Part 22 (1/2)

”It flew open and a page or two got wet in the scuppers. Still, it will soon dry in the sun, and because I did my best, you will excuse me being a few seconds too slow to save it,” Geoffrey apologized.

Millicent was willing to allow him to deceive himself as to the cause of her annoyance.

”It was a borrowed book, and I can hardly return it in this condition.

It is really vexatious,” she replied, wondering how to lead the conversation back to the place where it was interrupted. She might have succeeded, but fate seemed against her. A pa.s.senger, who knew them both, strolled by and nodded to Geoffrey.

”I have been looking for you, Thurston, and if Mrs. Leslie, accepting my excuses, can spare you for a few minutes, I have something important to tell you,” said the man. ”I wouldn't have disturbed you, but we'll be alongside Vancouver wharf very shortly.”

Millicent could only bow in answer, and after an apologetic glance in her direction, Geoffrey followed the pa.s.senger.

”Mrs. Leslie's a handsome woman, though one would guess she had a temper of her own. Perhaps you didn't notice it, but she just looked daggers at you when you let that book get away,” observed the companion, who smiled when Geoffrey answered:

”Presumably, you didn't take all this trouble to acquaint me with that fact?”

”No,” admitted the man, with a whimsical gesture. ”It was something much more interesting--about the agitation some folks are trying to whoop up against your partner.”

Geoffrey found the information of so much interest that the steamer was sweeping through the pine-shrouded Narrows which forms the gateway of Vancouver's land-locked harbor when he returned to Millicent, with English Jim following discreetly behind him.

”I am sorry that, as we are half-an-hour late, I shall barely have time to keep an important business appointment,” said Thurston. ”However, as the Sound boat does not sail immediately, my a.s.sistant, Mr. Gillow, will be able to look after your baggage, and secure a good berth for you. You will get hold of the purser, and see Mrs. Leslie is made comfortable in every way before you follow me, Gillow. I shall not want you for an hour or two.”

Millicent smiled on the a.s.sistant, who took his place beside her, as the steamer ran alongside the wharf, and his employer hurried away.

English Jim was a young, good-looking man of some education, and, since his promotion from the cook-shed, had indulged himself in a former weakness for tasteful apparel. He had also, though Thurston did not notice it, absorbed just sufficient alcoholic stimulant to render him vivacious in speech without betraying the reason for it, and Millicent, who found him considerably more amusing than Geoffrey, wondered whether, since she had failed with the one, she might not succeed with the other. English Jim no more connected her with the servant of the corporation whose interests were opposed to Savine's than he remembered the bra.s.s baggage checks in his pocket. His gratified vanity blinded him to everything besides the pleasure of being seen in his stylish companion's company.

He found a sunny corner for her beside one of the big Sound steamer's paddle casings, from which she could look across the blue waters of the forest-girt inlet, brought up a chair and some English papers, and after Millicent had chatted with him graciously, was willing to satisfy her curiosity to the utmost when she said with a smile:

”You are a confidential a.s.sistant of Mr. Thurston's? He is an old friend of mine, and knowing his energy, I dare say he works you very hard.”

”Hard is scarcely an adequate term, madam,” answered English Jim.

”Nothing can tire my respected chief, and unfortunately, he expects us all to equal him. He found me occupation--writing his letters--until 1 A.M. this morning; and, I believe, must have remained awake himself until it was almost light, making drawings which I have had the pleasure of poring over, all the way across. Don't you think, madam, that it is a mistake to work so hard, that one has never leisure for the serene contemplation which is one of the--one of the best things in life. Besides, people who do so, are also apt to deprive others of their opportunities.”

”Perhaps so, though I hardly think Mr. Thurston would agree with you.

For instance?” asked Millicent, finding his humor infectious, for English Jim could gather all the men in camp about him, when half in jest and half in earnest he began one of his discourses.

”These!” was the answer, and the speaker thrust his hand into his jacket pocket. ”If Mr. Thurston had not been of such tireless nature, I might have found leisure to admire the beauty of this most entrancing coast scenery, instead of puzzling over weary figures in a particularly stuffy saloon.”

He held up a large handful of papers as he spoke, glanced at them disdainfully, and, pointing vaguely across the inlet, continued, ”Is not an hour's contemplation of such a prospect better than many days'

labor?”

Millicent laughed outright, and, because, though English Jim's voice was even, and his accent crisp and clean, his fingers were not quite so steady as they might have been, one of the papers fluttered, unnoticed by either of them, to her feet.

”I feel tempted to agree with you,” Millicent rejoined, wis.h.i.+ng that she need not press on to the main point, for English Jim promised to afford the sort of entertainment which she enjoyed. ”But a man of your frame of mind must find scanty opportunity for considering such questions among the mountains.”

”That is so,” was the rueful answer. ”We commence our toil at daybreak, and too often continue until midnight. There are times when the monotony jars upon a sensitive mind, as the camp cooking does upon a sensitive palate. But our chief never expects more from us than he will do himself, and is generous in rewarding meritorious service.”

”So I should suppose,” commented Millicent. ”Knowing this, you will all be very loyal to him?”

”Every one of us!” The loyalty of English Jim, who gracefully ignored the inference and fell into the trap, was evident enough. ”Of course, we do not always approve of being tired to death, but where our chief considers it necessary, we are content to obey him. In fact, it would not make much difference if we were not,” he added whimsically. ”There was, however, one instance of a black sheep, or rather wolf of the contemptible coyote species in sheep's clothing, whom I played a minor part in catching. But, naturally, you will not care to hear about this?”

”I should, exceedingly. Did I not say that I am one of Mr. Thurston's oldest friends? I should very much like to hear about the disguised coyote. I presume you do not mean a real one, and are speaking figuratively?”