id "he never see'd nothink like her
nowhere." The clerks spoke of her in terms too glowing to remember; and
the last arrival among them, the youngest, with the slang of the "old
country" fresh on his lips, called her a _stunner_! Even Mrs Grant got
up one of her half-expressed remarks about her, which everybody would
have supposed to be quizzical in its nature, were it not for the
frequent occurrence of the terms "good girl," "innocent creature," which
seemed to contradict that idea. There were also one or two hapless
swains who _said_ nothing, but what they _did_ and _looked_ was in
itself unequivocal. They went quietly into a state of slow, drivelling
imbecility whenever they happened to meet with Kate; looked as if they
had become shockingly unwell, and were rather pleased than otherwise
that their friends should think so too; and upon all and every occasion
in which Kate was concerned, conducted themselves with an amount of
insane stupidity (although sane enough at other times) that nothing
could account for, save the idea that their admiration of her was
inexpressible, and that _that_ was the most effective way in which they
could express it.

"Kate, my darling," said Mr Kennedy, as he finished the last mouthful
of tea, "wouldn't it be capital to get another letter from Charley?"

"Yes, dear papa, it would indeed. But I am quite sure that the next
time we shall hear from him will be when he arrives here, and makes the
house ring with his own dear voice."

"How so, girl?" said the old trader, with a smile. It may as well be
remarked here that the above opening of conversation was by no means
new; it was stereotyped now. Ever since Charley had been appointed to
the management of Lower Fort Garry, his father had been so engrossed by
the idea, and spoke of it to Kate so frequently, that he had got into a
way of feeling as if the event so much desired would happen in a few
days, although he knew quite well that it could not, in the course of
ordinary or extra-ordinary circumstances, occur in less than several
months. However, as time rolled on he began regularly, every day or
two, to ask Kate questions about Charley that she could not by any
possibility answer, but which he knew from experience would lead her
into a confabulation about his son, which helped a little to allay his
impatience.

"Why, you see, father," she replied, "it is three months since we got
his last, and you know there has been no opportu