at
that Mary went down day after day to do the writing in the office
at Seal Cove, while Mr. Selincourt, with his shirt sleeves rolled
above his elbows, helped Jervis to pack skins and weigh blubber.

It was easy for Mary to get away, as most of her housework and a
good deal of the cooking was done for her by the portage men who
happened to be in residence at Roaring Water Portage. When Mr.
Selincourt hired men and boats at Temiskaming, he hired them for
the whole summer, and planned their work to suit his own
convenience. There were two men to each boat, and after the first
journey with luggage-laden boats the men found that they could
manage the journey each way in a little over a fortnight. So two
pairs of them were always en route, while the third pair rested and
did housework at the hut at Roaring Water Portage, taking their
departure with mails when another pair of their companions returned
from the lake.

When Mrs. Burton was troubled about anything it was sure to come
out sooner or later, and one night during that week of bustle and
hard work she spoke of the matter that was on her mind. The
sisters were brushing their hair before going to bed. Somehow
hair-brushing lends itself to confidential talk, especially when,
as in this case, awkward things have to be put into speech, because
a veil of hair will hide a good many emotions.

"Do you know, I believe that Mary cares for Mr. Ferrars," Mrs.
Burton blurted out, with considerable nervous trepidation, turning
her back on Katherine, and wielding her brush as if her life
depended on her accomplishing a given number of strokes per minute.

"What put such an idea into your head, you delightful old
matchmaker?" demanded Katherine, with a ripple of amused laughter,
while her brush went slower as she waited for the answer.

"A good many things," Mrs. Burton said, warming to her subject, and
feeling relieved already by the careless ease of Katherine's
manner. "Mary always avoids Mr. Ferrars when it is possible to do
so, and I have never once seen her touch his hand, though she
shakes hands with every other person she meets. I have even seen
her shake hands with Oily Dave, a thing I would not do myself."

"Am I to understand, then, that if one person will not shake hands
with another it is a sign of being in love?" asked Katherine in a
teasing tone. "Because, if so, what about your own refusal to
touch the hand of Oily Dave?"

Mrs. Burton laughed, and he