildly, andshe was hardly mistress of herself again, as yet. 

"The journey has been delightful, " Mary rattled on, understandingthe cause of Katherine's fluctuating colour, and anxious to giveher time to recover from her confusion. "We are such a largeparty, too, that it has been like a perpetual picnic, with only twodrawbacks which really mattered. "

"What were they?" asked Katherine, supposing the drawbacks to besome item of portage discomfort, or rainstorms which came at thewrong time. 

"The first was a horrid little man, a Mr. Clay, who has come allthe way from England to see Mr. Ferrars, and begged to be allowedto attach himself to our party. A perfect little kill-joy he is, so prim, so proper and precise, that one is tempted to believe hemust have been born a grown-up, and so has had no childhood at all. "

"Where is he now? I did not notice that there was another strangerbeside the bishop, " said Katherine, turning her head to look at theother boats, which were leading. 

"We left him behind at the fish sheds with Mr. Ferrars, " saidMary. "He has his own boat and his own men. He turns hisaristocratic little nose up at everything Canadian, and loudlypities anyone who is fated to live two or three hundred miles froma railway depot. But he apparently has the most utter admirationfor Mr. Ferrars, and the fright he was in the day we found thebones was, I am quite sure, entirely due to a fear he had lest itwas Mr. Ferrars who had come to grief. "

"What bones, and where did you find them?" asked Katherine, with astart. 

Mary shrugged her shoulders and answered: "Two days ago we did aportage on the Albany, and came, at camping time, upon the gruesomespectacle of two skeletons lying side by side under a littleshelter formed of snowshoes and spruce boughs. We supposed thatthey must have been the Indians dispatched from Maxohama months agowith mails, only there were no mail bags, and no food bags either;so, of course, they might have been only ordinary Indians on ajourney. Our portage men insisted that the remains were those ofIndians, to the intense relief of Mr. Clay. The poor man wasplainly in a great state of worry about the remains, and keptquestioning Father as to whether there would be any likelihood ofMr. Ferrars trying to work his way down to the railroad inmidwinter. "

"I should think those Indians must have been the men who werebringing the mail, and probably they were caught in a snowstorm anddied in their sleep, " said Katherine. 

"In that case what had become of the mail bags and the food sacks?"asked Mary. 

"Stolen, doubtless, by other Indians, " replied Katherine, who thentold Mary of the discovery she had made of the fragment of a letterin the hands of a child at the Ochre Lake encampment. 

"So you never had that mail? Oh, you poor things, what a long timeyou have been without any news of the outside world!" cried Mary. 

"But we have survived it, you see, " Katherine answered with alaugh. Then she asked Mary if she would not like to be rowed tothe store first, before going to inspect the new house. 

"Yes, please; I want to see your father and Mrs. Burton, to saynothing of the twins and Miles, " Mary answered eagerly. Then shesaid, with a wistful note in her voice: "You will let me bebridesmaid tomorrow?"

"To-morrow?" repeated Katherine in surprise. Then, blushingvividly, she answered: "But I am not sure that it will beto-morrow. "

"I am, " replied Mary calmly, "for the simple reason that the bishopstarts the day after for Marble Island, which he hopes to reachbefore the whalers are all broken out of the ice. Father is goingto send him up the bay in the best available boat. You will let mebe bridesmaid, won't you?"

"If you wish, certainly, " said Katherine; then the boat bumpedagainst the mooring post and was made fast, after which the twogirls walked up to the store together. 

'Duke Radford was sitting in the sunshine, looking dreamily outover the river, which at this time of the year was at its widestand highest. He rose with a pleased exclamation when Mary cameinto view, and took off his hat with a courtly air. 

"I remember you quite well, and your coming always used to make mehappy, but I have forgotten your name, " he said, apologetically. 

"Call me Mary; it is easy to remember, " she answered in a gentletone. Then she stayed in the sunshine talking to him, until Mrs. Burton and the twins rushed out to carry her off by force. 

It was Miles who rowed Mary over the river, for a fit of shynesscame upon Katherine, and she was not visible to many people excepther own family for the remainder of that day. Jervis came over inthe evening, and there was a troubled look on his face whichKatherine noticed at once. 

"Is something wrong?" she asked, a chill of fear creeping into herheart lest even at this eleventh hour something was coming to standbetween her and her happiness. 

"I have only had a few more cares and responsibilities dumped uponme than I had bargained for, " he answered. "Do you feel equal tohelping me to bear them?"

"Of course, " she answered brightly. 

"Did they tell you about Mr. Clay's arrival?" he asked, holding herhands, and looking down into her face with an expression she couldby no means fathom. 

"Yes; Mary told me about him. She said he was a horrid little man. Is it true?" Katherine asked, smiling at the remembrance of Mary'senergetic utterances. 

"I think he means to be very kind, " Jervis answered; "but thejourney has got on his nerves rather. However, I helped him to ahot bath, and now he has gone to bed in a happier frame of mind;and he wants to be best man to-morrow, so I have squared matterswith Miles. Do you mind?"

"Of course not, " she answered brightly, thrusting back the feelingof not wanting any more strangers to intrude themselves into thatholy of holies which was to take place to-morrow. 

"Mr. Clay is the----I mean, he is a friend of the family, and hehas been good to my mother, " Jervis went on, a curious air ofconstraint showing itself in him, which might have been due tonervousness, although he was not wont to be troubled in thatfashion. "Cousin Samuel died in February, and affairs have been atsixes and sevens since, wanting my presence in England. "

"You will have to go, then?" she asked quickly. 

"We must start next week, I think, " he answered, with an emphasison the pronoun that set her heart at rest. "Mr. Clay is going onto Marble Island with the bishop to-morrow. He wants to see ifthere is any boat there which will serve to take us round toHalifax when the Strait is open. If not, we shall have to go byriver and trail to Maxohama; but I want to spare you that fatigueif I can, for you have done quite enough portage work already. "

"I would just as soon face the portages as the sea-sickness whichwill inevitably be my portion going through the Strait, " sheanswered, with a laugh. "But where do the troubles come in, Jervis? Did your cousin die poor?"

"Time enough to hear about the troubles when to-morrow comes. I amnot going to worry you with them to-night. "

CHAPTER XXXI

The Wedding

The day was as gloriously fine as the most exacting of brides couldhave wished for, and by noon the company were beginning to assemble. 

Some of the fishing boats were away, which was disappointing forthe crews, although it is a little difficult to imagine how oneextra person could have been squeezed into the congregation whichlater on crowded the store. 

Jervis came over the river very early in the morning, and, with thehelp of Miles and Phil, got the store ready to serve as a churchfor the occasion. Pails of lard with boards laid across served forseats in the centre of the floor; barrels of pork, of beans, and offlour made a sort of dais or high seat all round the walls, onwhich the boys and the younger men might be accommodated. Rather aprecarious kind of seat this was, as barrel heads were apt to giveway, and then the luckless individual would be smothered with flouror bespattered with brine. 

Mary also came across early, to help to dress the bride, and hermood was so wildly hilarious that Mrs. Burton felt it necessary togently reprove her. 

"Of course it is right to be happy and cheerful at a wedding, butthere is always a strain of sadness somewhere to keep our spiritseven. And we can't forget that Katherine is to go to England nextweek. "

"But she will be glad to go, and glad to come back; no one wants tostay in one place all her life, in these gadabout days, " Maryanswered. Then she produced a box and bade Katherine admire whatshe had brought her. 

"I felt when I bought it that it was shockingly unsuitable, " Marysaid, laughing, as from the folds of soft white paper she liftedout a square of exquisite lace for a bridal veil, and flung it overKatherine's hair. "But plainly I have the eye of a seer, and Iimagined you standing up to be married in a sailor hat, orsomething equally unsuitable, and it was not to be endured. "

"How lovely!" sighed Mrs. Burton, in an ecstasy of admiration. ButKatherine said nothing at all; her heart was too full for speech, and she was thinking of last summer, when it had seemed right thatshe should stand aside to let Mary have the happiness she wantedfor herself. Things had changed so much since then that it seemedscarcely possible that she could have had to bear so manyheartaches. 

At this moment one of the twins burst into the room with theinformation that the bishop had arrived, and Katherine, walkinglike one in a dream, went out from her chamber and crossed thehomely kitchen to the store. 

A murmur went round the crowded place as she entered. Heretoforeshe had been to them a good, hard-working girl, with pleasantmanners and a pretty face. They had seen her staggering along theportage paths laden with heavy burdens; they had seen herstruggling to row a boat up river against a strong current; theyhad met her dripping with wet, or covered with frost, like anEsquimaux: but this stately girl with the beautiful face, clad inher white bridal robe, and with Mary's veil over her shining hair, was a revelation to them, and it was Oily Dave who voiced theopinion of the assembly when he exclaimed in a very audible tone:"My word, but ain't she a stunner!"

He was sitting in the very front row, as if he were the mostintimate and faithful friend the family possessed. He held histreasured "top" hat carefully in front of him, as if it were acollecting bag, and he were about to take the offertory. For therest, his costume was something of a mixture: a football sweaterwith broad stripes, a Norfolk jacket, dungaree trousers, and afisherman's long boots made him a striking figure even in thatcompany of mixed costumes. He was as self-satisfied and complacentas if he had never planned evil deeds and tried to carry them out, while the benevolence with which he smiled upon the wedding partymight have led one to suppose they had no more tried or trustedfriend than he. 

Katherine was conscious of the critical, appraising glances of thetrim little gentleman who stood by the side of Jervis, and theymade her vaguely uncomfortable, coming between her and the mellowutterances of the bishop in his opening address. But she forgotMr. Clay and his searching looks after a time, and was sensibleonly of the love which wrapped her round when Miles, at a sign fromthe bishop, took Katherine's hand, and, placing it in that of hisfather, whispered to him to give it to Jervis. 

'Duke Radford, standing erect, his fine figure head and shoulderstaller than those around him, except the bridegroom, smiled roundon the assembly, stood holding Katherine's ungloved hand, softlystroking and patting it, until Jervis reached forward to take it, when he relinquished it with a smile and a nod, quite satisfied tohave it so. 

The register was signed in the kitchen, and it was there that therevelation took place which came as a thunderclap of surprise toeveryone concerned, except Jervis and Mr. Clay, the latter of whom, when the bishop's part of the ceremony was done, took the remainderupon himself, and proceeded to make his explanations in a voicewhich Mary declared made her think of musty parchments and red tape. 

He addressed himself to Katherine, bowing so profoundly that it waswonderful he was able to return to a perpendicular position withoutcatching hold of something with which to pull himself up. "I haveto congratulate you on becoming the Countess of Compton, and I amquite certain the title was never worn by one more worthy to adornit. "

Katherine shrank a step nearer to her husband, and there was a lookof positive fear in her eyes, for privately she thought Mr. Claymust be mad. "I do not understand you, " she said gently, and thesilence in the kitchen was so profound, as they waited for Mr. Clay's reply, that the buzz of talk which had broken out in thecrowded store seemed tremendously loud by contrast. 

Mr. Clay cleared his throat with a dry little cough, intended toemphasize the importance of the remarks which he had to make, thenhe said: "Lord Compton insisted last night that no word should bespoken concerning his accession to the title until after theceremony of to-day; but now it must be known, and I have to informyou that your husband has been seventh Earl of Compton since the18th of February last, only it seems he did not know of hiscousin's death until yesterday, when I arrived with papers for himto sign. "

Katherine became very pale, and turned with a quick movement toJervis, who stood looking down upon her with a smile. "Even now Ido not understand; please tell me, " she said, with a bewilderedexpression. 

"My cousin Samuel was the sixth earl, " said Jervis, taking hiswife's hand and talking to her in the same quietly confidentialtone that he might have used had they two been alone, instead ofthe centre figures of a crowded room. "My father was the son ofthe younger son, with three lives between him and the title. As Ihave told you, Samuel, old Lord Compton, was very cruel to mymother in her widowhood, and I hotly determined never to haveanything to do with him. Then his son and his grandson died withina few weeks of each other, and Mr. Clay, who is the family lawyer, wrote to me telling me that I was the next heir, and Cousin Samuelwanted me to go home and take up the duties of my new position. That letter came last summer, but I would not go, and I would notaccept an allowance for myself; but I asked for one for my mother, and education for my brothers. I have not deceived you, mydearest. I have only withheld from you facts which did not matteruntil now. "

Katherine flushed and then grew pale; she knew that all eyes wereupon her, but there was one thing she must know, and her voice hadan anxious ring as she asked: "Did you--did you know this, I meanthat you were the next heir, when you asked me to marry you?"

"Yes, I knew, " he answered cheerfully, and now his voice had gotback its old confident ring, for the shadow of constraint whichKatherine had noticed in him last night had been owing to thisknowledge which he was holding back, and which had troubled himmore than he cared to confess. "But even then there was no greatcertainty of my succeeding. Cousin Samuel might have marriedagain, and left another son to come after him. I was just aworking man, and I looked to support my wife by the labour of myhands. You must forgive me that I did not tell you I was going tomake a great lady of you, because, you see, I did not know untilyesterday, though the scrap of paper you discovered at Ochre Lakewarned me that the title might not be far off; so I was not greatlysurprised when Mr. Clay introduced himself to me yesterday. "

"Mr. Clay is evidently a lawyer by nature as well as by profession, since he was able to keep a secret of such magnitude through somany miles of travel, " interposed the bishop, anxious to break thestrain for Katherine, whose colour was still coming and going, andwhose eyes had the frightened look of a trapped wild creature. 

"I was sure there must be some story of greatness behind, when itbecame necessary for a family lawyer to take such a journey asthis, " Mary Selincourt said, with an easy laugh, doing her best tosecond the bishop's efforts to draw off attention from Katherinefor a time. "And now, don't you think we might as well startfeeding the multitude, Nellie? or they will not be in a properframe of mind to appreciate the bishop's sermon presently. "

The diversion was effectual; everyone poured outside to wheretables were spread under the trees by the river. Tea, coffee, cakes, and lemonade became the concern of the moment. And in thekitchen the two who had been made husband and wife were left alone. 

"Am I forgiven, your ladyship?" Jervis asked; but there was a noteof anxiety in his bantering tone, for Katherine's head was averted, and held at an angle which made him apprehensive. 

"Jervis, why did you not tell me while there was time to draw back?For I--I am not fit to be a great lady!" she burst out passionately. 

"I did not tell you because I was so horribly afraid you would wantto draw back, " he admitted candidly, "and I wanted you so badlythat I could not afford to take the risk. You are quite as fit tobe a great lady as I am to be a great gentleman; that goes withoutsaying. "

"But think of the work I have had to do?" she faltered, shrinkingand shivering at the prospect before her. 

"Work is no degradation, " he answered hastily, "or my days in theNantucket whaler might easily rise up in judgment against me; for Iam certain there can be no more filthy or disgusting work on theface of the earth than I did then. Perhaps it is better for usthat we have had to toil so hard; we shall be better able tosympathize with other workers, and to help them. "

"I shall not know how to manage a houseful of servants, " she said, with such a comical air of distress that he had to laugh again. 

"You need not have more servants than you like, and if you can'tmanage them, why, we must pay someone to manage them for us, " hesaid gaily. Then his voice grew graver as he asked: "When are yougoing to tell me that I am forgiven, Katherine?"

Something in the look on his face reminded her of the day when shehad risked her life to save him from the flood, and the memorybroke down the rampart of offended pride which had sprung up in herheart when Mr. Clay made his astounding revelation. 

"I don't suppose it really matters what our position is as long aswe love each other, " she said unsteadily. "And so--and so you areforgiven; but don't do it again. "

"My dear, there are no more titles in our family that I know of, "he answered, as he lifted her veil to kiss her; "so there is notthe remotest chance that you will ever have higher rank than acountess's. "

"I don't want to have higher rank than a countess's, " she answeredsoberly. "But I mean, don't keep things back in future, Jervis, orI shall always be in fear. I want to know the bad as well as thegood!"

"Do you call it bad to find yourself a countess?" he asked, with anair of mock horror. 

"I find it difficult to get used to the idea, " she said, with arather watery smile; for the greatness thrust upon her was by nomeans to her mind. 

Later on, when she came out with her husband to drink a cup ofcoffee with the group under the trees, although she was the sameKatherine, quick to smile, and with a pleasant word for everyone, there was already a difference, and she carried herself with anadded stateliness which caused Mrs. Jenkin to remark with asentimental air that greatness had eaten into her soul. 

But it was Oily Dave who took the chief credit for the wholebusiness, and, having succeeded in cornering the bishop and Mr. Clay, he proceeded to inform them of the manner in which he hadhelped the match along. "If it hadn't been for me there wouldn'thave been no interesting occasion such as this here to-day, " hesaid, standing before them, the fishing boots planted wide apart, the "top" hat carefully held in his left hand: for of course hecould not have his head covered in presence of a bishop; moreover, the hat, being too big for him, had a trick of coming down over hisface like an extinguisher. 

"Pray, what was it that you did to help the business forward?"asked the bishop, with a twinkle in his eye, whilst Mr. Clay'sstiff black hair nearly curled with horror at the thought of alow-class person like Oily Dave having anything to do with makingthe marriage of his client, the Earl of Compton. 

"I gave the girl, I mean her ladyship, the chance to save the youngman's life, and that, I take it, was the starting-point of thewhole affair. "

"Without doubt it helped the process, " replied the bishop with alaugh; and then Mr. Selincourt intervened by saying it was time forthe bishop's service to begin, so Oily Dave was promptly hustled tohis proper place in the background. 

The bishop was more than ordinarily eloquent that evening; but thebride, in her white robe, sitting beside her husband, heard onlythe words of the text: "He shall choose our inheritance for us".