Part 23 (2/2)

”If you don't mind waiting a few minutes, I'll see if I can find you quarters,” he said.

She glanced at him suspiciously, with a heightened color, which he thought a favorable sign, but her eyes grew more confident and when she agreed he withdrew. As a man of experience who had been a favorite with women, he was, however, guilty of an error of judgment during his search.

A smart young woman with whom he was on friendly terms managed a cigar store, and it is possible that she would have taken some trouble to oblige him; but his request that she should offer shelter to another girl whose acquaintance he seemed to have made in a most casual manner was received with marked coldness. Kermode, indeed, felt sorry he had suggested it when he left the store and set out for a shack belonging to the widow of a man killed on the line. She was elderly and grim, a strict Methodist from the east, who earned a pittance by mending the workmen's clothes. After catechizing Kermode severely, she gave a very qualified a.s.sent; and returning to the hotel, he found the girl anxiously waiting for him. She looked relieved when he reported his success.

”I had better go at once,” she said. ”You think Mrs. Jasper will take me in?”

Kermode picked up the bag.

”To tell the truth, she only promised to have a look at you.” Then he smiled rea.s.suringly. ”I've no doubt there'll be no difficulty when she has done so.”

The girl followed him and, as they went slowly up the street, while all the loungers watched them, she gave Kermode a confused explanation. Her name was Helen Foster, and she had come from England to join a brother who had taken up a farm near Drummond, which Prescott had heard was a remote settlement. Her brother had told her to notify him on her arrival at Winnipeg and await instructions, but on board the steamer she had met the wife of a railroad man engaged on the new line who had offered her company to a point in the west from which Helen could reach her destination. On arriving at the railroad man's station, he had sent her on by the supply train.

A little distance up the street, Kermode stopped outside a shed in which a fellow of unprepossessing appearance was rubbing down a horse. His character, as Kermode knew, was no better than his looks.

”I must see the liveryman,” he told the girl, and when he had sent the hostler for him the proprietor came out.

”The round-trip to Drummond will take six days, and you'd want a team,”

he said. ”I'd have to charge you thirty dollars.”

Kermode looked dubious, his companion dismayed. She had three dollars and a few cents.

”Can you drive this lady there?” Kermode asked.

”I can't. Jim would have to go.”

”I think not,” said Kermode firmly. ”I'll see you about a saddle-horse in the morning.” He turned to the girl: ”We'll go along again.”

A few minutes later they reached the widow's shack and Kermode waited some time after his companion was admitted. As she did not come out, he concluded that Mrs. Jasper was satisfied and returned to the hotel, where he was freely bantered by the loungers.

”That will do, boys,” he said at length. ”If there's any more of this kind of talk, the man who keeps it up will get badly hurt.”

They saw that he meant it and, as he was popular, they left him in peace.

CHAPTER XV

MISS FOSTER'S ESCORT

On the morning after he met Helen Foster, Kermode sought a foreman with whom he was on good terms.

”I want to quit work for a week,” he said abruptly.

”Sorry; I can't give you leave, and the boss went down the line yesterday. If you let up before you see him, it's quite likely he won't take you back.”

”If he doesn't I won't be very grieved. Throwing forty-foot rails about all day palls on one. But what about my wages up to date?”

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