es of danger like the
tideholes.

Since that evening of confidential talk with Katherine, Mary had
honestly striven for the grace of self-forgetfulness; but the
virtue is not learned in one lesson, nor yet in two, and she would
probably have given up striving, through disgust at her own
failures, if her pride had not been deeply stirred, and the
obstinate part of her nature brought into full play.

Pleading hard work as an excuse, Katherine avoided her after that
evening, from a secret dread of any more confidences. This was
easier than it otherwise would have been, owing to Mrs. Burton
having taken the twins over to Fort Garry to spend a week with Mrs.
M'Crawney, which left Katherine with the burden of housekeeping on
her shoulders in addition to the business of the store.

Jervis Ferrars came up sometimes in the evening to sit and talk
with the invalid on every subject under the sun, from lunar
rainbows to earthquakes, but he got little chance of speech with
Katherine, who was always feverishly busy over some task which
absorbed her whole attention.

The day after Mrs. Burton came back from Fort Garry another vessel
arrived from Liverpool to anchor off Seal Cove. Only one more boat
would be likely to get in before winter came again, and when an
occasion is so rare it is likely to be made much of. The captain
held a sort of reception on board, to which everyone in Seal Cove
was invited. The M'Krees came down from the second portage with
all their babies; Mrs. Jenkin appeared in finery which no one even
dreamed she possessed; and Oily Dave was magnificent in a
frock-coat of shiny black cloth, worn over a football sweater of
outrageous pattern.

Katherine and her father were the only stay-at-homes, but 'Duke
Radford was not fit for excursions of that sort, and if Katherine
had gone Miles must have stayed at home, which would have been
rather hard on a boy as fond of ships as he was. But although
everyone went to the reception, some of them did not stay long, and
one of the first to leave was Mr. Selincourt, who had himself rowed
up river and landed at the store to ask Katherine if she would give
him a cup of tea.

"With great pleasure. Please go in and talk to Father; I shall be
free in a few minutes, and then I will come and make tea for you
both," Katherine answered, holding open the door between house and
store, while she smiled upon the visitor, who was more welcome than
he knew. She was serving an I