Part 13 (1/2)

”I was looking at the officer man, and scarcely noticed him. It occurred to me that the att.i.tude you complain of probably runs in the family.”

”I can't say I understand you.”

”Well,” said Leger reflectively, ”I can't help a fancy that we once met somebody very like him on another occasion when we both lost our temper.”

”At Willow Dene?”

”Exactly!” said Leger. ”You can think it over. I'll wash the plates at the creek and get some water.”

He turned away, leaving Ingleby considerably astonished and half-persuaded that he was right. The latter was still looking into the darkness when Hetty spoke to him.

”It's not worth worrying about. Come and sit down,” she said. ”Who was that girl, Walter?”

”Miss Coulthurst,” said Ingleby.

Hetty moved a little so that the firelight no longer fell upon her, and Ingleby noticed that she was silent a somewhat unusual time. Then she asked, ”The girl you used to play tennis with at Holtcar?”

”Yes.”

Hetty wished that she could see his face. ”You have met her before, in Canada?”

”Once only. On the Vancouver wharf, the day I let them put the tea into the wrong car. She was coming from the steamer.”

Hetty's face grew a trifle hard for a moment as she made a tolerably accurate guess at the cause of his neglect on the afternoon in question.

Then with a sudden change of mood she laid her hand gently on his arm.

”Don't you think it would have been better for everybody if she had stayed in England, Walter?”

”I expect it would have been for Tom and you. If I had remembered what my business on the wharf was I should never have brought all this upon you.”

Hetty's hand closed almost sharply on his arm. ”No,” she said, ”I don't mean that. You see, I was really glad to get away from the boarding house.”

”You a.s.sured me you liked it once,” said Ingleby.

”Well, perhaps I did, but we needn't go into that. I was thinking of you just now.”

Ingleby would not pretend to misunderstand her. He felt it would probably be useless, for Hetty, he knew, could be persistent.

”Men get rich in this country now and then,” he said. ”It would, at least, be something to work and hope for.”

He could not see Hetty's face, but he noticed that there was a faint suggestion of strain in her voice.

”Do you think she would ever be happy with you even if you found a gold mine?” she said.

”What do you mean, Hetty?” and Ingleby turned towards her suddenly with a flush in his face.

”I only want to save you trouble. Don't you think when a girl of that kind found out how much there was that she had been accustomed to think necessary and that you knew nothing about, she might remember the difference between herself and you. After all, it's not always the most important points that count with a girl, you know.”