ined her. "Still, we didn't know, and we had some business to talk
about."

"There will be plenty of time for that to-morrow."

"The trouble is that I shall be in the city then," said Gordon.

Mrs. Acton laughed. "Oh, no!" she contradicted. "We are all going for
a sail on the straits to-morrow, and we certainly expect you to join
us. In the meanwhile, I believe there are two young women waiting for
partners."

She silenced Gordon's objections as they turned back towards the
house. They found the dancing had commenced, and Nasmyth failed to
secure Miss Hamilton as a partner for any time in the evening. He
could not help a fancy that she had taken some little trouble to bring
about this result.

CHAPTER XIX

NASMYTH HEARS THE RIVER

Darkness had settled down on Bonavista next evening when Nasmyth lay
in a canvas chair on the veranda, while Gordon leaned against the
balustrade in front of him with a cigar in his hand. A blaze of light
streamed out from one of the long open windows a few yards away, and
somebody was singing in the room behind it, while the splash of the
gentle surf came up from the foot of the promontory in a deep
monotone. Now and then a shadowy figure strolled into the veranda or
crossed it to the terrace below, but for the time being nobody
disturbed the two men.

"I haven't had a word with you since last night," said Nasmyth. "How
are the boys at the settlement?"

"Hustling along as usual." Gordon laughed. "Is there anybody else you
feel inclined to ask about?"

"Yes," said Nasmyth, "there certainly is. How is Miss Waynefleet?"

Gordon looked down at his cigar. "Well," he said, "I'm a little
worried on her account. She was attempting to do a great deal more
than was good for her when I last saw her. They have no longer a hired
man at the ranch. Waynefleet, I understand, is rather tightly fixed
for money, and, as you know, he isn't the kind of man who would deny
himself. He was talking of selling some stock."

Nasmyth suddenly straightened himself, and closed one hand rather hard
on the arm of his chair.

"What right have you and I to be lounging here when that girl is
working late and early on the ranch?" he asked. "Gordon, you will
have to buy two or three head of that stock at double value for me."

"It's rather a big question;" and Gordon's tone was serious. "In fact,
I fancy it's one that neither you nor I can throw much light upon.
Anyway, I may as well point out that I a