a common liking for the same brand
of tobacco, which created a strong bond. Garth was entranced by the
Bishop's matter-of-fact stories of his long journeys through the
wilderness during the delightful summers, and in the rigorous winters;
and the upshot was, the Bishop asked him to join him in his forthcoming
tour of the diocese, which was to start from Miwasa Landing on the
first of August.

Garth jumped at the opportunity; and telegraphing lengthily to his
paper to set forth the rich copy that was pining to be gathered in the
North, prayed for permission to go. He received a brief answer, allowing
him two months' leave of absence for the journey at his own risk and
expense; and promising to purchase what of his stuff might be suitable,
at space rates. This was precisely what he wanted; it meant two months'
liberty. By the time he received it, the excursion had left Prince
George behind; and was turned homeward. Garth dropped off at a way
station and made his way back, this time without any fetes to greet
his arrival. He caught the Bishop as he was starting for the Landing;
and it was arranged Garth should follow him by stage, three days later.
Meantime he was to purchase an outfit.

* * * * *

On the evening of the day following his luncheon at Papps's, Garth, in
his room at the hotel, was packing in a characteristically masculine
fashion, preparatory to his start for the North woods next day.

It would have been patent to an infant that he had something on his
mind. He was not thinking of the romantic journey that lay before him;
that prospect, so exhilarating the past few days, had, upon the eve of
realization, lost its savour. He would actually have welcomed an excuse
to postpone it for a few days--so that he might spend a little more
money at Papps's. It was a pair of flashing blue eyes--for blue eyes do
flash, though they be not customarily chosen to illustrate that capacity
of the human orb--which had disturbed his peace. He was very much
dissatisfied with the part he had played at luncheon the day before.
What he ought to have said and done was now distressingly clear to him;
and he craved an opportunity to put it into practice. He had spent the
whole middle part of this day at Papps's, loitering in the entrance to
make sure the blue eyes should not be swallowed in one of the cabins
without his knowledge; but they had not illumined the place; nor had
his cautious inquiries el