Part 16 (1/2)
”In a way, but there was always a business proposition to justify the risk It's good to be reckless now and then, and I've felt as I read about your ancestors that I envied the about the love on one's steel cap, ready to follohere adventure called”
”So far as we know,” said Alice, ”it was the custom to honor one lady, always The Border chiefs were rude, but they had their virtues, and there are soined he saw a faint sparkle in her eyes He would have liked to think she resented his having gone to Newcastle on Carmen's behalf, but doubted this After a pause she resu slack with luxury, but one likes to think the spirit of the race survives all changed conditions and can't be destroyed There is a colliery not very far off where the water broke in sos were cut off, but the feho escaped went back into the pit--and never ca was impossible, their leaders frankly told them so, but they would not be denied Well, the colliery was not reopened, the shaft-head towers are falling down, but there's a granite fountain on the es to record the splendid sacrifice”
”They had all to lose,” said Foster ”Oneto eed the subject rather abruptly ”What you have toldI can't see why the police followed you, and there's so mysterious about the packet It all seems connected with Lawrence's affairs, and yet I can't see how I suppose you have no explanation?”
”Not yet I feel there's so on in which I may by and by take a part The clews break off, but I er, and then----”
He stopped, but Alice gave hilance ”Then you would follow the clew, even if it led you into soer, for Lawrence's sake?”
”I'd try,” said Foster, with a flush that gave hienuous look ”As I've no particular talent for that kind of thing, Iromantic and I've owned that I am rash”
Alice smiled ”You're certainly enerosity”
Then Featherstone caave hie we haven't heard froiven the Canadian post office his new address, because here's a letter they have sent on”
”Fro up the envelope ”As I'ave Featherstone the letter, which inquired if they could supply some lumber the company needed
”I'm sorry we can't do the work, because on't be back in ti job to cut the stuff in the way Hulton wants”
”He seeht reed ”Hulton soon got into the way of sending for Lawrence when he wanted any lumber that had to be carefully sawn In fact, he treats hiine likes him personally”
He was silent for the next minute or two Featherstone's remark had shown hih Lawrence stood in the manufacturer's esteem No other outsider was treated with such confidence Then he told Featherstone about his journey, and the latter said:
”I have heard nothing froh came here to inquire about you”
”Ah!” said Foster, rather sharply ”I suppose he was sent by the police and iht it curious that he gave me his card”
”That was the name He asked if I knew you and I said I did”
”Then it looks as if he meant to testhere?”
”It was hard to tell what the fellow thought; but somehow I felt that he expected to find your story true He, however, gave me no inforine; the thing's puzzling What ht the interest Gordon took in me was, so to speak, benevolent”
”But why should it be benevolent, if he had any ground for suspecting you?” Featherstone asked