Part 28 (2/2)

”My dear child, I can never forgivemade you cry like this!” exclaiorously as she did enuinely distressed

”Oh, I alad to cry! I ht And oh, please do forgivebeen so foolish!+ I wonder whatever you h of relief, Katherine sat up and wiped her eyes

”I think you are a very char lady But I shall have to be very careful how I tell you sad things, if this is the way you are going to receive my confidences,” he said, with a rather rueful air; for she was by no e in the weakness of tears

Katherine laughed She was desperately asharatitude, spoken by Mr Selincourt about the person who had wronged him were like balm to her sore heart It was as if her father had confessed his fault, and had been forgiven on earth as well as in heaven

”Youyour audience drowned in tears,” she said lightly Then, rolling up the remainder of the furs, she left the stockroom and returned to the store, whither Mr Selincourt followed her; and as there were no customers he sat on a box and talked on, as if it were a real pleasure to have found a syle, of disappointment and bitter poverty, have had their uses,” he said, in a h the door, which Katherine had unlocked again His gaze was on the river, which sparkled and gleahts were far away

Katherine answered only by a splitting, rending noise, as she tore a piece of calico But that did not hts to need other speech just then

”Perhaps if I had not been poor myself I should not have had syet out,” he said, speaking as much to himself as to Katherine

”It is fine to be able to help other people,” she replied, cutting the next piece of calico to avoidso much noise

”Yes, but I think no one realizes the full blessing of it who has not known in his own person what it is to be in trouble and to be helped hiaze on the hurrying water

”Have you helped a great many?” she asked softly

”A few,” he answered ”Some have been disappointments, of course, and once or twice I have been robbed for my pains; but I have had my compensations, especially in Archie Raymond and Jervis Ferrars”

”Who is Archie Ray calico as rapidly, and with as much dexterity, as if she had served an apprenticeshi+p behind a drapery counter, instead of having been trained for teaching

Mr Selincourt brought his gaze froood view of Katherine; then he asked, in a surprised tone: ”Hasn't Mary told you about hiirls always talked to each other about such things”

”What things?” asked Katherine

”Why, sweethearts, and all that sort of stuff,” he answered vaguely

Katherine flushed, caught her breath in a little gasp, and, clenching the hand which held the calico, said rather unsteadily: ”Mary and I have certainly not discussed sweethearts and that sort of stuff, as you call it”

Mr Selincourt laughed in great aravely: ”Mary has been very much spoiled, and in all her life she has never been denied anything save one, as I told you before, and I aht for her yet, when she has learned her lesson of patient waiting”

Katherine dropped her calico, and, nerving herself for a great effort of endurance, said: ”Won't you tell gestions about things”

”It is like this,” began Mr Selincourt, as only too pleased to get a listener as syo last winter Mary fell in love with Archie Rayaged, although I demurred a little, on account of his inability to support a wife But I gave way in tiood fellow, and one of the sort as bound to rise when he got a chance Mary was exacting, however-I told you she had been spoiled-and Archie wasn't the sort to be led about on a string like a lapdog; so naturally they quarrelled”

”Poor Mary!” exclaiuess,” returned Mr Selincourt ”It was his misfortune that he cared so much for her I believe she would have treated him better if he had not been so much her slave; but even slaves can't endure too much, so he revolted after a time Jervis Ferrars, as Archie's friend, caed that she would see Archie, if only for tento be said between theirl is made of obstinate stuff that crops up in aard places sometimes; so she sent word by Jervis that if Archie liked to send her a letter of apology she would read it, but she would not see him until that had been done”

”Did he do it?” asked Katherine eagerly A white light of illu the nature of the boon which Jervis Ferrars had begged at the hands of Mary, and been denied

Mr Selincourt laughed ”I told you that he was apardon for wrongs they have not committed The next we heard of Archie Raymond was that he had joined Max Bohrnsen's Arctic Expedition in place of a h sickness, and that he had sailed for the Polar Seas on a two years' absence”