Part 10 (2/2)

”Very well,” he replied briefly, then hobbled on into the kitchen, and for the next hour was occupied in doing his utmost for the sick man

Katherine was left a moment alone with Mrs Burton, after 'Duke Radford had been carried to his bed, and she said hastily: ”Nellie, would you mind if Mr Ferrars stayed here for a few days until his feet are better? We are crowded, I know; but either he or the boys could sleep in the loft now it is warmer, and Oily Dave's house is impossible until the flood is down”

”I should say it is impossible at any time,” replied Mrs Burton, ”and I shall be only too thankful if he will stay for a while because of poor father Oh, Katherine, I a terrible winter has killed him'” she said, with a quiver of breakdown in her voice

”It is not the winter Why, he has scarcely been out at all, so he cannot have suffered from that,” Katherine answered sadly She knew only too hy her father had broken down again, only the worst of it was she could not tell anyone, but e within her own heart, because it involved her father's honour

”I have seen hi, only yesterday and to-day he see quite co thoroughly contented, when he suddenly pitched out of his chair and lay like a log on the floor”

”Will you ask Mr Ferrars to stay with us, or shall I?” said Katherine

”I will if you like I will put it so that he shall think he is doing us a favour, then he will be s are, I don't see where else there is for hio”

”Nor I,” replied Katherine, and was thankful to leave the matter in her sister's hands for the present

CHAPTER XI

A Woman of Business

”What is the trouble, Miss Radford?”

Katherine started She had been so busy in packing baking powder, tobacco, currants, and things of that description into a box for the fisher fro Island Sound that she had not heard the approach of Jervis Ferrars, ore list slippers, and sohard day which had held soto a close, and so far she had found no chance at all to speak to the stranger about what he had to fear Mrs Burton had begged him with tears in her eyes to stay a few days to help the after their father, and Jervis Ferrars had accepted with such evident pleasure at the prospect that Katherine had troubled no further then, and had devoted herself to the s which called for her attention

Her father still lay in the condition of absolute unconsciousness into which he had fallen at first, and Mr Ferrars did not think there would be e for a few days He also did not apprehend any ie from this Sickness and incapacity did not daunt them; but it was death the separator of whom they were all so much afraid

”I did not hear you coear is not noisy, as befits a sickrooht have heardacross the floor if you had not been so absorbed in the matter in hand What is it you want to tell e of tone

”You had better not go back to the house of Oily Dave again,” she began in a rather breathless style

”Very much better not, I should say,” he answered ”But why?”

”You have co in the interest of Mr

Selincourt, have you not?” she asked

”Yes, the old coe in profits, you see; indeed it was on this account that they decided the fleet was an unworkable sche to sell to Mr Selincourt”

Katherine nodded, then said in a low tone: ”But your position will make you eneerous for you to re reach you before you ca, or since?” he asked quickly

”Since We did not even know that you were there”