ing had finished his day's work before he left the bridge, the glow of sunset flooded Charnock's living-room. The strong red light searched out the signs of neglect

ess that one missed when the light was normal. Festing, however, knew the look, and alth

ties that had brought him down had been overlaid by a spurious grace and charm, but it now looked as if moral slackness

d. "I won't see you again until my retu

e you have made some plans for your trip

"I didn't know you had friends in that nei

ay. Then I may

ere's something I want to ask. We are friends and I've let you give me good advi

s anything

I want you to go and see Helen Dalton. She's the girl I ought

a start. "It was her por

ust so. I imagine I did burn it, bec

d him. Bob had an air of frankness, but was sometimes cunning. This, however, was not

want me to g

w I was situated. I want her to kn

ritten and stat

little or too much; probably I didn't say enough. Then you can't tell how fa

had been some time in Western Canada, where people are frank and do not

but you can indicate the lin

t me, and the debts kept piling up until I was ruined. You can describe the havoc made by drought, and frost, and cutting sand. Then there's the other si

she had pluck. She woul

u meet her you'll see that the life we

er dryly. "I'm to make all the excuses for you I can, and prove that you

n I gave her up; but a girl, particularly a young, romantic girl, feels that kind of thing, and it might hurt worse if she thought she had loved a wastre

is true?" Festin

g fellow. You meant that if you'd had my debt

two or three other men whom

admit that the thing w

ulties; that is, if you had really made an effort and faced the situation

you don't realize what Helen's trials would have been in the meanwhile. An engaged girl's situation isn't easy when her lover is away. She stands apart, for

pose I persuade Miss Dalton that you made a plucky fight and only gave her up whe

covered his calm. "You must see your suggestion's stu

ince you urge me, I'll do what I c

ad looked alarmed. This was strange, because although Festing had, for a moment, forgotten Sadie, it was ridiculous to imagine that Bob had done so. Then why had he started. The

Festing some kindness when he was young, and his daughter, Muriel, approved her father's guest. She liked the rather frank, brown-skinned, athletic man, whom she had joined on the terrace. He was a new and in

an grappled with Nature in her sternest mood. Thundering snowslides swept away one's work, icy rocks must be cut through, and savage green floods threatened the half-built track when the glaciers began to melt. Every day had brought a fresh anxiety,

ground a river twinkled in the fading light. Feathery larches grew close up to the house, and a beck splashed in the gloom among t

aming and would wake up to hear the din of the rivers and the ballast roaring off the gravel cars. How

x miles off. The dark patch on

ou know th

nd of mine. Although the Scar's some way off, I

t needful," Festing an

Helen was to have married a man in Canada, but

the Scar. I've promised to ex

ement. "Well, I'm sorry for Helen; it must have been a s

have seen

y with in the South, but I met him at the Scar. Hands

ss Dalton's

t to know what

now her already; that is

d to describe them. They are not old, but seem to date back to other times. In fact, they're rather unique nowadays. Like ver

e Charnock. I've never met people like that

l replied. "They're not really prudish or

lton like her m

but she's made of harder stuff. She wou

er all, there's something to be said for Charnock's point of view. Your delicate Englis

ideas about us are old-fashioned. We are not kept in lavender now. Besides, it isn't the surface bloom that matters, an

ad died away, and except for the splash of the beck a deep silence brooded over the dale. The sun ha

in and hurry; things seem to run on well-oiled wheels! Perhap

lidays now and

iet, but I was always where some big job was rushed along. Hauling logs across the snow, driving them down rivers, and after I joined the railroad, checkin

it's a relief to lounge. But

me for a time, but after that I don't know. I

was not used to moving leisurely. Then his figure, although spare, was well proportioned, and his rather thin face was frank. He had what she called a fined-down look, but concentrated effort of mind and body had given him a hint of distinctio

to seeing the Daltons

undertaken when I gave my promise. The thing looks worse in

ou are

harnock hustled me into it; he has a way of getting somebo

half amused by his indignation. She thought Cha

ould tell me what to say; but as I don't know if Cha

, but she resisted the temptation. Because she liked Festing, she would not

But I don't think you need be nervous. If you have

house where the curate