Blake's Burden

ld politeness, but instead of this she was gentle and quietly cordial. She had seen his affection for her husband, and made him feel that he had her sympathy, without being openly pitiful. He

ake glanced

er, because there's no reason why she should be reminded of anything unpleasant now. She's a good woman, Bertram, and I'm glad she did

a few moments, his face

hought of it troubles me. She doe

Challoner pluck when you smoked out that robbers' nest in the hills and the pacification of the frontier valley was a very smart piece of work. When I read about the business I never thought you would pull

ministrative as well as military skill in the affairs his cousin mentioned

in the only way I can. You know you had never any idea of

sness about money, but what I get from my mother's little property keeps me on my feet." He laughed as he went on: "It's lucky that your pe

nconsequent, but there was a stubborn vein in him. When he took

ll let me know

ur wife proud of you-she has good reason for being so, and let me go my way and drop out of sight again. I'm a common adventurer and have been mixed up in matters that fastidious people would shrink from, whic

Challoner said with feeling. "Be

ly advances and break the last connexion between himself and the life he once had led, but he knew it must be broken, and felt

rance hall of the hotel. It was characteristic of him that he wore evening dress, though a number of the other guests did not, but it displayed his fine, symmetrical figure. He was a handsome

tone suggested that he wished to explain why he had not accompanied them. "You didn't give me an

d," Millicent a

to think there was any

us enough, and I'm in disgrace. One of the animals

bsurd old woman hold you respo

there was not a cab on the rank. I told her to put the basket down while she looked for a hack near the station; and then crossed the street as I saw one coming. Whe

's unpleasant to think you should have to suf

semi-privacy of their position suggested confidential relations, he was hardly showing good taste. Indeed, she realized t

e said. "Mrs. K

leigh was waiting. She was a rather striking, high-coloured woman, with eyes that had a hard sparkle, and, when her face was in repose, unusual

she said impatiently. "Why did you

acquaintances in the hotel. I'm inclined to

d. "I heard the old woman abusing the manager because one of her ridiculous pets is mis

d do so. I haven't forgotten that m

n public, it may come to a sudden end. You oug

uantity, but there's no doubt about yo

the African colony, but Mrs. Chudleigh had worked well for him. She had many friends, men of importance in political and military circles were to be met in

s; I'm fond of using them. Moving other people's hands and making up their m

aking down his health, and he can't keep his post much longer; I want full control. Now to the north of my malaria-haunted district there's a belt of dry and valuable country, inhabited by industrious Moh

dleigh. "You intend

must give the French no reasonable grounds for objecting

ies or the French are clever enough to

fail, our authorities will disown m

ngs were not hidden, he now and then offended her more cultivated taste, but he could bo

excuse?"

ouble." He paused with a meaning smile. "It may be necessary to subjugate them, and, if we enter their country, we'll no doubt find ourselve

benefit t

's rich in useful products, and as soon as it is ours new factories will spring up wherever th

untry stood to gain, the rights of small native races did not count, and she argued, with some reason, that they wer

ered thoughtfully, "s

bies of yours are very fine, but they owe a good deal to their ba

pardon. The man's taste was defective, but he had char

all. One was a sawmill owner; another served the Hudson's Bay Company in the northern wild

a strip of wood from his pocket and handing it

wn from a

. You know something

and, from which the two middle fingers were missing. "Lost those twenty years ago whe

other strip. "The same stuff, sir. Ho

olish, but I haven't seen varnish as good as this. Except that it's cl

Try to scrape it

mark on it, and the America

ink of it as a bus

every other high-grade varnish off

the raw material in quantities, and we're not sat

varnish factory in Connecticut, with the words,

hold of a good thing, Mr. Harding, but if you're no

nd miss no chance of a trade. Then I'm going way up

lroad track, but as soon as you leave it you'll find no paint required. The s

try and find out something

t you get the material you make

can continent, if he'll take the trouble to look for it. Lumber changes some of its properties with the location in which

ng in that," the

n this earth," remarked the Hudson's Bay agent. "It's almost impossible to get through in summer u

g. "Now I'm going to take a

hen he left them one

he northern timber-belt looking for paint trade openings or resin t