Part 30 (1/2)
”He did and he paid Bernard was not rich and when he opened the Brunstock mines nobody would help hiines there was a quarrel with your grandfather and perhaps Bernard has soe, but while Joseph Dearha rich in business, wears the stareed Bernard was obviously not fastidious, like his relatives, but he had the grand ether what Jiot nearest
”I think it's because he's fearless--one sees that,” he said
”Shabbiness and aardness come when one's afraid”
”It's possible,” Evelyn answered, with a curious smile ”One hates to be shabby but sometimes one is forced Pluck costs ot up, and so-room and some to the terrace Jiarette Evelyn had stirred his iled for free develop to know Mrs Halliday To soirl's rebellion However, it was strange she had given him a hint, unless, of course, she had done so unconsciously When the cigarette was finished he went to the terrace
The evening arered in the west All was very quiet except when a herd of cattle moved about a pasture across the lawn The party had broken up into sot up stiffly when Carrie came near his bench
”Tell me about wild Canada I understand you were in the woods,” he said
”Yes,” said Carrie, sitting down ”I went North with Jim and my brother and the boys, when the ice broke up”
”The boys?”
”The rock-cutters and choppers,” Carrie explained
”I see,” said Bernard ”Was there no other woman? What did you do?”
”The nearest woman was a hundred miles off I cooked and looked after the stores Sometimes I mended the clothes”
”And hoere the others occupied?”
Carrie hesitated Although Bernard had asked her to tell hiined he wanted to hear about Jian to relate the story of their cutting the telegraph line She could not have told it to Mrs Halliday, but she felt Bernard would understand, and he helped her by tactful questions She wanted hi of an epic of the siainst Nature and his victory Indeed, for Bernard was very shrewd, she told hiht
”But, when you were nearly beaten, you could have sold the copper vein you talked about and used the money,” he remarked
”In a e couldn't sell Bau the screw to us; he meant to buy for very much less than the claim orth We would have starved before we let him, and for a time we hadn't as ht have been beaten but for the contractor Why did he help? No doubt, he kneas a rash speculation”
”Oh, well,” said Carrie, ”I think he liked Jiood somehow”
”Still it looks as if the contractor was a useful friend Did he stop at Vancouver? Does he write to you?”
Carrie hesitated, because she iined she sahere Bernard's questions led
”We won't forget him, but he doesn't write and I don't knohere he is,” she said; and added with a touch of dignity: ”I don't see what this has to do with the rest”
”Perhaps it has nothing to do with it,” Bernard replied ”Thank you for telling o and when she passed a bench where Mrs Halliday and Mordaunt sat the former looked at her companion
”I suppose you have reirl and herelse?”
”I i else,” Mordaunt replied