nk that is worse still. I _hope_
you won't!" Katrine was conscious of a moment of actual nervousness;
she played with her knife and fork, waited until the conversation
swelled to a louder pitch, and turning towards him spoke in a whisper.
"The other man is dying of consumption. He is also drunk every night in
the card-room. No other woman will look at him. They cut me because I
do. We are great friends."

Again their eyes met, but this time it was her turn to look grave, while
he smiled a smile of unexpected sweetness.

"He was with you, I think, this afternoon beside that hydrant. I'm glad
you are kind to him."

Katrine was conscious of a great relief. Her spirits rose; she
straightened herself with an agreeable tingling of blood, caught a
glance directed to her from afar, and divined, with a woman's content,
that she was looking her best. She drew her breath in a soft,
fluttering sigh.

"Ah! I'm so glad. I was afraid you'd be shocked. And you will help?
He needs a man friend--a strong man--who will be kind, and not judge.
And you can be with him more, do so much more than I."

"I'm afraid he is very ill."

The tone, like the words, seemed lacking in fervour. Katrine had spoken
with so intimate an appeal for help that she could not resist a
momentary chill. She sat silent, wondering if she had been too quick to
claim the privileges of friendship, recalling for her own comfort Jim
Blair's words: "A curt, shy manner." That was the explanation! Only
manner. The deep, smiling glance had already pledged help. She might
be satisfied of its fulfilment.

After dinner Bedford joined her on deck. The vessel was steaming its
slow course through the canal, and Katrine leaned over the rail gazing
at the monotonous banks, listening to her companion's explanatory
conversation with difficult attention. She was so much more interested
in himself than in geographical facts; she wanted to talk of himself,
his health, of his winter's experiences!

"Six miles an hour... Even if we put on full steam we could go no
faster, for the bed is so narrow that if the screw revolves too rapidly,
it merely draws the water backwards. Extra depth would be even more
valuable than extra width. Years ago I was on board the _Ophir_, and we
entered the canal to find a German vessel run aground. For five days we
were stuck there until sixty-three vessels were waiting to get through."

"Sixty-three!" Katrine was startled out