Part 33 (1/2)

Roderick looked at her in alarm. ”Who told you?” he asked abruptly.

She looked straight across at him and her eyes were very steady, though her colour rose. ”Doctor Wells told me. He a.s.sisted, didn't he?”

Roderick's eyes fell. He tried to answer but he sat before her dumb and dismayed. She saw his confusion, and rightly guessed the cause.

Her nature was too simple and direct to pretend, she wanted to tell him the truth and she did not know how.

”Doctor Wells was here last winter,” she faltered, as a beginning, then could get no further. Roderick made a desperate effort to regain control of himself, and spoke with an attempt at nonchalance.

”Yes, he told me he was coming. He promised to come and see me too, but he didn't.”

”No,” she caught a twig of cedar from a branch that brushed her fragrantly as she pa.s.sed. Her fingers trembled as she held it to her lips. ”He--he told you he was coming?” she asked.

”Yes,” said poor Roderick briefly.

”Then--then, perhaps he told you why?” She was examining the cedar sprig carefully, and Roderick was thankful. He would not have cared for her to see his face just then. She was going to tell him of her renewed engagement he knew.

”Yes, he told me,” he said. She was silent for a little, looking away over the ripples of Lake Simcoe to the green arms of the channel that showed the way to Algonquin.

”Would it--would you think it right to tell me what he said?”

”He said,” repeated Roderick, wis.h.i.+ng miserably that Wells' words did him less credit, ”he said that even if a fellow played the fool once in his life that was no reason why he should take it up as a life's profession.” He paused and then came out in the boldness of desperation with the rest. ”And he said that he was pretty sure he would get a welcome when he came.” She flushed at that, and there came a proud sparkle into her eyes.

She sat erect and looked Roderick straight in the eyes. ”And now, since you have told me,--and I thank you for it,--I must give you his message. He left one for you.”

”Yes?” Roderick braced himself as for a blow.

”Yes, he left a message for you. I did not intend to deliver it but since he confided in you I feel I am doing no harm. He said to tell you the reason he couldn't wait to see you was that he had played the fool once more, and that was when he thought a woman couldn't forget.”