ed just now," he said
slowly. "It has been in my heart to ask it ever since that day you
helped me across the ice, saving my life at the risk of your own.
But I had my mother to support then, in part, and the burden on me
was too heavy for me to dare to put my personal happiness first.
There was a letter for me in Mr. Selincourt's belated mail,
however, that changed my outlook pretty considerably, and left me
free to do as I liked; so I came to you directly."

"Do you mean----?" began Katherine, then stopped in some confusion.

"Do I mean that I have only myself to keep now, were you going to
ask?" he said, laughing as he shifted his seat and took up the oars
to bring the boat in to the mooring post under the boathouse;
"because that is just what I do mean. I have only myself to keep
until I have the privilege of keeping you; and there will be no
more portage work for you then, I promise you."

Katherine sprang ashore, whistled for the dogs, then turned to him
with a saucy air. "Don't be too positive about the portage work;
fishermen do not exactly come under the heading of the leisured
classes, and I may be glad to earn an honest dollar where I can."

CHAPTER XXIX

Winter Again

Never had there been such excitement in Seal Cove and at Roaring
Water Portage as when, following close on the safe return of the
Mary, the tidings leaked out that Jervis Ferrars was going to marry
Katherine Radford. With a very few exceptions everyone was
disappointed, for common consent had given him to Mary Selincourt,
and Dame Rumour does not care to make mistakes. Some there were
who insisted that Mary Selincourt took the news badly, and looked
pale for days afterwards; but these were the very wise ones, who
always knew everything without any telling, whom nothing surprised,
and who were never taken unawares.

Mr. Selincourt had himself rowed across the river directly the
tidings reached him; for he was anxious to offer his
congratulations, and to inform Katherine that he had expected it
ever since he had been at Roaring Water Portage. Katherine's eyes
grew suspiciously dim when he had gone: she was thinking of the day
when he had taken her into his confidence about Mary's love affair
with Archie Raymond, and she guessed that he had told her on
purpose to prevent her putting any belief in the rumours flying
about concerning Jervis and Mary.

The person who was most surprised was Mrs. Burton. So keenly
remorseful wa