Part 41 (1/2)

Now, the corporal was, of course, aware that throughout most of Western Canada visitors to a homestead not infrequently lighten their hostess's labour by was.h.i.+ng the dishes or carrying wood. In the case of the miners, who were pleased to spend an hour at the bakery, chopping wood for the oven was the most obvious thing, though those specially favoured were now and then permitted to weigh out flour or knead the bread. There was thus nothing astonis.h.i.+ng in what Hetty had apparently said to Ingleby, nor did Sewell, who provoked the corporal into an attempt to prove that the troopers' carbine was a more efficient weapon than the miners' Marlin rifle, appear to notice anything unusual, and only Leger saw that Hetty's colour was fainter than it had been and that she was quivering a little.

In the meanwhile there was a tramp of feet outside, which grew less distinct, until the ringing chunk of the axe replaced it, and Leger wondered how he could make Sewell understand that it was desirable to cut the discussion short. He could think of no means of doing it and glanced at Hetty anxiously, for how long the corporal meant to stay was becoming a somewhat momentous question. A man accustomed to the axe can split a good deal of wood in ten minutes, even when he works by moonlight; and it was evident that the one outside could not continue his chopping indefinitely without the corporal's wondering what was keeping him.

Ten minutes pa.s.sed, and the regular thud of the axe rang through the forest outside, while the corporal, who was a persistent man, still discussed extractors and magazine springs. Leger felt the tension becoming intolerable. Then Hetty contrived to catch Sewell's attention, and, looking at him steadily, set her lips tight. The corporal had, as it happened, turned from the girl; but she saw a gleam of comprehension in Sewell's eyes.

”Well,” he said reflectively, ”I suppose you are right. I like the easier pull-off of the American rifles. One is less apt to shake the sights off the mark, but no doubt with men accustomed to the handling of rifled weapons, as the police troopers are, the little extra pull required is no great matter.”

The corporal was evidently gratified. ”I've shown quite a few men they were wrong on that point, and now I guess I must be getting on. You'll excuse me, Miss Leger?”

He put on his fur-coat and opened the door, but Hetty's heart throbbed again when he stopped a moment. As it happened, the fire was flas.h.i.+ng brilliantly, and the corporal appeared to be looking down at the footprints by the threshold.

”I've seen Ingleby twice since the snow came, and he was wearing gum-boots,” he said. ”The man who was outside here had played-out leather ones on.”

”Walter has an old pair he wore until lately,” said Leger. ”There's a good deal of sharp grit in the Tomlinson mine, and he'd probably come along in the boots he went down in.”

This appeared reasonable, and the corporal made a little gesture as though to show that he concurred in it, and then, stepping forward, disappeared into the night. Sewell rose and shut the door, and then glanced at Hetty, who stood quivering a little in the middle of the room.

”I fancy one of you has something to tell me,” he said.

Hetty gasped. ”Oh,” she said, ”I thought he meant to stay until morning!

It was getting awful, Tom.”

Then she looked at Sewell. ”Don't you know?” she said. ”It's Tomlinson.”

”Now,” said Sewell, whose astonishment was evident, ”I think I understand. There can scarcely be many girls capable of doing what you have done.”

Hetty made a little sign of impatience. ”Yes, there are--lots of them.

Of course, you think all women are silly--you're only a man. Besides, Tom pinched me. But why are you stopping here and talking? Go and bring him.”

Both Leger and Sewell went, and Tomlinson came back with them. He was haggard and ragged, and his thin jean garments were hard with the frozen snow-dust. He dropped into the nearest chair and blinked at them.

”Yes,” he said, ”I'm here and 'most starving. Get me something to eat, and I'll try to tell you.”

They gave him what they had, and he ate ravenously, while Hetty's eyes softened as she watched him.

”You have had a hard time?” she said.

”Yes,” answered the man slowly, ”I guess I had. I got stuck up in the range. Couldn't make anything of the gorge in the loose snow. Tried to crawl up over the ice track and dropped through. Burst the pack-straps getting out, and don't know where most of the grub and one blanket went to. It was the bigger packet. That was why I had to come back. I don't quite know how I made the valley.”

”When did you lose the grub?” asked Sewell.

Tomlinson shook his head. ”I don't quite know,” he said. ”I guess it must have been 'most three weeks ago.”

Leger looked at Sewell, for that was quite sufficient to give point to the bald narrative.

”What was in the smaller package would scarcely keep a man in health a week,” he said. ”I'm not going to keep you talking, Tomlinson, but--although it's fortunate you did so--why did you stop outside instead of coming in?”

”I saw a man,” said Tomlinson. ”I figured it wouldn't be wise to show myself until I was sure of him. Then when I crawled up to the shanty I didn't seem to remember anything. I only wanted to get in.”