Part 7 (2/2)
”Phil, the rain is cos can smell it too We are in for weather of sorts, I fancy, but Astor M'Kree et his letter first, even if we have to race for it!” she cried
”Let's race, then; the dog's are willing, and so a the packages, while Katherine travelled ahead on snowshoes, And race they did; but already the snoas getting wet and soft on the surface, so that the going was heavy, the sledge cut in deeply, and it was a very tired tearound in front of the boatbuilder's house Phil set to work hauling out the stores, but Katherine as usual went in to chat with Mrs M'Kree, who looked upon her visits with the utmost pleasure
”I expect it is the last tie this season,” said Katherine ”But in case the ice is troublesoh for a week or te have brought you double stores”
”That is a good thing, for we are all blessed with healthy appetites up here, and it isn't pleasant to even think of going on short commons,” replied Mrs M'Kree ”But do wait until I've read this letter, for there may be news in it, and there is so little of that sort of thing here that we ought to share any tidings froh”
”Perhaps Mr M'Kree would rather read his letter first hiested Katherine, ould have preferred not to hear about anything that letter uessed it was fro to do with it
”Astor has gone across to Fort Garry to-day; he started at dawn, and a pretty stiff journey he'll have before he gets back: but I warned hi when I put ; my nose is worth two of his, for he can't s a hairpin fro to slit open the envelope in her hand
”Still, he ht rather that his letter waited for him unopened,” murmured Katherine; but Mrs M'Kree was already deep in her husband's correspondence, and paid no heed at all
”Oh! oh! what do you think!” she cried aan excited jump, which so startled Katherine that she jumped too
”How should I knohat to think?” she said; then was angry to find that she was tre violently
”Mr Selincourt hopes to arrive in June, and he is going to bring his daughter with hi the letter in a jubilant fashi+on
”I out of her face ”The first steah Hudson Strait until the first week in July”
”They are not coht fro lady will have a chance of roughing it, for the portages on that route are a caution, so Astor says,” Mrs M'Kree answered, then fairly danced round the roo lady fresh out froht sort of et a little hut ready for him by the o, and was buttoning her coat, but faced round upon the little woman with blank surprise in her face, as if she failed to understand what the other was saying
”A hut They ant some sort of a place to live in There is no hotel here, you see, and they are going to stay all suot room to board them at the store!”
”We don't want theh to do without having to wait on a lot of idle boarders”
”Oh! I don't fancy they will be very idle, for Mr Selincourt says that he and his daughter intend being out a great deal a into the letter, and besought her visitor to stay until she had read it all
But Katherine would not wait; she was in a hurry to start on the return journey, for every hour noould make the snow surface more wet and rotten to travel over She was sick at heart, too, and suffering froo how she would have rejoiced at the prospect of having Miss Selincourt at Roaring Water Portage for the weeks of the short, busy suirl to talk to would make all the difference in the isolation in which they were forced to live Katherine felt herself thrill and flutter with delight, even while she tre to meet Mr Selincourt face to face She wondered if the richwould re that the latter had done in keeping silent, so that he ht prosper by the other's downfall
Bitter tears s snow; then a dash of wet struck her in the face, and she realized that the rain had begun, and the long winter was co to an end at last The last th they went down the hill between the high rocks of the portage trail, Katherine heard a faint rippling sound which warned her that the waters were beginning to flow The store was croith men, as was often the case in the late afternoon, and Katherine's hope of being able to tell her father the news quietly was doolance at him told her that he knew all there was to be known, and the look of suffering on his face hurt her all the more because she knew there was no bal as necessary in the store under his father's direction, and, because there seemed no need for her assistance just then, Katherine went on indoors to get a little rest before it was ti school
”Oh, Katherine, have you heard the news?” cried Mrs Burton, as knitting stockings and reciting ”Old Mother Hubbard” bethiles to the twins
”Yes; at least, I have heard about Mr Selincourt co, if that is what you arments
”That is not the best part of the news by anyLotta a little shake to silence the dehtstoo Just iine what it will be to have cultured society here at Roaring Water Portage!”
”She will despise us, most likely, and consider us about on a level with Peter M'Crawney's wife, or that poor little Mrs Jenkin,” said Katherine
”Nonsense!” Mrs Burton's tone was energetic; her manner one of ht look down upon me a little, but you are quite a different matter”