Part 37 (1/2)

”I felt so like that I didn't mean to jolt them,” Jim said with a frown ”Why didn't they coether thinking of your throwing the slish, but sometimes you break away; I think I reed ”I was afor your friends, isn't it? They don't knohich they have to reckon on--the Canadian sourdough or the country gentleestion that they should takelike a sourdough or an English landlord then?”

”You have a confoundedly mischievous humor,” Jim rejoined, with a twinkle ”Do you want entleuests? Bernard likes your people and I don't know if Mrs Halliday and Lance Mordaunt count”

”I was not thinking about Mrs Halliday----” Jake began, but stopped when his comrade looked hard at him, and a few moments afterwards the smith came up the bank

”Well?” said Jim, sharply ”What do you want?”

”Noo I see how bar's an, mayhappen it wad be better screwed

If you'll hile I gan for dies, I'll do't for you”

”All right You can get busy,” said Jim

When the smith went off he smiled and remarked: ”I don't know if I expected this, but the man will make no more trouble However, we have lost soot to work, and in theand picked up Mrs Winter and Carrie The party at Dryholm broke up soon, but when Evelyn returned to Whitelees she felt that the evening had been too long For one thing, she had been kept occupied and she wanted to think Now she sat, rather languidly, in an easy-chair and knitted her brows She had got a jar in the afternoon and she tried to recapture the scene on the bank--the se frown, and muddy clothes

Jim was a new type, and she adely physical and sometimes she felt repelled He was handsoure, and his clean brown skin Then she liked the respect he showed her and his obvious wish to please This was flattering and his strength and candor hly cultivated and he was not rude Indeed, when he stood on the bank, hot and triu barbarous about him His virility moved her, but to live with him would demand some pluck; Evelyn knew he could not, so to speak, be taoing, was a proof It was significant that the daer claim Evelyn was drawn in different ways and, on the whole, it was a relief when Mrs Halliday came in

”Jim was not his best this afternoon,” the latter said ”However, he has not been long in England and no doubt the risk of such outbreaks will presently vanish In the meantime one ?”

”Oh, well,” said Mrs Halliday, ”I suppose I did ether in the way you think There is a rude vein in the Dearhams that comes to the surface now and then One hardly noted it in Joseph, but in Bernard it's rather ances This may have its influence”

”Bernard is inscrutable,” Evelyn rejoined ”One cannot foretell what he will do”

Mrs Halliday saw that Evelyn understood; she had, in fact, expected her to understand, and her voice was thoughtful as she resumed: ”After all, his approval is not essential You have so much”

”It may be all he has; he is not afraid of a risk,” said Evelyn, with a touch of color, for she was fastidious and her mother was blunt

Then for a moment or two she mused She was afraid of a risk; this was the trouble Adventure, roed, but caution deterred The roives its owner a firm position,” Mrs Halliday resumed

”Even if he were poor, his ould take a leading place in the Hols, but they count”

”Much would depend on the owner If he broke the family traditions, defied our conventions, and iven him because he is a Dearham,” Mrs Halliday rejoined ”Still, of course, there is a liuidance for a tilish idiosyncrasies The girl has so If Jim could be advised----”

Evelyn smiled ”I cannot advise him Besides, he's very staunch and owes these people much”