Part 19 (1/2)

”And the blue one has a nasty tear, besides the stain where Jake spilt the coffee I must make a trip to the settleo,” said Carrie, firmly ”You can't leave your job

It's much oing, as soon as I can When ere talking not long since I began to think We have taken your help for granted, without reckoning what it cost; but it has hurt ave hilance ”It's for Jake and you and the boys In a way, you're all mine, and I'm rather proud of my family”

”We are yours,” Jim declared ”In fact, ere lucky when you, so to speak, took us under your wing You have a kind of protective instinct that makes you look after folks andfor a crowd of hungry men I've seen your face scorched, and so forced to wear those faded and hed, but the careless note in her voice was rather forced

”Don't be foolish, Jim! If I had lots of smart clothes, I couldn't wear them while I work about the fire”

”That is so,” he said, frowning ”You oughtn't to work about the fire”

”Oh, well, it's too late to bother now For one thing, I have educated the boys; they wouldn't eat the hash you or Jake could cook But I expect you want to get to work and we had better ot to work He was anxious, but adht die out on a stony belt where the bush was thin, and perhaps he need not fear much trouble unless a Chinook wind drove the flames up the valley Moreover, since there was a risk of his being stopped, it was prudent to push on

For two days he strained his , sat in his usual place, listening ratherwas calh it now covered ed about the shack They were tired and quiet, for Jio out and pondered Perhaps his disturbance was not logical, but his habit was to concentrate on the work he undertook and it would hurt to own hio He had not been badly beaten yet, and he had a vein of rather grih banished his ht touched her, and although her eyes sparkled her pose was slack Now he studied her carefully; her face was getting thin She was obviously playing up to Jake, and he iined their banter was meant to cheer hiht, but they did not spoil her unconscious grace It was unconscious grace, because Carrie did not pose She looked at home and somehow made the camp look homelike She was unembarrassed in the woods, as she was at the store Jim wondered whether, if they carried out the contract and earned the pay, she would hold her own in different surroundings; a fashi+onable woht she would Then a curious feeling of tenderness moved him Carrie looked tired and he owed her ,” he said ”You are hurting your eyes”

”Very well,” Carrie agreed ”I wasn't getting on fast, and when you are bothered you have to be indulged Looks as if you were bothered, Jiot the habit,” he replied ”Anyhow, I don't like your sehen you have hustled round all day”

Carrie laughed ”You and Jake are rough on clothes and soot to 's not econos and buy another lot”

”Where are you going to buy new clothes, Ji about the principle

You're too practical”

”Oh, well,” said Carrie, ”I suppose I'ht way, you're ridiculous I expect it's easier to be useful”

”Jies people by their talent for doing things, but you can't fix a standard for everybody He reckons I do too little; I allow he does toooppressive in the heavy cals did notof tension and the others were silent Then the pine tops shook and were still again

Jiht's not froht, and then flickered and slanted

”No,” he said, ”it's blowing up the valley”

The flaot hot and a s stole into the camp

”I reckon it's a _Chinook_,” Jake reot stern ”I have expected it all day The fire will roll up the valley and I don't knohere it will stop We ” He turned to Carrie ”Can you be ready to start for the settle?”