ness suited Katherine's mood. She
hurried on in front, so that even the shouts of Miles to the dogs
became faint in the distance. Then her pace decreased as she swung
along with a gentle swaying motion, the big frame of her snowshoe
never quite lifted from the ground. When the boatbuilder's house
came in sight she hesitated, wondering if it would not be
pleasanter to remain outside in the pure fresh air until Miles
came, instead of sitting in the hot, stuffy kitchen talking to Mrs.
M'Kree. Then, remembering how solitary was the life of the poor
little woman, shut up from month's end to month's end with her
babies, Katherine decided to get on as quickly as she could and
give Mrs. M'Kree the benefit of her society.

Mrs. M'Kree received her literally with open arms, and gave her a
hug which nearly took her breath away. "Oh, I am glad you've come
yourself! If the weather had been bad I should have been quite
sure of seeing you; but as it was so fine I was desperately afraid
you'd send the boys. But where is the sledge?"

"Miles is coming on with the dogs, but I came forward at a
tremendous pace just because the morning was so beautiful, and I
wanted to be alone," Katherine answered, subsiding into a
rocking-chair and picking up the M'Kree baby which happened to be
nearest.

"Wanted to be alone? My dear, that doesn't sound natural in a
young girl. Oh, I hope you are not getting melancholy from all the
trouble you've had this winter!"

"How can you even think of melancholy and me in the same
connection!" protested Katherine with a merry laugh. "Why, I am a
most cheerful person always, and Nellie complains that I live in a
perfect whirlwind of high spirits."

"So you may. But if you want to go mooning off alone, it is a sure
sign that something is wrong, unless indeed you are in love," and
Mrs. M'Kree nodded her head in delight at her own shrewdness.

But Katherine only laughed as she asked: "Pray, whom do you think I
should be likely to fall in love with? There are so few eligible
men in this part of the world."

"How was I to know but what you left your heart in Montreal last
winter? At least there are men enough there," Mrs. M'Kree said.
Then she asked anxiously: "My dear, what is the matter? You look
quite ill."

Katherine had started to her feet with a look of profound amazement
on her face, for at that moment the door of the next room had
opened, and another small M'Kree appeared, dragging afte