Part 35 (1/2)
”The store see that we have no church How do you feel about it yourself?” he asked abruptly
”I should prefer it there Only, I wanted to be sure you would not esture, although the laughing light had come back to her eyes
”I think, my dear, that the man who marries you will be so supre whether the cere-out,” he said, with a gravity that showed the words to be no empty compliment, but the sincere expression of what he felt
Katherine's lips quivered, but it was a day for shed in the nervous fashi+on hich she was apt to cloak all deep earded as the -out; anyhow, it will be cleaner than the latter by a good long way I shall tell Nellie to-night that you are quite satisfied to be married in the store, and then perhaps her scruples will vanish”
”We will hope so, at all events,” he answered ”The easiest way to issue invitations will be to chalk a notice on the board outside the store, inviting anyone ishes to be present at the wedding of Miss Katherine Radford with Jervis Ferrars, date to be fixed later on That had better be attended to to-et their finery all in readiness”
”Oh, what finery it will be!” exclaihter ”There will be the oddest assortine I believe Oily Dave possesses a 'top' hat, and that will be certain to appear”
”Never mind; we shall survive, I dare say, and so will the bishop if he comes,” Jervis answered; and then the talk of the tandered on to the golden future which they were to spend together, while the glad sunshi+ne filtered down upon thehs, and the world was a joyous place because of the love which eneral invitation to the wedding on the board outside the store next day, and great was the satisfaction which the announcement produced If everyone was invited, then no one felt left out in the cold; and ireat bustle of preparation for the function, which certainly would be the event of the year to the dwellers on the bay shore
Katherine and Mrs Burton were busier than anyone, for they had the store to spring-clean, and that was a task calling for hard work and careful arments; but these, in consideration of the limited stock of materials at their disposal, could not amount to much For a bridal dress, Katherine had decided on a white eance when she was in Montreal, and which wassleeves Sohtdress of a fisherman's wife; but as she had no other frock which would serve, it had to be that or nothing
The days slipped away one by one, and at last they atching hourly for the return of the ylorious day early in June when Katherine, who had been over to Fort Garry with Phil, was rowing up the back creek, and came suddenly upon quite a procession of s up river
”Hurrah! It is Mr Selincourt!” yelled Phil, pulling off his cap and waving it like mad
”And Mary!” exclaimed Katherine, who suddenly went rosy red, for in the last boat of all was an elderly man, with a kind face and a clerical air, whonized as the bishop froiven her of him
”Katherine, Katherine, how bonny you look!” cried Mary, and then the boats caeneral
Katherine was introduced to the bishop, who bowed and sh introductions at fifteen or twenty yards apart are rather aard affairs Then Mary insisted on being transferred to Katherine's boat, and as uncere
”Oh, ain!” she cried, as she settled herself on the seat frolad to see you back,” Katherine answered soberly The sight of the bishop had set her pulses fluttering wildly, and she was hardly ain, as yet
”The journey has been delightful,” Mary rattled on, understanding the cause of Katherine's fluctuating colour, and anxious to give her tie party, too, that it has been like a perpetual picnic, with only two drawbacks which reallythe drawbacks to be soe disco time
”The first was a horrid little land to see Mr Ferrars, and begged to be allowed to attach himself to our party A perfect little kill-joy he is, so prim, so proper and precise, that one is terown-up, and so has had no childhood at all”
”Where is he now? I did not notice that there was another stranger beside the bishop,” said Katherine, turning her head to look at the other boats, which were leading
”We left him behind at the fish sheds with Mr Ferrars,” said Mary ”He has his own boat and his ownCanadian, and loudly pities anyone who is fated to live two or three hundred miles from a railway depot But he apparently has the ht he was in the day we found the bones was, I am quite sure, entirely due to a fear he had lest it was Mr Ferrars who had corief”
”What bones, and where did you find theed her shoulders and answered: ”Two days ago we did a portage on the Albany, and carueso side by side under a little shelter forhs We supposed that they o with s either; so, of course, they e men insisted that the remains were those of Indians, to the intense relief of Mr Clay The poor reat state of worry about the re Father as to whether there would be any likelihood of Mr Ferrars trying to work his way down to the railroad in midwinter”
”I should think those Indiansthe ht in a snowstorm and died in their sleep,” said Katherine
”In that case what had becos and the food sacks?” asked Mary