Part 20 (1/2)
”A working partner,” suggested Katherine
”So his head he saw that they were close to the Indian enca lines of fish were stretched in all directions, drying in the sun
”The end of our journey,” he said lightly ”Do you sit here in the boat and I will have my business finished in about ten ain, only noas not trees and sky that she saw, but a rose-hued future of happiness stretching out before her
CHAPTER XVIII
Standing Aside
Mrs Burton was perplexed, and a good bit troubled in her ed that her sister should have an easier life than she had had herself So that when Jervis Ferrars had begun to show rather a decided inclination to cultivate Katherine's society, the elder sister had felt both glad and sorry because of it She was glad, because any girl ht have felt honoured by the notice of a man like Jervis Ferrars: But she was sorry because he was so poor, and e with hiery; for in remote places and pioneer settlements it was on the women, the wives and the mothers, that the real hardshi+ps of life fell
Her own husband had been a pooras Jervis Ferrars, but without his culture Ted Burton had co fleet, and was holder of a good many shares in the company as well; but one day his vessel came home without him, and Mrs Burton had to return ato her father's house No wonder she dreaded Katherine wedding after the sa itself, and she could not bear to think of sunny-hearted Katherine having to live always in the shadows, as she herself had done
But the worry oppressing her just noas concerned also with Mary Selincourt Mary spent a great deal of time at the store, and when she was there she made herself useful like other people She had even served an Indian squaith coloured calico of an astonishi+ng pattern, had clicked off the proper number of yards in the most business-like fashi+on, and then had demanded: ”What next, if you please?” in a manner as collected as if she had served an apprenticeshi+p behind a counter A htful companion was Mary, and Mrs Burton fairly revelled in her society: but Mary had one strange habit which puzzled her, she always avoided Jervis Ferrars when it was possible to do so, and she had a trick of blushi+ng when his name was mentioned These symptoms were proof positive to Mrs Burton that Mary cared for Jervis, and she was sorely troubled about it
Katherine, on the other hand, seemed to be absolutely heart-whole; she went about her daily ith a zest which was refreshi+ng to behold She always seemed to be happy and content, while she treated Jervis in much the same fashi+on as she did Miles, and teased him whenever the occasion seemed to demand it, which was very often
It was the reat event of the year had taken place, that is, the first steah Hudson Strait, and was anchored off Seal Cove 'Duke Radford had heavy shi+pments in this vessel, and for a few days Katherine left the outside custo invoices and helping to stoay the ht up river in boatloads frooods had been ordered in October of the year before, but that was how things had to be done in that aard corner of the world, where ice blocked the ocean road for eight roceries and dry goods for the store was to take away sealskins, walrus-skins, narwhal ivory, whalebone, and blubber of various sorts, which had been accuan This made Jervis as busy in his way as Katherine was in hers Indeed, the press of as so great that Mary went down day after day to do the writing in the office at Seal Cove, while Mr Selincourt, with his shi+rt sleeves rolled above his elbows, helped Jervis to pack skins and weigh blubber
It was easy for Mary to get away, aswas done for her by the portage e When Mr Selincourt hired , he hired them for the whole summer, and planned their work to suit his own convenience There were two e-laden boats the e the journey each way in a little over a fortnight So two pairs of them were always en route, while the third pair rested and did housework at the hut at Roaring Water Portage, taking their departure with mails when another pair of their companions returned fro it was sure to co that week of bustle and hard work she spoke of thetheir hair before going to bed So lends itself to confidential talk, especially when, as in this case, aard things have to be put into speech, because a veil of hair will hide a good many emotions
”Do you know, I believe that Mary cares for Mr Ferrars,” Mrs Burton blurted out, with considerable nervous trepidation, turning her back on Katherine, and wielding her brush as if her life depended on her accoiven number of strokes per htful old hter, while her brush went slower as she waited for the answer
”A goodto her subject, and feeling relieved already by the careless ease of Katherine's manner ”Mary always avoids Mr Ferrars when it is possible to do so, and I have never once seen her touch his hand, though she shakes hands with every other person she meets I have even seen her shake hands with Oily Dave, a thing I would not do myself”
”Am I to understand, then, that if one person will not shake hands with another it is a sign of being in love?” asked Katherine in a teasing tone ”Because, if so, what about your own refusal to touch the hand of Oily Dave?”
Mrs Burton laughed, and her heart felt lighter than for h and make jokes in this fashi+on, it was plain there was no har breath and went on: ”I wish you would try to be serious for a few rim earnest to poor Mary, and I like her so well that I do not care to think of her ive her”
”Which is--?” queried Katherine s for,” Mrs Burton answered, with a sentihter Then, when herof a girl as 'Poor Mary' whose father has an income of five or six thousand pounds a year!”
”Still, she is poor in spite of her et what she wants,” Mrs Burton said, sticking to her point ”Money isn't everything by a long way, and you can't satisfy heart-hunger with dollars, or pounds either”
”Did Mary take you into her confidence concerning this hich money can't satisfy?” demanded Katherine, a touch of scorn in her tone and a chill feeling at her heart, as if soer upon it
”Dearabout what she wants but can't get,” Mrs Burton replied ”But I have eyes in er understanding of affairs of the heart, than a girl who has had no experience at all”
”That is very probable,” Katherine said quietly, while the chill feeling grew and intensified, despite her efforts to ht of the matter ”But what has all this to do with me? Do you want me to approach Mr Ferrars on the subject, and say to hier of the rich Miss Selincourt?”
Mrs Burton looked absolutely shocked ”Dear Katherine, do be serious for once if you can!” she pleaded ”If I thought that you cared for Mr Ferrars yourself I should never have mentioned this to you at all; but you are so plainly fancy-free that surely it won't hurt you to stand aside and let Mary have her chance”