your time and Mr.
Calhoun's apparently?"

Though he possibly did not realize it Deringham's tone was a trifling
condescending, and there was something in it which suggested that he
believed anything could be bought with money. He was, however, a
little astonished when the man regarded him gravely out of eyes that
closed a trifle.

"That's just where you're wrong," said he. "If I could have taken you
on to save the lady waiting it would have pleased me. As it is, I
can't, you see."

He said nothing more, but dismounting pulled the boxes out of the wagon
and laid some travelling wraps upon one of them, while Miss Deringham
affected not to see what he was doing. "And how long will it be before
Barscombe passes?" said she.

"It can't be more than two hours," said the teamster quietly. "All you
have to do is to sit there and wait for him."

He took off his broad hat when the others alighted, and Miss Deringham
noticed there was a trace of courtliness in his simplicity. Then he
strode past her father, who was taking something out of his wallet, and
swung himself lightly into the wagon. He spoke to the team, there was
a creak and rattle, and next moment the vehicle was lurching down the
trail. Deringham stood still a moment, his fingers inside the wallet
and mild wonder in his eyes, and then smiled a little as his daughter
turned towards him. There was a faint pink flush of anger in her
cheeks.

"The dollar does not appear to retain its usual influence in this part
of Canada," he said dryly. "Possibly, however, the man was too
embarrassed by your evident displeasure to remember his hire."

Miss Deringham saw the twinkle in her father's eyes and laughed a
little. "I don't think he was," she said. "Had that been the case one
could have forgiven him more easily. Well, I wonder how long Barscombe
will keep us waiting."

Deringham made a whimsical gesture of resignation. "In the meantime I
notice that our late conductor has arranged a comfortable seat for
you," he said.

The girl sat down, and looked about her. It was very still in the
bush, and the sound of running water drifted musically out of the
silence. From somewhere in the distance there also came a curious
drumming which she did not know then was made by an axe, but it
presently ceased, and the song of the river rose alone in long drowsy
pulsations. In front of and behind her stretched the rows of serried
trunks which had grown to vastness of