barr robert one day's courtship, and the heralds of fame

8/21/2019 Barr Robert One Day's Courtship, And the Heralds of Fame

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of One Day'

Courtship, by Robert Barr

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Title: One Day's Courtship

The Heralds of Fame

Author: Robert Barr

Posting Date: March 22, 2014 [EBook #9305

Release Date: November, 2005

First Posted: September 29, 2003

Language: English

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ONE DAY'S COURTSHIP ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Davi

Widger and PG

Distributed Proofreaders from image

generously made

available by the Canadian Institute fo

HistoricalMicroreproductions

Robert Barr's


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One Day's

Courtship and Theeralds of Fame

1896

Author OfA Woman Intervenes, In The

idst Of Alarms, The Face and th

ask, From Whose Bourne,etc.,also available from Project Gutenberg


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Table of Contents

One Day's Courtship

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter IIIChapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VIIThe Heralds of Fame

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI


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Chapter I

John Trenton, artist, put the finishin

ouches to the letter he was writing, an

hen read it over to himself. It ran a

follows:

"My Dear Ed.,

"I sail for England on the 27th. But

before I leave I want to have another

look at the Shawenegan Falls. Theirroar has been in my ears ever since I

left there. That tremendous hillside of

foam is before my eyes night and day.

The sketches I took are not at all


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satisfactory, so this time I will bring

my camera with me, and try to get

some snapshots at the falls.

"Now, what I ask is this. I want you

to hold that canoe for me against all

comers for Tuesday. Also, those two

expert half-breeds. Tell them I amcoming, and that there is money in it

if they take me up and back as safely

as they did before. I don't suppose

there will be much demand for thecanoe on that day; in fact, it

astonishes me that Americans, who

appreciate the good things of our

country better than we do ourselves,

practically know nothing of this

superb cataract right at their own

doors. I suppose your new canoe is


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not finished yet, and as the others are

up in the woods I write so that you

will keep this particular craft for me.

I do not wish to take any risks, as Ileave so soon. Please drop me a note

to this hotel at Quebec, and I will

meet you in Le Gres on Tuesday

morning at daybreak.

"Your friend,

"John Trenton."

Mason was a millionaire and a lumbe

king, but every one called him Ed. H

owned baronial estates in the pine woodsand saw-mills without number. Trenton

had brought a letter of introduction to hi

from a mutual friend in Quebec, who ha


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urged the artist to visit the Shawenega

Falls. He heard the Englishman inquir

about the cataract, and told him that h

knew the man who would give him everfacility for reaching the falls. Trenton'

acquaintance with Mason was about

fortnight old, but already they were th

firmest of friends. Any one whoappreciated the Shawenegan Falls found

ready path to the heart of the bi

umberman. It was almost impossible t

reach the falls without the assistance o

Mr. Mason. However, he was no

monopolist. Any person wishing to visi

he cataract got a canoe from the lumbeking free of all cost, except a tip to th

wo boatmen who acted as guides an

watermen. The artist had not long to wai

for his answer. It was


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"My Dear John,

"The canoe is yours; the boatmen are

yours: and the Shawenegan is yoursfor Tuesday. Also,

"I am yours,

"E. Mason."

On Monday evening John Trenton stepped

off the C. P. R. train at Three Rivers. Witha roughing-it suit on, and his camera slun

over his shoulders, no one would hav

aken him for the successful landscap

artist who on Piccadilly was somewhaparticular about his attire.

John Trenton was not yet R. A., nor even


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A. R. A., but all his friends would tell yo

hat, if the Royal Academy was no

governed by a clique, he would have bee

admitted long ago, and that anyhow it waonly a question of time. In fact, Joh

admitted this to himself, but to no on

else.

He entered the ramshackle 'bus, and wa

driven a long distance through very sand

streets to the hotel on the St. Lawrence

and, securing a room, made arrangemento be called before daybreak. He engage

he same driver who had taken him out t

"The Greys," as it was locally called, o

he occasion of his former visit.

The morning was cold and dark. Trento

found the buckboard at the door, and h


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put his camera under the one seata kin

of a box for the holding of bits of harnes

and other odds and ends. As he buttoned

up his overcoat he noticed that a greawhite steamer had come in the night, an

was tied up in front of the hotel.

"The Montreal boat," explained the driver

As they drove along the silent streets o

Three Rivers, Trenton called to mind

how, on the former occasion, he thoughhe Lower Canada buckboard by all odds

he most uncomfortable vehicle he ha

ever ridden in, and he felt that his presen

experience was going to corroborate thi

first impression. The seat was set in th

centre, between the front and back wheels

on springy boards, and every time th


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conveyance jolted over a loga no

unfrequent occurrencethe seat wen

down and the back bent forward, as if t

hrow him over on the heels of the patienhorse.

The road at first was long and straight an

sandy, but during the latter part of the ridhere were plenty of hills, up many o

which a plank roadway ran; so that load

which it would be impossible to tak

hrough the deep sand, might be hauled uhe steep incline.

At first the houses they passed had a dar

and deserted look; then a light twinkle

here and there. The early habitant wa

making his fire. As daylight bega

gradually to bring out the landscape, th


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sharp sound of the distant axe was heard

The early habitant was laying in his day'

supply of firewood.

"Do you notice how the dawn slowl

materialises the landscape?" said the artis

o the boy beside him.

The boy saw nothing wonderful about that

Daylight always did it.

"Then it is not unusual in these parts? Yousee, I am very seldom up at this hour."

The boy wished that was his case.

"Does it not remind you of a photographe

n a dark room carefully developing

andscape plate? Not one of those rapi

plates, you know, but a slow, deliberat


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plate."

o, it didn't remind him of anything of th

kind. He had never seen either a slow or rapid plate developed.

"Then you have no prejudices as to whic

s the best developer, pyrogallic acid oferrous oxalate, not to mention such recen

decoctions as eikonogen, quinol, an

others?"

o, the boy had none.

"Well, that's what I like. I like a young

man whose mind is open to conviction."

The boy was not a conversational success

He evidently did not enter into the spirit o

he artist's remarks. He said most peopl


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got off at that point and walked to war

up, and asked Trenton if he would not lik

o follow their example.

"No, my boy," said the Englishman, "

don't think I shall. You see, I have paid fo

his ride, and I want to get all I can out o

t. I shall shiver here and try to get thworth of my money. But with you it i

different. If you want to get down, do so.

will drive."

The boy willingly handed over the reins

and sprang out on the road. Trenton, who

was a boy himself that morning, at onc

whipped up the horse and dashed dow

he hill to get away from the driver. When

a good half-mile had been worried out o

he astonished animal, Trenton looked


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back to see the driver come panting after

The young man was calmly sitting on th

back part of the buckboard, and when th

horse began to walk again, the boy slioff, and, without a smile on his face

rotted along at the side.

"That fellow has evidently a quiet sense ohumour, although he is so careful not to

show it," said Trenton to himself.

On reaching the hilltop, they caught glimpse of the rim of the sun risin

gloriously over the treetops on the othe

side of the St. Maurice River. Trenton

stopped the horse, and the boy looked up

o see what was wrong. He could no

magine any one stopping merely to loo

at the sun.


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"Isn't that splendid?" cried Trenton, with

deep breath, as he watched the great glob

slowly ascend into the sky. The distan

branches of the trees were delicateletched against its glowing surface, an

seemed to cling to it like tendrils, slippin

further and further down as the su

eisurely disentangled itself, and at lasstood in its incomparable grandeur ful

above the forest.

The woods all around had on theimarvellous autumn tints, and now the su

added a living lustre to them that made th

andscape more brilliant than anything th

artist had ever seen before.

"Ye gods!" he cried enthusiastically, "tha

scene is worth coming from England t


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have one glimpse of."

"See here," said the driver, "if you want to

catch Ed. Mason before he's gone to thwoods you'll have to hurry up. It's gettin

ate."

"True, O driver. You have brought mefrom the sun to the earth. Have you eve

heard of the person who fell from the su

o the earth?"

o, he hadn't.

"Well, that was before your time. You

will never take such a tumble. Isuppose they don't worship the sun i

hese parts?"

o, they didn't.


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"When you come to think of it, that is ver

strange. Have you ever reflected that it i

always in warm countries they worshi

he sun? Now, I should think it ought to bust the other way about. Do you know tha

when I got on with you this morning I wa

eighty years old, every day of it. What d

you think my age is now?"

"Eighty years, sir."

"Not a bit of it. I'm eighteen. The sun dit. And yet they claim there is no fountai

of youth. What fools people are, my boy!"

The young man looked at his fare slylyand cordially agreed with him.

"You certainly havea concealed sense o


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humour," said the artist.

They wound down a deep cut in the hil

and got a view of the lumber villageheir destination. The roar of the water

umbling over the granite rocksthe rock

from which the village takes its name

came up the ravine. The broad river swepn a great semicircle to their right, and it

dark waters were flecked with the foam o

he small falls near the village, and th

great cataract miles up the river. Ipromised to be a perfect autumn day. Th

sky, which had seemed to Trenton

overcast when they started, was now on

deep dome of blue without even th

suggestion of a cloud.

The buckboard drew up at the gate of th


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house in which Mr. Mason lived when h

was in the lumber village, although hi

home was at Three Rivers. The ol

Frenchwoman, Mason's housekeeperopened the door for Trenton, and h

remembered as he went in how th

exquisite cleanliness of everything ha

mpressed him during his former visit. Shsmiled as she recognised the genia

Englishman. She had not forgotten hi

compliments in her own language on he

housekeeping some months before, an

perhaps she also remembered hi

iberality. Mr. Mason, she said, had gone

o the river to see after the canoe, leavinword that he would return in a few

minutes. Trenton, who knew the house

opened the door at his right, to enter th

sitting-room and leave there his mornin


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wraps, which the increasing warmt

rendered no longer necessary. As he burs

nto the room in his impetuous way, h

was taken aback to see standing at thwindow, looking out towards the river, a

all young woman. Without changing he

position, she looked slowly around at th

ntruder. Trenton's first thought was ahasty wish that he were better dressed

His roughing-it costume, which up to tha

ime had seemed so comfortable, now

appeared uncouth and out of place. He fel

as if he had suddenly found himself in

London drawing-room with a shooting

acket on. But this sensation was quickleffaced by the look which the beauty gav

him over her shoulder. Trenton, in all hi

experience, had never encountered such

glance of indignant scorn. It was a look o


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resentment and contempt, with just a das

of feminine reproach in it.

"What have I done?" thought the unhappman; then he stammered aloud, "II

reallyI beg your pardon. I thought the

ahroom was empty."

The imperious young woman made n

reply. She turned to the window again

and Trenton backed out of the room a

best he could.

"Well!" he said to himself, as he breathed

with relief the outside air again, "that wa

he rudest thing I ever knew a lady to doShe is a lady, there is no doubt of that

There is nothing of the backwoods abou

her. But she might at least have answered


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me. What have I done, I wonder? It mus

be something terrible and utterl

unforgivable, whatever it is. Grea

heavens!" he murmured, aghast at thhought, "I hope that girl isn't going up t

he Shawenegan Falls."

Trenton was no ladies' man. The presencof women always disconcerted him, an

made him feel awkward and boorish. H

had been too much of a student in highe

art to acquire the smaller art of thdrawing-room. He felt ill at ease i

society, and seemed to have a fata

predilection for saying the wrong thing

and suffered the torture afterwards o

remembering what the right thing woul

have been.


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Trenton stood at the gate for a moment

hoping Mason would come. Suddenly h

remembered with confusion that he wa

directly in range of those disdainful eyen the parlour, and he beat a hasty retrea

oward the old mill that stood by the falls

The roar of the turbulent water over th

granite rocks had a soothing effect on thsoul of the man who knew he was

criminal, yet could not for the life of hi

ell what his crime had been. Then h

wandered up the river-bank toward wher

he saw the two half-breeds placing th

canoe in the still water at the further en

of the village. Half-way there he warelieved to meet the genial Ed. Mason

who greeted him, as Trenton thought, wit

a somewhat overwrought effusion. Ther

evidently was something on the genia


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Ed.'s mind.

"Hello, old man," he cried, shakin

Trenton warmly by the hand. "Been herong? Well, I declare, I'm glad to see you

Going to have a splendid day for it, aren

you? Yes, sir, I amglad to see you."

"When a man says that twice in on

breath, a fellow begins to doubt him

ow, you good-natured humbug, what'

he matter? What have I done? How diyou find me out? Who turned Queen'

evidence? Look here, Edward Mason

why are you notglad to see me?"

"Nonsense; you know I am. No one coul

be more welcome. By the way, my wife'

here. You never met her, I think?"


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"I saw a young lady remarkably"

"No, no; that is Miss . By the way

Trenton, I want you to do me a favournow that I think of it. Of course the cano

s yours for to-day, but that young woma

wants to go up to the Shawenegan. You

wouldn't mind her going up with youwould you? You see, I have no othe

canoe to-day, and she can't stay till to

morrow."

"I shall be delighted, I'm sure," answere

Trenton. But he didn't look it.

Contents


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Chapter II

Eva Sommerton, of Boston, knew that sh

ived in the right portion of that justl

celebrated city, and this knowledge wa

evident in the poise of her queenly head

and in every movement of her gracefu

form. Blundering foreignersforeigner

as far as Boston is concerned, althoug

hey may be citizens of the United States

considered Boston to be a large city, witcommerce and railroads and busy street

and enterprising newspapers, but the tru

Bostonian knows that this view is ver

ncorrect. The real Boston is penetrate


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by no railroads. Even the jingle of th

street-car bell does not disturb the silenc

of the streets of this select city. It is to th

ordinary Boston what the empty, out-ofseason London is to the rest of the bus

metropolis. The stranger, jostled by th

hrong, may not notice that London i

empty, but his lordship, if he happenduring the deserted period to pass through

knows there is not a soul in town.

Miss Sommerton had many delusions, bufortunately for her peace of mind she ha

never yet met a candid friend with courag

enough to tell her so. It would hav

required more bravery than the ordinar

society person possesses to tell Mis

Sommerton about any of her faults. Th

young gentlemen of her acquaintanc


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claimed that she had no faults, and if he

ady friends thought otherwise, the

reserved the expression of such opinion

for social gatherings not graced by thpresence of Miss Sommerton.

Eva Sommerton thought she was no

proud, or if there was any tinge of pride iher character, it was pride of th

necessary and proper sort.

She also possessed the vain belief tharue merit was the one essential, but if tru

merit had had the misfortune to b

presented to Miss Sommerton without a

ntroduction of a strictly unimpeachabl

nature, there is every reason to fear tru

merit would not have had the exquisit

privilege of basking in the smiles of tha


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young Bostonian. But perhaps her chie

delusion was the belief that she was a

artist. She had learned all that Bosto

could teach of drawing, and this thiveneer had received a beautiful foreig

polish abroad. Her friends pronounced he

sketches really wonderful. Perhaps i

Miss Sommerton's entire capital had beesomething less than her half-yearl

ncome, she might have made a name fo

herself; but the rich man gets a foretaste o

he scriptural difficulty awaiting him at th

gates of heaven, when he endeavours t

achieve an earthly success, the price o

which is hard labour, and not hard cash.

We are told that pride must have a fall

and there came an episode in Mis

Sommerton's career as an artist which wa


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a rude shock to her self-complacency

Having purchased a landscape by

celebrated artist whose work she had lon

admired, she at last ventured to write thim and enclose some of her ow

sketches, with a request for a candi

udgment of themthat is, shesaid sh

wanted a candid judgment of them.

The reply seemed to her so ungentlemanly

and so harsh, that, in her vexation an

anger, she tore the letter to shreds andstamped her pretty foot with a vehemenc

which would have shocked those wh

knew her only as the dignified and self

possessed Miss Eva Sommerton.

Then she looked at her libelled sketches

and somehow they did not appear to b


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quite so faultless as she had suppose

hem to be.

This inspection was followed by houghtful and tearful period o

meditation; and finally, with contriteness

he young woman picked up from he

studio floor the shreds of the letter anpasted them carefully together on a whit

sheet of paper, in which form she stil

preserved the first honest opinion she ha

ever received.

n the seclusion of her aesthetic studi

Miss Sommerton made a heroic resolve t

work hard. Her life was to be consecrate

o art. She would win reluctan

recognition from the masters. Under al

his wave of heroic resolution was a


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under-current of determination to get eve

with the artist who had treated her wor

so contemptuously.

Few of us quite live up to our bes

ntentions, and Miss Sommerton was n

exception to the rule. She did not work a

devotedly as she had hoped to do, nor dishe become a recluse from society. A yea

after she sent to the artist some sketche

which she had taken in Quebecsom

unknown waterfalls, some wild rivesceneryand received from him

warmer letter of commendation than sh

had hoped for. He remembered her forme

sketches, and now saw a grea

mprovement. If the waterfall sketche

were not exaggerations, he would like t

see the originals. Where were they? Th


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ady was proud of her discoveries in th

almost unknown land of Northern Quebec

and she wrote a long letter telling al

about them, and a polite note of thanks fohe information ended the correspondence

Miss Sommerton's favourite discover

was that tremendous downward plunge ohe St. Maurice, the Falls of Shawenegan

She had sketched it from a dozen differen

standpoints, and raved about it to he

friends, if such a dignified young persoas Miss Sommerton could be said to rav

over anything. Some Boston people, o

her recommendation, had visited the falls

but their account of the journey made s

much of the difficulties and discomforts

and so little of the magnificence of th

cataract, that our amateur artist resolve


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o keep the falls, as it were, to herself. Sh

made yearly pilgrimages to the St

Maurice, and came to have a kind of ide

of possession which always amused MrMason. She seemed to resent the fact tha

others went to look at the falls, and, wors

han all, took picnic baskets there, actuall

unching on its sacred shores, leavinempty champagne bottles and boxes o

sardines that had evidently broken som

one's favourite knife in the opening. Thi

particular summer she had driven out t

"The Greys," but finding that a party wa

going up in canoes every day that week

she promptly ordered her driver to takher back to Three Rivers, saying to Mr

Mason she would return when she coul

have the falls to herself.


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"You remind me of Miss Porter," said the

umber king.

"Miss Porter! Who is she?"

"When Miss Porter visited England an

saw Mr. Gladstone, he asked her if sh

had ever seen the Niagara Falls. 'Seehem?' she answered. 'Why, I ownthem!'"

"What did she mean by that? I confess

don't see the point, or perhaps it isn't oke."

"Oh yes, it is. You mustn't slight my good

stories in that way. She meant just whashe said. I believe the Porter family own

or did own, Goat Island, and, I suppose

he other bank, and, therefore, th


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American Fall. The jokeI do dislike t

have to explain jokes, especially to yo

cool, unsympathising Bostoniansis th

ridiculousness of any mere human persoclaiming to own such a thing as th

iagara Falls. I believe, though, that yo

are quite equal to itI do indeed."

"Thank you, Mr. Mason."

"I knew you would be grateful when

made myself clearly understood. Nowwhat I was going to propose is this. You

should apply to the Canadian Governmen

for possession of the Shawenegan. I thin

hey would let it go at a reasonable figure

They look on it merely as an annoyin

mpediment to the navigation of the river

and an obstruction which has caused the


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o spend some thousands of dollars i

building a slide by the side of it, so tha

he logs may come down safely."

"If I owned it, the slide is the first thing

would destroy."

"What? And ruin the lumber industry ohe Upper St. Maurice? Oh, you wouldn

do such a thing! If that is your idea, I giv

you fair warning that I will oppose you

claims with all the arts of the lobbyist. Iyou want to become the private owner o

he falls, you should tell the Governmen

hat you have some thoughts o

encouraging the industries of the provinc

by building a mill"

"A mill?"


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"Yes; why not? Indeed, I have half a

notion to put a saw-mill there myself. I

always grieves me to see so muc

magnificent power going to waste."

"Oh, seriously, Mr. Mason, you would

never think of committing such an act o

sacrilege?"

"Sacrilege, indeed! I like that. Why, th

man who makes one saw-mill hum wher

no mill ever hummed before is benefactor to his species. Don't they teac

political economy at Boston? I thought yo

iked saw-mills. You drew a very pretty

picture of the one down the stream."

"I admire a ruined saw-mill, as that on

was; but not one in a state of activity, or o


44/377

eruption, as a person might say."

"Well, won't you go up to the falls to-day

Miss Sommerton? I assure you we have most unexceptionable party. Why, one o

hem is a Government official. Think o

hat!"

"I refuse to think of it; or, if I do think o

t, I refuse to be dazzled by hi

magnificence. I want to see th

Shawenegan, not a picnic party drinking.

"You wrong them, really you do, Mis

Sommerton, believe me. You have go

your dates mixed. It is the champagnparty that goes to-day. The beer crowd i

not due until to-morrow."


45/377

"The principle is the same."

"The price of the refreshment is not.

speak as a man of bitter experience. Let'see. If recollection holds her throne,

hink there was a young lady from New

EnglandI forget the name of the town a

he momentwho took a lunch with hehe last time she went to the Shawenegan.

merely give this as my impression, yo

know. I am open to contradiction."

"Certainly, I took a lunch. I always do.

would to-day if I were going up there, an

Mrs. Mason would give me som

sandwiches. You would give me a lunch

wouldn't you, dear?"

"I'll tell them to get it ready now, if yo


46/377

will only stay," replied that lady, on being

appealed to.

"No, it isn't the lunch I object to. I objeco people going there merelyforthe lunch

go for the scenery; the lunch i

ncidental."

"When you get the deed of the falls, I'l

ell you what we'll do," put in Mason

"We will have a band of trained Indian

stationed at the landing, and they wilallow no one to disembark who does no

express himself in sufficiently ecstati

erms about the great cataract. You wil

draw up a set of adjectives, which I wil

give to the Indians, instructing them t

allow no one to land who does not use a

east three out of five of them in referrin


47/377

o the falls. People whose eloquen

appreciation does not reach the require

altitude will have to stay there till it does

hat's all. We will treat them as we do ouuriesstarve them into a verdict, and th

right verdict at that."

"Don't mind him, Eva. He is just trying texasperate you. Think of what I have t

put up with. He goes on like that all th

ime," said Mrs. Mason.

"Really, my dear, your flattery confuse

me. You can't persuade any one that I keep

up this brilliancy in the privacy of my ow

house. It is only turned on for company."

"Why, Mr. Mason, I didn't think you

ooked on me as company. I thought


48/377

enjoyed the friendship of the Maso

family."

"Oh, you do, you do indeed! The companreferred to was the official party whic

has just gone to the falls. This is some o

he brilliancy left over. But, really, you

had better stay after coming all thidistance."

"Yes, do, Eva. Let me go back with you to

he Three Rivers, and then you stay witme till next week, when you can visit th

falls all alone. It is very pleasant at Thre

Rivers just now. And besides, we can go

for a day's shopping at Montreal."

"I wish I could."


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"Why, of course you can," said Mason

"Imagine the delight of smuggling you

purchases back to Boston. Confess tha

his is a pleasure you hadn't thought of."

"I admit the fascination of it all, but yo

see I am with a party that has gone on t

Quebec, and I just got away for a day. am to meet them there to-night or to

morrow morning. But I will return in th

autumn, Mrs. Mason, when it is too lat

for the picnics. Then, Mr. Mason, takwarning. I mean to have a canoe to myself

orwell, you know the way w

Bostonians treated you Britishers onc

upon a time."

"Distinctly. But we will return good fo

evil, and give you warm tea instead of th


50/377

cold mixture you so foolishly brewed i

he harbour."

As the buckboard disappeared around thcorner, and Mr. and Mrs. Mason walked

back to the house, the lady said

"What a strange girl Eva is."

"Very. Don't she strike you as being a

rifle selfish?"

"Selfish? Eva Sommerton? Why, wha

could make you think such a thing? Wha

an absurd idea! You cannot imagine how

kind she was to me when I visiteBoston."

"Who could help it, my dear? I woul

have been so myself if I had happened t


51/377

meet you there."

"Now, Ed., don't be absurd."

"There is something absurd in being kin

o a person's wife, isn't there? Well, i

struck me her objection to any one els

being at the falls, when her ladyship wahere, might seemnot to me, of course

but to an outsidera trifle selfish."

"Oh, you don't understand her at all. Shhas an artistic temperament, and she i

quite right in wishing to be alone. Now

Ed., when she does come again I want yo

o keep anyone else from going up thereDon't forget it, as you do most of the thing

tell you. Say to anybody who wants to g

up that the canoes are out of repair."


52/377

"Oh, I can't say that, you know. Anything

his side of a crime I am willing t

commit; but to perjure myself, no, not fo

Venice. Can you think of any other methodhat will combine duplicity with a clea

conscience? I'll tell you what I'll do. I wil

have the canoe drawn up, and gently, bu

firmly, slit it with my knife. One of thmen can mend it in ten minutes. Then I ca

ook even the official from Quebec in th

face, and tell him truly that the canoe wil

not hold water. I suppose as long as m

story will hold water you and Mis

Sommerton will not mind?"

"If the canoe is ready for her when sh

comes, I shall be satisfied. Please t

remember I am going to spend a week o

wo in Boston next winter."


53/377

"Oh ho, that's it, is it? Then it was not pur

philanthropy"

"Pure nonsense, Ed. I want the canoe to bready, that's all."

When Mrs. Mason received the letter fro

Miss Sommerton, stating the time thyoung woman intended to pay her visit t

he Shawenegan, she gave the letter to he

husband, and reminded him of th

necessity of keeping the canoe for thaparticular date. As the particular date wa

some weeks off, and as Ed. Mason was

man who never crossed a stream until h

came to it, he said, "All right," put th

etter in his inside pocket, and the nex

ime he thought of it was on the fin

autumn afternoonMonday afternoon


54/377

when he saw Mrs. Mason drive up to th

door of his lumber-woods residence wit

Miss Eva Sommerton in the buggy besid

her. The young lady wondered, as MrMason helped her out, if that genia

gentleman, whom she regarded as the mos

fortunate of men, had in reality som

secret, gnawing sorrow the world knewnot of.

"Why, Ed., you look ill," exclaimed Mrs

Mason; "is there anything the matter?"

"Oh, it is nothingat least, not of muc

consequence. A little business worry

hat's all."

"Has there been any trouble?"


55/377

"Oh noat the least, notyet."

"Trouble about the men, is it?"

"No, not about the men," said th

unfortunate gentleman, with a somewha

unnecessary emphasis on the last word.

"Oh, Mr. Mason, I am afraid I have com

at a wrong time. If so, don't hesitate to tel

me. If I can do anything to help you, I hop

may be allowed."

"You have come just at the right time,

said the lumberman, "and you are ver

welcome, I assure you. If I find I neehelp, as perhaps I may, you will b

reminded of your promise."

To put off as long as possible the evil tim


56/377

of meeting his wife, Mason went with th

man to see the horse put away, and h

ingered an unnecessarily long time i

ascertaining that everything was right ihe stable. The man was astonished to fin

his master so particular that afternoon. A

crisis may be postponed, but it can rarel

be avoided altogether, and knowing hhad to face the inevitable sooner or later

he unhappy man, with a sigh, betoo

himself to the house, where he found hi

wife impatiently waiting for him. Sh

closed the door and confronted him.

"Now, Ed., what's the matter?"

"Where's Miss Sommerton?" was th

somewhat irrelevant reply.


57/377

"She has gone to her room. Ed., don't keep

me in suspense. What is wrong?"

"You remember John Trenton, who wahere in the summer?"

"I remember hearing you speak of him.

didn't meet him, you know."

"Oh, that's so. Neither you did. You see

he's an awful good fellow, Trenton is

hat is, for an Englishman."

"Well, what has Trenton to do with the

rouble?"

"Everything, my deareverything."

"I see how it is. Trenton visited th

Shawenegan?"


58/377

"He did."

"And he wants to go there again?"

"He does."

"And you have gone and promised him th

canoe for to-morrow?"

"The intuition of woman, my dear, is th

most wonderful thing on earth."

"It is not half so wonderful as th

negligence of manI won't say th

stupidity."

"Thank you, Jennie, for not saying it, but

really think I would feel better if you did.

"Now, what are you going to do about it?"


59/377

"Well, my dear, strange as it may appear

hat very question has been racking m

brain for the last ten minutes. Now, wha

would you do in my position?"

"Oh, I couldn't be in your position."

"No, that's so, Jennie. Excuse me fosuggesting the possibility. I really thin

his trouble has affected my mind a little

But if you had a husbandif a sensibl

woman like you could have a husbanwho got himself into such a position

what would you advise him to do?"

"Now, Ed., don't joke. It's too serious."

"My dear, no one on earth can have such

realisation of its seriousness as I have a


60/377

his moment. I feel as Mark Twain did

with that novel he never finished. I hav

brought things to a point where I can't g

any further. The game seems blocked. wonder if Miss Sommerton would accep

en thousand feet of lumber f.o.b. and cal

t square."

"Really, Ed., if you can't talk sensibly,

have nothing further to say."

"Well, as I said, the strain is getting toomuch for me. Now, don't go away, Jennie

Here is what I am thinking of doing. I'l

speak to Trenton. He won't mind Mis

Sommerton's going in the canoe with him

n fact, I should think he would rather lik

t."


61/377

"Dear me, Ed., is that all the progres

you've made? I am not troubling mysel

about Mr. Trenton. The difficulty will be

with Eva. Do you think for a moment shwill go if she imagined herself unde

obligations to a stranger for the canoe

Can't you get Mr. Trenton to put off hi

visit until the day after tomorrow? It isnong to wait."

"No, that is impossible. You see, he has

ust time to catch his steamer as it is. Nohe has the promise in writing, while Mis

Sommerton has no legal evidence if thi

hing ever gets into the courts. Trenton ha

my written promise. You see, I did no

remember the two dates were the same

When I wrote to Trenton"


62/377

"Ed., don't try to excuse yourself. You had

her letter in your pocket, you know yo

had. This is a matter for which there is n

excuse, and it cannot be explained away."

"That's so, Jennie. I am down in the depth

once more. I shall not try to crawl ou

againat least, not while my wife iooking."

"No, your plan will not work. I don't know

hat any will. There is only one thing try, and it is thisMiss Sommerton mus

hink that the canoe is hers. You mus

appeal to her generosity to let Mr. Trenton

go with her."

"Won't you make the appeal, Jen?"


63/377

"No, I will not. In the first place she'll b

sorry for you, because you will make suc

a bungle of it. Trial is your only hope."

"Oh, if success lies in bungling, I wil

succeed."

"Don't be too sure. I suppose that man wilbe here by daybreak to-morrow?"

"Not so bad as that, Jennie. You alway

ry to put the worst face on things. Hwon't be here till sunrise at the earliest."

"I will ask Eva to come down."

"You needn't hurry just because of me

Besides, I would like a few moments t

prepare myself for my fate. Even

murderer is given a little time."


64/377

"Not a moment, Ed. We had better get thi

hing settled as soon as possible."

"Perhaps you are right," he murmuredwith a deep sigh. "Well, if we Britishers

as Miss S. calls us, ever faced th

Americans with as faint a heart as I d

now, I don't wonder we got licked."

"Don't say 'licked,' Ed."

"I believe it's historical. Oh, I see. Youobject to the word, not to the allegation

Well, I won't cavil about that. All my

sympathy just now is concentrated on on

unfortunate Britisher. My dear, let thesacrifice begin."

Mrs. Mason went to the stairway an


65/377

called

"Eva, dear, can you come down for

moment? We want you to help us out of adifficulty."

Miss Sommerton appeared smilingly

smoothing down the front of the dress thahad taken the place of the one sh

ravelled in. She advanced toward

Mason with sweet compassion in he

eyes, and that ill-fated man thought he hanever seen any one look so altogethe

charmingexcepting, of course, his ow

wife in her youthful days. She seemed t

have smoothed away all the Bosto

stiffness as she smoothed her dress.

"Oh, Mr. Mason," she said


66/377

sympathetically, as she approached, "I a

so sorry anything has happened to troubl

you, and I do hope I am not intruding."

"Indeed, you are not, Miss Eva. In fact

your sympathy has taken away half th

rouble already, and I want to beg of yo

o help me off with the other half."

A glance at his wife's face showed hi

hat he had not made a bad beginning.

"Miss Sommerton, you said you woul

ike to kelp me. Now I am going to appea

o you. I throw myself on your mercy."

There was a slight frown on Mrs. Mason'

face, and her husband felt that he wa

perhaps appealing too much.


67/377

"In fact, the truth is, my wife gave me"

Here a cough interrupted him, and h

paused and ran his hand through his hair"Pray don't mind me, Mr. Mason," said

Miss Sommerton, "if you would rather no

ell"

"Oh, but I must; that is, I want you t

know."

He glanced at his wife, but there was nhelp there, so he plunged in headlong.

"To tell the truth, there is a friend of mine

who wants to go to the falls tomorrow. Hsails for Europe immediately, and has no

other day."

The Boston rigidity perceptibly returned.


68/377

"Oh, if that is all, you needn't have had

moment's trouble. I can just as well put of

my visit."

"Oh, can you?" cried Mason, joyously.

His wife sat down in the rocking-chai

with a sigh of despair. Her infatuatedhusband thought he was getting alon

famously.

"Then your friends are not waiting for yoat Quebec this time, and you can stay

day or two with us."

"Eva's friends are at Montreal, Edwardand she cannot stay."

"Oh, thenwhy, then, to-morrow'syou

only day, too?"


69/377

"It doesn't matter in the least, Mr. Mason.

shall be most glad to put off my visit t

oblige your friendno, I didn't mea

hat," she cried, seeing the look of anguison Mason's face, "it is to oblige you

ow, am I not good?"

"No, you are cruel," replied Mason. "Youare going up to the falls. I insist on that

Let's take that as settled. The canoe i

yours." He caught an encouraging loo

from his wife. "If you want to torture myou will say you will not go. If you wan

o do me the greatest of favours, you wil

et my friend go in the canoe with you t

he landing."

"What! go alone with a stranger?" crie

Miss Sommerton, freezingly.


70/377

"No, the Indians will be there, you know."

"Oh, I didn't expect to paddle the cano

myself."

"I don't know about that. You strike me as

a girl who would paddle her own cano

pretty well."

"Now, Edward," said his wife. "He want

o take some photographs of the falls, an

"

"Photographs? Why, Ed., I thought yo

said he was an artist."

"Isn't a photographer an artist?"

"You know he isn't."


71/377

"Well, my dear, you know they put on

heir signs, 'artistphotographer, picture

aken in cloudy weather.' But he's a

amateur photographer; an amateur is noso bad as a professional, is he, Mis

Sommerton?"

"I think he's worse, if there is any choiceA professional at least takes good

pictures, such as they are."

"He is an elderly gentleman, and I am sur"

"Oh, is he?" cried Miss Sommerton; "the

he matter is settled. He shall go. I thought was some young fop of an amateu

photographer."


72/377

"Oh, quite elderly. His hair is grey, o

badly tinged at least."

The frown on Miss Sommerton's browcleared away, and she smiled in a manne

hat was cheering to the heart of he

suppliant. He thought it reminded him o

he sun breaking through the clouds ovehe hills beyond the St. Maurice.

"Why, Mr. Mason, how selfishly I've been

acting, haven't I? You really must forgiveme. It is so funny, too, making you beg fo

a seat in your own canoe."

"Oh no, it's your canoethat is, aftewelve o'clock to-night. That's when you

contract begins."


73/377

"The arrangement does not seem to m

quite regular; but, then, this is th

Canadian woods, and not Boston. But,

want to make my little proviso. I do nowish to be introduced to this man; he mus

have no excuse for beginning

conversation with me. I don't want to tal

o-morrow."

"Heroic resolution," murmured Mason.

"So, I do not wish to see the gentlemauntil I go into the canoe. You can be

conveniently absent. Mrs. Perrault wil

ake me down there; she speaks n

English, and it is not likely he can spea

French."

"We can arrange that."


74/377

"Then it is settled, and all I hope for is

good day to-morrow."

Mrs. Mason sprang up and kissed the faiBostonian, and Mason felt a sensation o

oyous freedom that recalled his youthfu

days when a half-holiday was announced.

"Oh, it is too good of you," said the elde

ady.

"Not a bit of it," whispered MisSommerton; "I hate the man before I hav

seen him."

Contents


75/377


76/377

Chapter III

When John Trenton came in to breakfast

he found his friend Mason waiting for him

That genial gentleman was evidently ill a

ease, but he said in an offhand way

"The ladies have already breakfasted

They are busily engaged in th

preparations for the trip, and so you and

can have a snack together, and then wwill go and see to the canoe."

After breakfast they went together to th

river, and found the canoe and the two


77/377

half-breeds waiting for them. A couple o

rugs were spread on the bottom of th

canoe rising over the two slanting board

which served as backs to the lowly seats.

"Now," said Mason with a blush, for h

always told a necessary lie with som

compunction, "I shall have to go and seo one of my men who was injured in th

mill this morning. You had better take

your place in the canoe, and wait for you

passenger, who, as is usual with ladieswill probably be a little late. I think yo

should sit in the back seat, as you are th

heavier of the two. I presume yo

remember what I told you about sitting i

a canoe? Get in with caution while thes

wo men hold the side of it; sit dow

carefully, and keep steady, no matter wha


78/377

happens. Perhaps you may as well pu

your camera here at the back, or in th

prow."

"No," said Trenton, "I shall keep it slun

over my shoulder. It isn't heavy, and I am

always afraid of forgetting it if I leave i

anywhere."

Trenton got cautiously into the canoe

while Mason bustled off with a very guilt

feeling at his heart. He never thought oblaming Miss Sommerton for the cours

she had taken, and the dilemma into whic

she placed him, for he felt that the faul

was entirely his own.

John Trenton pulled out his pipe, and

absent-mindedly, stuffed it full of tobacco


79/377

Just as he was about to light it, h

remembered there was to be a lady in th

party, and so with a grimace o

disappointment he put the loaded pipe inthis pocket again.

t was the most lovely time of the year

The sun was still warm, but the dreadeblack fly and other insect pests of th

region had disappeared before the sharp

frosts that occurred every night. The hill

banks of the St. Maurice were coverewith unbroken forest, and "the woods o

autumn all around, the vale had put thei

glory on." Presently Trenton saw Mis

Sommerton, accompanied by old Mrs

Perrault, coming over the brow of the hil

He attempted to rise, in order to assist th

ady to a seat in the canoe, when the half


80/377

breed-said in French:

"Better sit still. It is safer. We will help

he lady."

Miss Sommerton was talking rapidly i

Frenchwith rather overdone eagernes

to Mrs. Perrault. She took no notice oher fellow-voyager as she lightly steppe

exactly in the centre of the canoe, and san

down on the rug in front of him, with th

ease of one thoroughly accustomed to thasomewhat treacherous craft. The tw

stalwart boatmenone at the prow, th

other at the stern of the canoewith swif

and dexterous strokes, shot it out into th

stream. Trenton could not but admire th

knowledge of these two men and thei

dexterous use of it. Here they were on


81/377

swiftly flowing river, with a small fal

behind them and a tremendous catarac

several miles in front, yet these two men

by their knowledge of the currentsmanaged to work their way up stream wit

he least possible amount of physica

exertion. The St. Maurice at this point i

about half a mile wide, with an islanhere and there, and now and then a touc

of rapids. Sometimes the men would das

right across the river to the opposite bank

and there fall in with a miniature Gul

Stream that would carry them onwar

without exertion. Sometimes they wer

near the densely wooded shoresometimes in the center of the river. Th

half-breed who stood behind Trenton

eant over to him, and whispered


82/377

"You can now smoke if you like, the wind

s down stream."

aturally, Mr. Trenton wished to smokeThe requesting of permission to do so, i

struck him, might open the way t

conversation. He was not an arden

conversationalist, but it seemed to hirather ridiculous that two persons shoul

hus travel together in a canoe withou

saying a word to each other.

"I beg your pardon, madam," he began

"but would you have any objection to m

smoking? I am ashamed to confess that

am a slave to the pernicious habit."

There was a moment or two of silence

broken only by the regular dip of th


83/377

paddle, then Miss Sommerton said, "If yo

wish to desecrate this lovely spot b

smoking, I presume anything I can say wil

not prevent you."

Trenton was amazed at the rudeness o

his reply, and his face flushed with anger

Finally he said, "You must have a verypoor opinion of me!"

Miss Sommerton answered tartly, "I hav

no opinion whatever of you." Then, witwomanly inconsistency, she proceeded to

deliver her opinion, saying, "A man who

would smoke here would smoke in

cathedral."

"I think you are wrong there," said Mr

Trenton, calmly. "I would smoke here, bu


84/377

would not think of smoking in

cathedral. Neither would I smoke in th

humblest log-cabin chapel."

"Sir," said Miss Sommerton, turning partl

round, "I came to the St. Maurice for th

purpose of viewing its scenery. I hoped to

see it alone. I have been disappointed ihat, but I must insist on seeing it i

silence. I do not wish to carry on

conversation, nor do I wish to enter into

discussion on any subject whatever. I asorry to have to say this, but it seems to b

necessary."

Her remarks so astonished Trenton that h

found it impossible to get angrier than h

had been when she first spoke. In fact, h

found his anger receding rather tha


85/377

augmenting. It was something so entirel

new to meet a lady who had such an utte

disregard for the rules of politeness tha

obtain in any civilized society that MrTrenton felt he was having a unique and

valuable experience.

"Will you pardon me," he said, witapparent submissiveness"will yo

pardon me if I disregard your reques

sufficiently to humbly beg forgiveness fo

having spoken to you in the first place?"

To this Miss Sommerton made no reply

and the canoe glided along.

After going up the river for a few mile

he boatmen came to a difficult part of th

voyage. Here the river was divided by a


86/377

sland. The dark waters moved with grea

swiftness, and with the smoothness of oi

over the concealed rocks, breaking int

foam at the foot of the rapids. Now for thfirst time the Indians had hard work. Fo

quite half an hour they paddled as if i

despair, and the canoe moved upward

nch by inch. It was not only hard workbut it was work that did not allow of

moment's rest until it was finished. Shoul

he paddles pause but an instant, the cano

would be swept to the bottom of th

rapids. When at last the craft floated int

he still water above the rapids, th

boatmen rested and mopped thperspiration from their brows. Then

without a word, they resumed their steady

easy swing of the paddle. In a short tim

he canoe drew up at a landing, fro


87/377

which a path ascended the steep hil

among the trees. The silence was broke

only by the deep, distant, low roar of th

Shawenegan Falls. Mr. Trenton sat in hiplace, while the half-breeds held th

canoe steady. Miss Sommerton rose and

stepped with firm, self-reliant tread on th

anding. Without looking backward shproceeded up the steep hill, an

disappeared among the dense foliage

Then Trenton leisurely got out of th

canoe.

"You had a hard time of it up that rapid,

said the artist in French to the boatmen

"Here is a five-dollar bill to divide whe

you get down; and, if you bring us safel

back, I shall have another ready for you."


88/377

The men were profusely grateful, a

ndeed they had a right to be, for the mos

hey expected was a dollar each as a fee.

"Ah," said the elder, "if we had gentleme

ike you to take up every day," and h

gave an expressive shrug.

"You shouldn't take such a sordid view o

he matter," said the artist. "I should thin

you would find great pleasure in taking u

parties of handsome ladies such as understand now and then visit the falls."

"Ah," said the boatman, "it is very nice, o

course; but, except from Miss Sommertonwe don't get much."

"Really," said the artist; "and who is Mis


89/377

Sommerton, pray?"

The half-breed nodded up the path.

"Oh, indeed, that is her name. I did no

know."

"Yes," said the man, "she is verygenerous, and she always brings u

obacco in her pocketgood tobacco."

"Tobacco!" cried the artist. "The arranhypocrite. She gives you tobacco, doe

she? Did you understand what we wer

alking about coming up here?"

The younger half-breed was about to sa

"Yes," and a gleam of intelligence came

nto his face; but a frown on the other'

brow checked him, and the elder gravel


90/377

shook his head.

"We do not understand English," he said.

As Trenton walked slowly up the steep

hillside, he said to himself, "That youn

woman does not seem to have the slightes

spark of gratitude in her compositionHere I have been good-natured enough t

share my canoe with her, yet she treats m

as if I were some low ruffian instead of

gentleman."

As Miss Sommerton was approaching th

Shawenegan Falls, she said to herself

"What an insufferable cad that man is? MrMason doubtless told him that he wa

ndebted to me for being allowed to com

n the canoe, and yet, although he must se


91/377

do not wish to talk with him, he tried t

force conversation on me."

Miss Sommerton walked rapidly along thvery imperfect woodland path, which wa

completely shaded by the overhangin

rees. After a walk of nearly a mile, th

path suddenly ended at the top of remendous precipice of granite, an

opposite this point the great hillside o

umbling white foam plunged for eve

downward. At the foot of the falls thwaters flung themselves against th

massive granite barrier, and then, turnin

at a right angle, plunged downward in

series of wild rapids that completel

eclipsed in picturesqueness and grandeu

and force even the famous rapids a

iagara. Contemplating this incomparabl


92/377

scene, Miss Sommerton forgot all abou

her objectionable travelling companion

She sat down on a fallen log, placing he

sketch-book on her lap, but it lay therdly as, unconscious of the passing time

she gazed dreamily at the great falls an

istened to their vibrating deafening roar

Suddenly the consciousness of some onnear startled her from her reverie. Sh

sprang to her feet, and had so completel

forgotten her companion that she stared a

him for a moment in dumb amazement. H

stood back some distance from her, and

beside him on its slender tripod wa

placed a natty little camera. Connectewith the instantaneous shutter was a lon

black rubber tube almost as thin as

string. The bulb of this instantaneou

attachment Mr. Trenton held in his hand


93/377

and the instant Miss Sommerton turne

around, the little shutter, as if in defianc

of her, gave a snap, and she knew he

picture had been taken, and also that shwas the principal object in the foreground

"You have photographed me, sir!" cried

he young woman, with her eyes blazing.

"I have photographed the falls, or, at least

hope I have," replied Trenton.

"But my picture is in the foreground. You

must destroy that plate."

"You will excuse me, Miss Sommerton, itell you I shall do nothing of the kind. I

s very unusual with me to deny th

request of a lady, but in this case I must do


94/377

so. This is the last plate I have, and it ma

be the one successful picture of the lot.

shall, therefore, not destroy the plate."

"Then, sir, you are not a gentleman!" cried

he impetuous young lady, her face aflam

with anger.

"I never claimed to be one," answere

Trenton, calmly.

"I shall appeal to Mr. Mason; perhaps hhas some means of making you understan

hat you are not allowed to take a lady'

photograph without her permission, and i

defiance of her wishes."

"Will you allow me to explain why it i

unnecessary to destroy the plate? If yo


95/377

understand anything about photography

you must be aware of the fact"

"I am happy to say I know nothing ophotography, and I desire to know nothin

of it. I will not hear any explanation fro

you, sir. You have refused to destroy the

plate. That is enough for me. Your conduco-day has been entirely contemptible. I

he first place you have forced yourself

hrough Mr. Mason, into my company. The

canoe was mine for to-day, and you knewt. I granted you permission to come, but

made it a proviso that there should be n

conversation. Now, I shall return in th

canoe alone, and I shall pay the boatme

o come back for you this evening." Wit

his she swept indignantly past Mr

Trenton, leaving the unfortunate man fo


96/377

he second or third time that day too muc

dumbfounded to reply. She marched dow

he path toward the landing. Arriving a

he canoe, she told the boatmen thewould have to return for Mr. Trenton; tha

she was going back alone, and she woul

pay them handsomely for their extra trip

Even the additional pay offered did noseem to quite satisfy the two half-breeds.

"It will be nearly dark before we can ge

back," grumbled the elder boatman.

"That does not matter," replied Mis

Sommerton, shortly.

"But it is dangerous going down the rive

at night."


97/377

"That does not matter," was again th

reply.

"But he has nothing"

"The longer you stand talking here th

onger it will be before you get back. I

you are afraid for the safety of thgentleman, pray stay here with him an

give me the paddleI will take the boa

down alone."

The boatman said nothing more, but sho

he canoe out from the landing an

proceeded rapidly down the stream.

Miss Sommerton meditated bitterly on th

disappointments and annoyances of th

day. Once fairly away, conscience began


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o trouble her, and she remembered tha

he gentleman so unceremoniously left i

he woods without any possibility o

getting away was a man whom MrMason, her friend, evidently desired ver

much to please. Little had been said by th

boatmen, merely a brief word of comman

now and then from the elder who stood ihe stern, until they passed down th

rapids. Then Miss Sommerton caught

grumbling word in French which made he

heart stand still.

"What is that you said?" she cried to th

elder boatman.

He did not answer, but solemnly paddled

onward.


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"Answer me," demanded Mis

Sommerton. "What is that you said abou

he gentleman who went up with us thi

morning?"

"I said," replied the half-breed, with

grim severity that even the remembranc

of gifts of tobacco could not mitigate, "thahe canoe belonged to him today."

"How dare you say such a thing! Th

canoe was mine. Mr. Mason gave it to met was mine for to-day."

"I know nothing about that," returned th

boatman doggedly; "but I do know thahree days ago Mr. Mason came to m

with this gentleman's letter in his hand an

said, 'Pierre, Mr. Trenton is to have the


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canoe for Tuesday. See it is in good order

and no one else is to have it for that day

That is what Mr. Mason said, and whe

hey were down at the canoe this morningMr. Mason asked Mr. Trenton if he would

et you go up to the falls in his canoe, an

he said 'Yes.'"

Miss Sommerton sat there too horrified t

speak. A wild resentment against the

duplicity of Ed. Mason arose for

moment in her heart, but it speedily sanas she viewed her own conduct in the ligh

of this astounding revelation. She ha

abused an unknown gentleman like

pickpocket, and had finally gone off wit

his canoe, leaving him marooned, as i

were, to whose courtesy she was indebte

for being there at all. Overcome by th


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houghts that crowded so quickly upon her

she buried her face in her hands and wept

But this was only for an instant. Raisin

her head again, with the imperious aicharacteristic of her, she said to th

boatman

"Turn back at once, please."

"We are almost there now," he answered

amazed at the feminine inconsistency o

he command.

"Turn back at once, I say. You are not too

ired to paddle up the river again, ar

you?"

"No, madame," he answered, "but it is s

useless; we are almost there. We shal


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and you, and then the canoe will go u

ighter."

"I wish to go with you. Do what I tell youand I will pay you."

The stolid boatman gave the command; th

man at the bow paddled one way, whilhe man at the stern paddled another, and

he canoe swung round upstream again.

Contents


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Chapter IV

The sun had gone down when Mis

Sommerton put her foot once more on th

anding.

"We will go and search for him," said the

boatman.

"Stay where you are," she commanded

and disappeared swiftly up the path

Expecting to find him still at the falls, sh

faced the prospect of a good mile of roug

walking in the gathering darkness withou

flinching. But at the brow of the hil


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within hearing distance of the landing, sh

found the man of whom she was in search

n her agony of mind Miss Sommerton ha

expected to come upon him pacinmoodily up and down before the falls

meditating on the ingratitude o

womankind. She discovered him in

much less romantic attitude. He was lyinat full length below a white birch-tree

with his camera-box under his head for

pillow. It was evident he had seen enoug

of the Shawenegan Falls for one day, and

doubtless, because of the morning's earl

rising, and the day's long journey, had

fallen soundly asleep. His soft felt hat laon the ground beside him. Mis

Sommerton looked at him for a momen

and thought bitterly of Mason's additiona

perjury in swearing that he was an elderl


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man. True, his hair was tinged with grey a

he temples, but there was nothing elderl

about his appearance. Miss Sommerto

saw that he was a handsome man, anwondered this had escaped her notic

before, forgetting that she had scarcel

deigned to look at him. She thought he ha

spoken to her with inexcusable bluntnesat the falls, in refusing to destroy his plate

but she now remembered wit

compunction that he had made no allusio

o his ownership of the boat for that day

while she had boasted that it was hers

She determined to return and send one o

he boatmen up to awaken him, but at thamoment Trenton suddenly opened hi

eyes, as a person often does when som

one looks at him in his sleep. He spran

quickly to his feet, and put up his hand i


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bewilderment to remove his hat, but foun

t wasn't there. Then he laughe

uncomfortably, stooping to pick it up

again.

"III wasn't expecting visitors," h

stammered

"Why did you not tell me," she said, "tha

Mr. Mason had promised you the boat fo

he day?"

"Good gracious!" cried Trenton, "has Ed

Mason told you that?"

"I have not seen Mr. Mason," she replied"I found it out by catching an accidenta

remark made by one of the boatmen.

desire very humbly to apologise to you fo


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my conduct."

"Oh, that doesn't matter at all, I assur

you."

"What! My conduct doesn't?"

"No, I didn't mean quite that; but IOcourse, you did treat me rather abruptly

but then, you know, I saw how it was. You

ooked on me as an interloper, as it were

and I think you were quite justified, yoknow, in speaking as you did. I am a ver

poor hand at conversing with ladies, eve

at my best, and I am not at my best to-day

had to get up too early, so there is nodoubt what I said was said ver

awkwardly indeed. But it really doesn

matter, you knowthat is, it doesn


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matter about anything you said."

"I think it matters very muchat least, i

matters very much to me. I shall alwayregret having treated you as I did, and

hope you will forgive me for having don

so."

"Oh, that's all right," said Mr. Trenton

swinging his camera over his shoulder. "I

s getting dark, Miss Sommerton; I thin

we should hurry down to the canoe."

As they walked down the hill together, h

continued

"I wish you would let me give you a littl

esson in photography, if you don't mind."

"I have very little interest in photography


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especially amateur photography," replied

Miss Sommerton, with a partial return o

her old reserve.

"Oh, I don't wish to make an amateu

photographer of you. You sketch very

nicely, and"

"How do you know that?" asked Mis

Sommerton, turning quickly towards him

"you have never seen any of my sketches."

"Ah, well," stammered Trenton, "notha

syou knoware not those water

colours in Mason's house yours?"

"Mr. Mason has some of my sketches.

didn't know you had seen them."

"Well, as I was saying," continued


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Trenton, "I have no desire to convert you

o the beauties of amateur photography.

admit the results in many cases are ver

bad. I am afraid if you saw the pictures ake myself you would not be much in lov

with the art. But what I wish to say is i

mitigation of my refusal to destroy th

plate when you asked me to."

"Oh, I beg you will not mention that, o

refer to anything at all I have said to you.

assure you it pains me very much, and yoknow I have apologised once or twic

already."

"Oh, it isn't that. The apology should com

from me; but I thought I would like t

explain why it is that I did not take you

picture, as you thought I did."


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"Not take my picture? Why Isawyou tak

t. You admitted yourself you took it."

"Well, you see, that is what I want toexplain. I took your picture, and then agai

didn't take it. This is how it is wit

amateur photography. Your picture on the

plate will be a mere shadow, a dioutline, nothing more. No one can tell wh

t is. You see, it is utterly impossible to

ake a dark object and one in pure white a

he instantaneous snap. If the picture of thfalls is at all correct, as I expect it wil

be, then your picture will be nothing but

shadow unrecognisable by any one."

"But they do take pictures with th

cataract as a background, do they not?

am sure I have seen photos of groups take


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at Niagara Falls; in fact, I have see

groups being posed in public for tha

purpose, and very silly they looked, I mus

say. I presume that is one of the things thahas prejudiced me so much against th

camera."

"Those pictures, Miss Sommerton, are nogenuine; they are not at all what the

pretend to be. The prints that you hav

seen are the results of the manipulation o

wo separate plates, one of the platecontaining the group or the perso

photographed, and the other a

nstantaneous picture of the falls. If yo

ook closely at one of those pictures yo

will see a little halo of light or dar

around the person photographed. That, t

an experienced photographer, shows th


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double printing. In fact, it is doubl

dealing all round. The deluded victim o

he camera imagines that the pictures h

gets of the falls, with himself in thforeground, is really a picture of the fall

aken at the time he is being photographed

Whereas, in the picture actually taken o

him, the falls themselves are hopelesslover-exposed, and do not appear at all o

he plate. So with the instantaneous pictur

took; there will really be nothing of yo

on that plate that you would recognise a

yourself. That was why I refused t

destroy it."

"I am afraid," said Miss Sommerton

sadly, "you are trying to make m

punishment harder and harder. I believe i

reality you are very cruel. You know how


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badly I feel about the whole matter, and

now even the one little point tha

apparently gave me any excuse is take

away by your scientific explanation."

"Candidly, Miss Sommerton, I am more o

a culprit than you imagine, and I suppos

t is the tortures of a guilty conscience thacaused me to make this explanation. I shal

now confess without reserve. As you sa

here with your head in your hand lookin

at the falls, I deliberately and with malicaforethought took a timed picture, which

f developed, will reveal you exactly a

you sat, and which will not show the fall

at all."

Miss Sommerton walked in silence besid

him, and he could not tell just how angr


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she might be. Finally he said, "I shal

destroy that plate, if you order me to."

Miss Sommerton made no reply, until thewere nearly at the canoe. Then she looke

up at him with a smile, and said, "I think i

a pity to destroy any pictures you have ha

such trouble to obtain."

"Thank you, Miss Sommerton," said th

artist. He helped her into the canoe in th

gathering dusk, and then sat down himselfBut neither of them saw the look of anxiet

on the face of the elder boatman. He knew

he River St. Maurice.

Contents


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Chapter V

From the words the elder boatman rapidl

addressed to the younger, it was evident t

Mr. Trenton that the half-breed wa

anxious to pass the rapids before i

became very much darker.

The landing is at the edge o

comparatively still water. At the bottom o

he falls the river turns an acute angle anflows to the west. At the landing it turn

with equal abruptness, and flows south.

The short westward section of the rive


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from the falls to the point where the

anded is a wild, turbulent rapid, in whic

no boat can live for a moment. From th

Point downwards, although the water icovered with foam, only one dangerou

place has to be passed. Toward that spo

he stalwart half-breeds bent all thei

energy in forcing the canoe down with thcurrent. The canoe shot over the darkenin

rapid with the speed of an arrow. If bu

one or two persons had been in it, th

chances are the passage would have bee

made in safety. As it was one wrong turn

of the paddle by the younger half-bree

did the mischief. The bottom barelouched a sharp-pointed hidden rock, an

n an instant the canoe was slit open a

with a knife.


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As he sat there Trenton felt the cold wate

rise around him with a quickness tha

prevented his doing anything, even if h

had known what to do.

"Sit still!" cried the elder boatman; an

hen to the younger he shouted sharply

"The shore!"

They were almost under the hanging tree

when the four found themselves in th

water. Trenton grasped an overhangingbranch with one hand, and with the othe

caught Miss Sommerton by the arm. For

moment it was doubtful whether th

branch would hold. The current was ver

swift, and it threw each of them against th

rock bank, and bent the branch down int

he water.


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"Catch hold of me!" cried Trenton. "Catc

hold of my coat; I need both hands."

Miss Sommerton, who had acted witcommendable bravery throughout, did a

she was directed. Trenton, with hi

released hand, worked himself slowly u

he branch, hand over hand, and finallcatching a sapling that grew close to th

water's edge, with a firm hold, reache

down and helped Miss Sommerton on th

bank. Then he slowly drew himself up to safe position and looked around for an

signs of the boatmen. He shouted loudly

but there was no answer.

"Are they drowned, do you think?" aske

Miss Sommerton, anxiously.


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"No, I don't suppose they are; I don't thin

you coulddrown a half-breed. They hav

done their best to drown us, and as w

have escaped I see no reason why theshould drown."

"Oh, it's all my fault! all my fault!" waile

Miss Sommerton.

"It is, indeed," answered Trenton, briefly.

She tried to straighten herself up, but, towet and chilled and limp to be heroic, sh

sank on a rock and began to cry.

"Please don't do that," said the artistsoftly. "Of course I shouldn't have agreed

with you. I beg pardon for having done so

but now that we are here, you are not t


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shirk your share of the duties. I want yo

o search around and get materials for

fire."

"Search around?" cried Miss Sommerto

dolefully.

"Yes, search around. Hunt, as youAmericans say. You have got us into this

scrape, so I don't propose you shall si

calmly by and not take any of th

consequences."

"Do you mean to insult me, Mr. Trenton

now that I am helpless?"

"If it is an insult to ask you to get up an

gather some wood and bring it here, then

do mean to insult you most emphatically.


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shall gather some, too, for we shall need

quantity of it."

Miss Sommerton rose indignantly, andwas on the point of threatening to leav

he place, when a moment's reflectio

showed her that she didn't know where t

go, and remembering she was not as bravn the darkness and in the woods as i

Boston, she meekly set about the searc

for dry twigs and sticks. Flinging dow

he bundle near the heap Trenton hadalready collected, the young woman burs

nto a laugh.

"Do you see anything particularly funny i

he situation?" asked Trenton, wit

chattering teeth. "I confess I do not."


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"The funniness of the situation is that w

should gather wood, when, if there is

match in your pocket, it must be so wet a

o be useless."

"Oh, not at all. You must remember I com

from a very damp climate, and we tak

care of our matches there. I have been ihe water before now on a tramp, and m

matches are in a silver case warranted t

keep out the wet." As he said this Trenton

struck a light, and applied it to the smalwigs and dry autumn leaves. The flame

flashed up through the larger sticks, and i

a very few moments a cheering fire wa

blazing, over which Trenton threw armfu

after armful of the wood he had collected

"Now," said the artist, "if you will take of


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what outer wraps you have on, we ca

spread them here, and dry them. Then i

you sit, first facing the fire and next wit

your back to it, and maintain a sort orotatory motion, it will not be long befor

you are reasonably dry and warm."

Miss Sommerton laughed, but there wanot much merriment in her laughter.

barr robert one day's courtship, and the heralds of fame

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