Part 22 (1/2)

The ed slowly on, the rain beat doith teulch it was dark, al out all his strength Jervis dragged hi Then she scrambled to her feet with a cry of fear, and, before he could stretch out an arm to save her, reeled and toppled over into the water

CHAPTER XX

Katherine Makes a Discovery

Katherine was having a thorough turn-out of the store Everything was off the shelves, the cobwebs had all been swept fro-brush, she was cleaning all the shelves with soap and water To use her own expression, it was ”horridly” dirty work But it had to be done, so the sooner it was got through and finished the better She had done the top shelves all round, and, changing the water in her pail, had started on the next lot and was scrubbing vigorously, when she heard a long-drawn, mournful howl from the other side of the river

”That is Hero,” she said to herself in surprise; and then, re thaton her way down river, she ca to the door, looked out

There was Hero plainly enough, a big black-and-white dog, which, while looking like a Newfoundland, had such a marked aversion to water that it would never swi so Katherine would have turned back to her work, and left the dog to re with a boat, but she re to acco to find the creature had wandered ho up its head for another howl, but, chancing to catch sight of Katherine, it broke into eager barking instead, pleading so plainly for a dry journey across the river that, with a laugh at her oeak yielding, she ran down to the bank, and, getting into the boat which was ht want it, rowed across to the other side, where the dog awaited her in a perfect ecstasy of welcome

She had no hat on, the sleeves of her cotton blouse were rolled up over her elbow, and she wore still the big rough apron she had donned for scrubbing It struck her, as she crossed the river, that the as very cold, and that the day was grey and cheerless, now the clouds had hidden the sun

Hero ju at Katherine's feet, fawned upon her with great affection and delight

”Oh, yes, you are very glad to see me, I have no doubt, but really you are a fearful fraud to bringyou cannot shen it is plain you have been in the water, for you are dripping et!” Katherine said, seeing the water which ran frorateful tail in thanksgiving Then she noticed that the dog had so tied round its neck which looked like a silk waist-belt, and that a handkerchief was knotted to the belt

”So the other side, she e wrapped About the dog's neck

A scrap of paper riting upon it was cru this out she read:

”Please come and help me, for I have had a tumble down a steep rock and twisted ulch near the sea, on the rocks beyond the fish-flakes

MARY SELINCOURT”

”Deep down in a gulch near the sea,” quoth Katherine to herself with a puzzled frown; then she juulch is one of the tideholes, and she will be drowned if I don't make haste!”

Out of the boat she bounded, and rushed up the slope to the store Springing over the confusion of canisters and boxes, she hurried into the house, where Mrs Burton was sitting at worknew frocks for the twins

”Nellie, will you look after the store for an hour? I should lock the door if I were you, and refuse to serve anyone who comes, for it is confusion thrice confounded in there, and I don't think you would be able to find things if you tried”

”What is thehow frightened her sister seemed

”Hero has just come ho that she has sprained her ankle and is lying in one of the tide-holes beyond the fish-flakes I must hurry down to Seal Cove as hard as I can row, for the tide is coer”

”Are there none of the portage o with you to help you?” asked Mrs Burton

”I may find one at Seal Cove, but there are none here One went down river early with Mary, the other rowed Mr Selincourt down an hour or o I will be back as soon as I can, dear; or it et in first: but keep the store locked until someone comes”

”Indeed I will; trusther work and following Katherine to the door to see her start

As Katherine turned back to say so cord hung on the house wall caught her attention, and after a moment's hesitation she reached up and took it down It was the identical coil of rope that she and Phil had had in the boat that day when they ca It had slipped aside and been forgotten until a day or two ago, when Katherine had found it, scrubbed it clean of ain forgotten it She had flung on a coat, because her blouse showed signs of the hard, dirty work she had been doing, and had crahness of her hair

”Are you going to take the dog? He will only make you more work,” said Mrs Burton, as Hero leaped into the boat and took his place as a co done