Part 20 (2/2)

She recurred to the previous question. ”Sheba knows more about Mr.

Macdonald than you think. And about how he got her father's claim, for instance,--she has heard all that.”

”You told her?”

”No. Colby Macdonald told her. He said he practically robbed her father, and he gave her a check for nearly two hundred thousand to cover the clean-up from the claim and interest.”

”Bully for him.” On the heel of this he flung a question at her. ”Did Macdonald ask her to marry him the night of the dinner?”

A flash of whimsical amus.e.m.e.nt lit her dainty face. ”You'd better ask him that. Here he comes now.”

They were coming down the walk together, Macdonald and Sheba. The young woman was absorbed in his talk, and she did not know that her cousin and Elliot were on the porch until she was close upon them. But at sight of the young man her eyes became warm and kind.

”I'm sorry I was out yesterday when you called,” she told him.

”And you were out again to-day. My luck isn't very good, is it?”

He laughed pleasantly, but his heart was bitter. He believed Macdonald had won. Some hint of proprietors.h.i.+p in his manner, together with her slight confusion when she saw them on the porch, had weighted his heart with lead.

”We've had such a good walk.” Sheba went on quickly. ”I wish you could have heard Mr. Macdonald telling me how he once had a chance to save a small Esquimaux tribe during a hard winter. He carried food five hundred miles to them. It was a thrilling experience.”

”Mr. Macdonald has had a lot of very interesting experiences. You must get him to tell you about all of them,” answered Gordon quietly.

The eyes of the two men met. The steel-gray ones of the older man answered the challenge of his rival with a long, steady look. There was in it something of triumph, something of scornful insolence. If this young fellow wanted war, he did not need to wait long for it.

”Time enough for that, man. Miss O'Neill and I have the whole Arctic winter before us for stories.”

The muscles in the lean jaws of Gordon Elliot stood out like steel ropes. He turned to Sheba. ”Am I to congratulate Mr. Macdonald?”

The color in her cheeks grew warmer, but her shy glance met his fairly.

”I think it is I that am to be congratulated, Mr. Elliot.”

Diane took her cousin in her arms. ”My dear, I wish you all the happiness in the world,” she said softly.

The Irish girl fled into the house as soon as she could, but not before making an announcement.

”We're to be married soon, very quietly. If you are still at Kusiak we want you to be one of the few friends present, Mr. Elliot.”

Macdonald backed her invitation with a cool, cynical smile. ”Miss O'Neill speaks for us both, of course, Elliot.”

The defeated man bowed. ”Thanks very much. The chances are that I'll be through my business here before then.”

As soon as his fiancee had gone into the house, the Scotchman left.

Gordon sat down in a porch chair and stared straight in front of him.

The suddenness of the news had brought his world tumbling about his ears. He felt that such a marriage would be an outrage against Sheba's innocence. But he was not yet far enough away from the blow to ask himself how much the personal hurt influenced his opinion.

Though she was sorry for him, Diane did not think it best to say so yet.

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