Blake's Burden

d the breeze that swept its streets blew clouds of sand and cement about, for Montreal is subject to fits of feverish constructional activity and on every other block buildings were

up through gaps in the foliage; the air had lost

By and by the party scattered and Mrs. Keith was left with Harding. They were, in many ways, strangely assorted companions, the elderly English lady accustomed to the smoother side of life, and the young American who had struggled hard from boyhood, but they were sensible of a mutual

home," she said presently. "Wasn't

se was that I hadn't many dollars to leave with her, but I had t

an impertinence, yo

ay is true. We had two hundred dollars when we were m

her valuable property. "Still, of course, it depends upon what one

of town, and it hurt me to see Marianna looking white and tired. I used to wish I could send her to one of the summer-boarders' farms up in the hills, though I

a hard task is a great gift. So you consider this trip to the North-

t. The company will pay my commission on any orders I get at the settlements, but this is

fficult to imagine Dick Blake's going into anything so sober and

, and we spent two or

to learn much about him?

er a direct gl

her that he has taken y

partner, he told me why he had left the army. That was

ot deterred by w

ossible that Blake should have

han you do," Mrs. Keith said gravely.

saloons are, I thought that somebody was following me. The lights didn't run far along the street, I hadn't seen a patrol, and as I was passing a dark block a man jumped out. I got a blow on the shoulder that made me sore for a week, but the fellow had missed my head with the sandbag, and I slipped be

there. That

g and could hardly keep my feet. Besides, I'd my employers' mo

f agreement. "I beg your

ming for him he ran. Then, when the trouble was over, a patrol came along, and he and Blake helped me back to my hotel. Knowing I had the money, he'd got uneasy when I was late." Harding paused

t Blake, in spit

my search," Harding answered with grave quietness. "But if that happens I'll have a partner I can trus

for his wife's judgment and his fa

held, I believe you are right," she said. "

landscape stretched away towards the Ottawa valley, the road to the lonely North, and the girl, who had n

"I suppose you are thinking about it.

siast, and I've been in the country before. It's a singularly rough

n't seem to

a novelty to me, and I don't think I'm avaricious. The f

"But while I like Mr. Harding I shouldn't co

le to be faced, it won't stop him. Then he has left a safe employment, broken up his home, and set off on this long journey for the sake of a woman who is trying to hold out on a very fe

ght for her, and Millicent wondered whether she was capable of inspiring such a feeling. She had found life hard, and so far had sh

s in the paint business doesn't seem to

Blake answered with a laugh. "With Harding,

humour and a dash of reckless gallantry. It was not to his credit that he had frequented her father's house

us long, we shall be duller whe

t it's with mixed feelings one leaves friends behind

t haven't you retained one or two? I think,

to her. A little charity, such a

e was gentle; he thought there was pity for him in it and felt strongly drawn to her, but he remembered that he was

ce," she said by and by. "The sun is

own the winding road to the city; when they sat outside the hotel

ies of a stamp Marianna and I so far haven't had much chance to meet." Then his face grew very resolute as he added: "But she shall have her o

ye to Mrs. Keith next morning. Though she was gracious to him he felt a strong sense of disappointment at finding her alone, but when he

d an errand to do," she said. "You ar

loomy until I saw you. Harding's at the station, and it's depressing

cent. "I'm sure she was very frien

le. "Somehow they didn't seem

have them. I haven't forgotten what happened one evenin

was a marked man. She looked very fresh and desirable; there was a hint of regret and pity in her face and a trace of shyness in her manner. "I suppose I

m the lace at the neck of her white dress. "Will these do?" s

, but what you said had a sting. Did you mean t

think I meant that they would last as long a

d. When I come back I will sh

l be in Eng

It is not very far off

n, "unless you hurry you will miss y

I wonder whether your last wish will ever be realized

ek spent in Montreal, but brief as their friendship had been, he had yielded to her charm. Had he been free to seek her love he would eagerly have done so, but he was not free. He was an outcast, engaged in a desperate attempt to repair his fortune. Miss Graham knew this, and had probably taken his remarks for what they

impatiently waiting him on the platform and a few m