Part 35 (2/2)
”Stolen, doubtless, by other Indians,” replied Katherine, who then told Mary of the discovery she had ment of a letter in the hands of a child at the Ochre Lake encas, what a long time you have been without any news of the outside world!” cried Mary
”But we have survived it, you see,” Katherine answered with a laugh Then she asked Mary if she would not like to be rowed to the store first, before going to inspect the new house
”Yes, please; I want to see your father and Mrs Burton, to say nothing of the twins and Miles,” Mary answered eagerly Then she said, with a wistful note in her voice: ”You will let me be bridesmaid tomorrow?”
”To- vividly, she answered: ”But I am not sure that it will be to-morrow”
”I am,” replied Mary calmly, ”for the simple reason that the bishop starts the day after for Marble Island, which he hopes to reach before the whalers are all broken out of the ice Father is going to send him up the bay in the best available boat You will let me be bridesmaid, won't you?”
”If you wish, certainly,” said Katherine; then the boat bu post and was irls walked up to the store together
'Duke Radford was sitting in the sunshi+ne, looking dreamily out over the river, which at this tihest He rose with a pleased exclamation when Mary came into view, and took off his hat with a courtly air
”I re always used to otten your naetically
”Call entle tone Then she stayed in the sunshi+ne talking to him, until Mrs Burton and the twins rushed out to carry her off by force
It was Miles who rowed Mary over the river, for a fit of shyness came upon Katherine, and she was not visible to many people except her own family for the re, and there was a troubled look on his face which Katherine noticed at once
”Is so into her heart lest even at this eleventh hour so to stand between her and her happiness
”I have only had a few ained for,” he answered ”Do you feel equal to helping htly
”Did they tell you about Mr Clay's arrival?” he asked, holding her hands, and looking down into her face with an expression she could by no means fathom
”Yes; Mary told me about him She said he was a horrid littleat the reetic utterances
”I think he means to be very kind,” Jervis answered; ”but the journey has got on his nerves rather However, I helped hione to bed in a happier frame of mind; and he wants to be best man to-morrow, so I have squared matters with Miles Do youback the feeling of not wanting any ers to intrude themselves into that holy of holies which was to take place to-morrow
”Mr Clay is the--I ood to myitself in hih he was not wont to be troubled in that fashi+on ”Cousin Samuel died in February, and affairs have been at sixes and sevens since, wanting o, then?” she asked quickly
”We must start next week, I think,” he answered, with an emphasis on the pronoun that set her heart at rest ”Mr Clay is going on to Marble Island with the bishop to-morrow He wants to see if there is any boat there which will serve to take us round to Halifax when the Strait is open If not, we shall have to go by river and trail to Maxohaue if I can, for you have done quite enough portage work already”
”I would just as soon face the portages as the sea-sickness which will inevitably be h the Strait,” she answered, with a laugh ”But where do the troubles coh to hear about the troubles when to-ht”
CHAPTER xxxI
The Wedding