it was becoming clear
that she would not be content with the mere possession of him. Sally, it
seemed, had wider ideas in her mind, and, though the idea seemed almost
ludicrous, she wanted to be proud of him.

"My dear," he faltered, "I can't quite tell you--but you have made me
heartily ashamed. I'm afraid it's a very rash thing you are going to
do."

She looked at him with candid anxiety, and then appeared to dismiss the
subject with a smile.

"There is so much I want to say, and it mayn't be so easy--afterwards,"
she said. "It's a pity the train starts so soon."

"We can get over that difficulty, anyway," said Hawtrey. "I'll come on
as far as I can with you, and get back from one of the way stations by
the Pacific express."

Sally made no objections, and drawing a little closer to him she talked
on in a low voice.

CHAPTER XXII

A PAINFUL REVELATION

A sprinkle of snow was driving down the unpaved street before the biting
wind, when Mrs. Hastings came out of a store in the settlement and
handed Sproatly, who was waiting close by, several big packages.

"You can put them into the wagon, and tell Jake we'll want the team as
soon as supper's over," she said. "We're going to stay with Mrs. Ormond
to-night, and I don't want to get there too late."

Sproatly took the parcels, and Mrs. Hastings turned to Agatha, who stood
a pace or two behind her with Winifred.

"Now," she announced, "if there's nothing else you want to buy we'll go
across to the hotel."

They were standing in a big comfortless room in the hotel when Sproatly
rejoined them.

"This place is quite shivery," observed Mrs. Hastings. "They generally
have the stove lighted in the little room along the corridor. Go and
see, Jim."

Sproatly went out. It happened that he was wearing rubber boots, which
make very little noise. He proceeded along the dark corridor, and then
stopped abruptly when he had almost reached a partly-open door, for he
could see into a lighted room. Hawtrey was sitting near the stove on the
arm of Sally's chair.

Though he was not greatly surprised, Sproatly drew back a pace or two
into the shadow, for it became evident that there were only two courses
open to him. He could judiciously announce his presence by making the
door rattle, and then go in and mention as casually as possible that
Mrs. Hastings and Agatha were in the hotel. He felt that he ought to do
it, but there was the difficulty that he could not warn