Blake's Burden

n brushed past him wearing big mittens and a loose black

at have you got on? Have yo

answered with a grin. "Ope

, but as Blake slipped thro

alk with you. I've b

orn and matted, tufts were hanging loose, and the creature had a singularly disreputable and ferocious appearance. Blake made an attempt to recapture it, bu

! It's gone into the rotu

made you get yourself up like an Italian opera villain

What we have to do now

arding drily. "The

d on at an animated scene. Two porters were chasing the bob-cat which now and then turned upon them savagely, while several waiters, who kept at a judicious distance, tried to frighten it into a corner by flourishing their napkins. Women fled out of the creature's way, men hastily moved chairs and tables to give the pursuers room, and some of

porter, advanced towards Mrs. Keith, his face red with exertion but contrite, and the cloak, which had come un

to will put it with the other animals. If he

ied in a formal tone, looking hard at him. "I gave the cat to my maid this morning, sending Miss Grah

ng to carry an awkwardly shaped hamper and Miss Graham looking for a ca

eith looked sternly at Millicent, who blushed. "I have been led to believe that you m

ago. However, as I saw a car coming along St. Catharine's while your maid was looking for a hack and there was no t

xidermis

ing about the matter. Anyhow, he was the n

. "You seem to have a curious way of

g more which I couldn't catch, but when we became friends he p

a dog-fancier would

t Mrs. Keith's face was serio

matter out. To tell the truth, I

necessary to make friends with t

f mine, and the fellow interested me by the tragic manner in which he bro

grim amusement. "I see, but you haven

as there was a good deal of traffic, a transfer wagon ran over the hamper, luckily without hurting the animal inside. I left it at a basket shop and that explains the c

ishment, Mrs. Keith br

play. Though it's a very long time since I saw you, you haven't changed

d gone and Mrs. Keith noticed th

. "You have been here some days. Wh

nged much less than I have, but I wasn't su

uite agreed with the popular opinion about what you were supposed to have do

," Blake s

glance. "Can't you say

wered. "The least sai

the sake

much troubled about my disgrace. I'm

en when Major Allardyce wrote he scarcely spoke for the rest of the day and it was a long time before he recovered from

rtram is a very good fellow and has brains. Why should his people think less of him because

s. She had been fond of Dick Blake in his younger days and firmly bel

you, and if you have been at fault, you must make amends.

I closed the door of the old life against my return with my own hands, a

ess have yo

umorously. "At present

rs. Keith

linseed oil. Varnish also of unapproachable quality, guaranteed to stand exp

that you are going abou

for until arrival, when I shall not be here. Can't I induce you to give us a trial? Your house must need painting now

ake up. It's ludicrous to think of your running about with paint samples, but there's something pathetic in it that spoils my amusement." Her face softened

of my friends have wanted to do so-first the Colonel, then Bertram, and now you. Not flattering

es' misfortune that they could never

back by and by if you'll allow me. My American partner

t go to the man and then tell the hotel people to gi

ured as I do," Blak

with a frown on his face when Blake joined him. He had a n

in an ironical tone. "Feel like getting dow

plied. "Somehow or other I couldn't get a

se; you spread yourself out too much. You want to fix your mind on o

ortunity that offers, you get most out of life. Concentration's good, but if you concentrate

're through. That's a nice girl you stole the bob-cat from, but if she were a sister of

tter with Capt

but there's generally a code of rules and if it's going to pay him, Sedgwick will break them

interest in Millicent, was somewha

s, but I dare say the fellow's a harmless p

o's to give me my chance of finding the gum. And I'm here in an expensive hotel, where I've made about five dollars commission in three days and written our people several f

ty below in winter. Then I was in Revillons', looking at their cheaper furs, and in a store where they supply especially light h

s will make a big h

isk of freezing to death, and we may h

on't go back unti

rom the tropics and were expensive he began to experiment with the exudations from American trees. His employers hinted that he was wasting his time, since the limits to the use of these products were already known, but Harding continued, trying to test a theory that the texture and hardness of the gums might depend upon climatic temperature. By chance a resinous substance which had come from the

cing towards a man who sat across the room. "Do you think that f

it m

able secret, and I understand he lives som

the man whom Harding suspected of listening, "That was good stuff you gav

e used with discretion. If you feel you need it, I'll give you another dose. It's an Indian remedy and I learned

opped and lighted a cigar. "T

"It isn't difficult when yo

and I know something about the primitive rac

ditions, you expect the others to agree with you. It's an indefensible policy." He turned to the Hudson's Bay agent. "You ought to know something about the matter. On the

ving talked about the thing; and my clerk has never left the f

had afterwards some better

are grateful, but although I've been in the countr

r factory open in a district where furs are rather scarce and

one which Blake remarked, while Sedgwick, fee

the Jack-pine?"

ame down it one winter from the Wild-goose hills

s? Did you find them

things," Clarke answered dri

ter name, call the occult. But it's fortunate there's a b

ned to a white m

darkness and never came out again. T

in. "We want sane, normal men on this continent. Neurotics, hoodoos a

Those who don't fit in wit

t man when I meet him an

le are now and then deceived,

Blake. "There's something wrong about him; he's not wholesom