unded real, and there were touches, little
personal characteristics, you couldn't have imagined. You see, I am
younger than Lawrence and thought him something of a romantic hero
before he left home." Then she paused for a moment. "I got a very bad
shock when he was forced to go. You know why he went?"

"I don't; I've sometimes thought he wanted to tell me."

"Then you never asked?"

"I did not; I think I didn't want to know."

She gave him a steady searching glance and he felt that if he had been
insincere she would have found out.

"But you knew there was something wrong. If he had injured somebody in
England, he might have injured you. What made you so trustful?"

"Your brother himself. Then he was, so to speak, my benefactor. If he
hadn't taken me up, I might have been chopping trees in the snow,
instead of enjoying a holiday in England and, to emphasize the
contrast, staying at a house like this."

"It doesn't follow; you might have found another opportunity. The
point is that you did trust Lawrence."

Foster disliked sentiment and knew that if he struck a false note it
would jar.

"Well," he said, "I don't claim that I'm a judge of character, but one
can't make progress in Canada and be a fool. We had gone hungry in the
bush together, and hauled the hand-sledge across the snow, when it was
very doubtful if we'd make the settlements. Perhaps there isn't a
better way of testing a partner than that. Then a man starts fair in
the new countries, and one feels that this is right. He may have given
way once to some strong temptation and go the straighter for it
afterwards."

Alice looked at him with a curious gleam in her eyes that made his
heart beat.

"It was a very strong temptation," she said quietly and stopped as Mrs.
Featherstone came in.

VII

THE PACKET

When he had been a few days at the Garth, Foster thought he had better
take Carmen's packet to Edinburgh. She had said nothing about its
being urgent and he did not want to go, but he must keep his promise
and would afterwards be at liberty. Mrs. Featherstone had given him to
understand that he was to make the Garth his headquarters as long as he
stayed in England, and he looked forward to doing so with much content.
The more he saw of his hosts, the better he liked them, and it was a
privilege to enjoy Alice Featherstone's friendship. She had, of
course, given it him for her brother's sake, but he must try to keep it
on