Part 32 (2/2)
Mr Selincourt said little, but it was easy to see howsuch a look of bereavement that the folk at Seal Cove were confirefleet
Katherine, shi+elding herself behind this mistaken belief on the part of other people, carried her sore heart bravely through those days of hoping against hope and sick apprehension The only two people who even suspected her suffering were her brother Miles and Mr Selincourt; but neither gave any sign of understanding that there ht be any personal sorrow hidden under her sympathy for Mrs Jenkin and the unpleasant Mrs Jones
On the sixth day it becae with supplies for the Indian enca the last two or three weeks There was the usual bustle of getting off-the scae path for fresh burdens, the shouting of Phil, and all the cheerful accoly done But Katherine did her part with aherself to this task and to that, yet feeling no zest or pleasure in anything
Although the days were so wars showed already a touch of frostiness, a chilly relad to wear a coat even while she was rowing, until the second portage had been reached Astor M'Kreethe one she most dreaded to hear
”Any news of the Mary yet, Miss Radford?”
”No,” she answered sadly ”Mr Selincourt's little flag was hanging at half-one down, it is the first boat I've built that has cost a human life, that I know of,” he said, ”and it e to build another I've got one on the stocks, but I haven't touched her since this news came up river”
”But disasters at sea will coo to pieces on those Aki to cheer him because he seemed so sad
”It isn't clear to me why they were on Aki for,” he replied, in a gloomy tone ”Mr Selincourt told me the other day that he believed it would be better if I did es; but I said no There is no difficulty in taking the boats dohen the river is in flood, though of course it would not be possible now; and I've got the feeling that I like to take the first risk in them myself It is a queer sensation, I can tell you, to feel a boat co to life under your feet, and when I took the Mary over the falls it was just as if she ju and the rush of the water swirling round her sides”
Katherine nodded, but did not speak There was a rugged eloquence about the boatbuilder which always appealed to her, but thisit was almost more than she could bear
”Perhaps I will come in and see Mrs M'Kree as I coet my business done and turn my face homeward as soon as I can,” she said, after a little pause ”Father did not seeloom of other people which has upset him”
”Very likely: poor man, he'd be bound to be sensitive in unexpected places; afflicted people mostly are I will tell my wife you o to Ochre Lake swan-shooting this evening? My two lads and I are going, and it is always fun for a boy I've got an old duck rifle he can use, and we'll send hi”
One glance at Phil's face was sufficient to make Katherine decide she could do quite ithout hie, and so it was arranged
The journey that day was got through sooner than usual, owing chiefly to Phil's tendency to ”hustle” in order to be back in good ti He helped Katherine over the second portage, and tues of dried fish into the boat Then, uttering a hoop of delight, he turned head over heels in the dried grass on the bank, and started back along the portage path to the boatbuilder's house at a run
Being in good time, Katherine did not trouble to row herself down river, but, pushi+ng the boat out in reat luxury to be alone-to let her face take on the saddest expression it could assume, to let her hands drop idly on her lap, while for a brief space she let her grief have sway She was thinking of the day when Jervis had coe to o back before she came What had he come to say to her that day?
This was the question which had ceaselessly tortured Katherine through the days and nights since Oily Dave had brought the bad news about the Mary Her heart whispered that he ht have come that day to ask her to marry him, but she was not sure If she could have been certain of this, then it see would have been reht to ht, and she could hear the water rushi+ng round the bend in the river and over the falls Then she turned round in the boat, and, taking up the oars, prepared to row in to the boathouse
A figure, partly hidden by the cottonwood and the alders, stepped forward at this moment and prepared to moor the boat for her
Was it instinct thatto see how htened cry escaped her at what she saw, and the colour ebbed frohastly white
”Katherine, did you take host?” asked the voice of Jervis Ferrars
”I think so,” she said faintly, then sent the boat with a jerk against thepost, where he tied it up for her
”Did you really think we had gone down, or had you the cheerful faith of Mrs Jenkin?”
”I-I am afraid that I had no faith at all,” she said with an effort, and never guessed how complete was her self-betrayal
He looked at her keenly, was apparently satisfied hat he saw, then said cheerfully: ”Will you row me up to Astor M'Kree's, or, rather, pero and assure him that the Mary is quite safe, and the soundest boat that ever sailed the Bay Shall we leave this luggage here, or row it up river for the sake of having a load?”
”Rowing is quite sufficient exercise without having an unnecessary load,” replied Katherine, with a shake of her head, as she handed hi so that she could hardly trust herself to speak, and was horribly afraid of breaking down like a schoolgirl, and crying from sheer joyfulness
When the bundles were all out, Jervis got in, took the oars, and sent the boat's head round for up river again, then pulled steadily for a few