CHAPTER XXIV
A WOMAN'S ADVICE
A fortnight later, Blake met Millicent in a fieldpath and turned backwith her to Hazlehurst. It was a raw day and the wind had brought afine color into the girl's face, and she wore a little fur cap andfur-trimmed jacket which he thought became her very well.
"You have not been over often," she said; "Mr. Foster was remarkingabout it."
Blake had kept away for fear of his resolution melting if he saw muchof her.
"My uncle seems to think he has a prior claim," he explained; "and Imay not be able to stay with him long."
"You are going back to Canada?" The quick way the girl looked up, andsomething in her tone, suggested unpleasant surprise, for she had beentaken off her guard.
"I shall have to go when Harding needs me. I haven't heard from himsince I arrived, but I'll get my summons sooner or later."
"I thought you had come home for good!" Millicent's color deepened, andshe added quickly: "Do you like the life in the Northwest?"
"It has its charm. There are very few restrictions--one feels free.The fences haven't reached us yet; you can ride as far as you can seeover miles of grass and through the clumps of bush. There's somethingattractive in the wide horizon; the riband of trail that seems to runforward forever draws you on."
"But the arctic frost and the snow?"
"After all, they're bracing. Our board shacks with the big stoves inthem are fairly warm; and no one can tell what developments maysuddenly come about in such a country. A railroad may be run through,wheat-land opened up, minerals found, and wooden cities spring up fromthe empty plain. Life's rapid and strenuous; one is swept along withthe stream."
"But you were in the wilds!"
Blake laughed.
"We were indeed; but not far behind us the tide of population poursacross the plain, and if we had stayed a year or two in the timber, itwould have caught us up. That flood won't stop until it reaches thePolar Sea."
"But how can people live in a rugged land covered with snow that meltsonly for a month or two?"
"The climate doesn't count, so long as the country has naturalresources. One hears of precious metals, and some are being mined."He paused and added in a tone of humorous confidence: "My partnerbelieves in oil."
They were now close to Hazlehurst, and as they left the highway Mrs.Keith joined them.
"Dick," she said, laying her hand affectionately on his arm, "I havehad a talk with your uncle. You have convinced him thoroughly, andhave taken a great load off his mind." Admiration shone in her eyes."None of the Challoners ever did so fine a thing, Dick!"
Blake felt embarrassed, and Millicent's face glowed with pride in him.No further reference was made to the subject, however, and he spent apleasant hour in, the great hall at Hazlehurst, where Mrs. Keith lefthim with Millicent when tea was brought in.
That night Blake sat with Challoner in the library at Sandymere. TheColonel was in a big leather chair near a good fire, but he had a heavyrug wrapped about him, and it struck Blake that he looked ill.
He turned and regarded Blake affectionately.
"You have been a good nephew, Dick, and since you came home I have feltthat I ought to make some provision for you. That, of course, was myintention when you were young, but when the break occurred you cutyourself adrift and refused assistance."
Blake colored, for there were, he thought, adequate reasons why heshould take no further favors from his uncle. If the truth about thefrontier affair ever came out, it would look as if he had valued hishonor less than the money he could extort and the Colonel would bearthe stigma of having bought his silence.
"I'm grateful, sir, but I must still refuse," he said. "I'm glad youmade me the offer, because it shows I haven't forfeited your regard;but I'm sorry I cannot consent."
"Have you any plan for the future?"
"My partner has," Blake answered, smiling. "I leave that kind of thingto him. I told you about the oil."
"Yes; and Clarke had something to say on the subject. However, he gaveme to understand that capital was needed."
"That is true," Blake replied unguardedly, for he did not see where hisuncle's remark led. "Boring plant is expensive, and transport costssomething. Then you have to spend a good deal beforehand if you wishto float a company."
"But you believe this venture will pay you?"
"Harding is convinced of it; and he's shrewd. Personally, I don't knowenough about the business to judge, but if I had any money to risk I'dtake his word for it."
Challoner made no reply; and when Blake left him he grew thoughtful.His nephew's demonstration with the chessmen had lifted a weight offhis mind, but he was troubled by a doubt about the absolute correctnessof his explanation. Moreover, when he dwelt upon it, the doubtgathered strength; but there was nothing that he could do: Dickobviously meant to stick to his story, and Bertram could not bequestioned.
In the meanwhile, Blake sought Miss Challoner.
"I don't think my uncle's looking well. Mightn't it be better to sendfor Dr. Onslow?" he said.
"He wouldn't be pleased," Miss Challoner answered dubiously. "Still,he sometimes enjoys a talk with Onslow, who's a tactful man. If helooked in, as it were, casually----"
"Yes," assented Blake; "we'll give him a hint. I'll send the groomwith a note at once."
The doctor came, and left without expressing any clear opinion, butwhen he returned the next day he ordered Challoner to bed and toldBlake he feared a sharp attack of pneumonia. His fears were justified,for it was several weeks before Challoner was able to leave his room.During his illness he insisted on his nephew's company whenever thenurses would allow it, and when he began to recover, he again beggedhim to remain at Sandymere. He had come to lean upon the younger manand he entrusted him with all the business of the estate, which he nolonger was able to attend to.
"Dick," he said one day, when Blake thought he was too ill to perceivethat he was casting a reflection on his son, "I wish my personal meanswere larger, so that I could give Bertram enough and leave Sandymere toyou; then I'd know the place would be in good hands. On the surface,you're a happy-go-lucky fellow; but that's deceptive. In reality, youhave a surprising grip of things--however, you know my opinion of you.But you won't go away, Dick?"
The nurse interrupted them, and Blake was glad that he had written toHarding stating his inability to rejoin him. A week or two later hehad received a cable message: "_No hurry_."
When spring came he was still at Sandymere, for Challoner got bettervery slowly and would not let his nephew go. Blake saw Millicentfrequently during those days. At first he felt that it was a weakness,as he had nothing to offer her except a tainted name; but his love wasgetting beyond control, and his resistance feebler. After all, hethought, the story of the Indian disaster must be almost forgotten; andHarding had a good chance for finding the oil. If he had not alreadystarted for the North, he would do so soon; but Blake had had no newsfrom him since his cabled message.
Then, after a quiet month, Blake suggested that as the Colonel wasgetting stronger again he ought to go back to Canada.
"If you feel that you must go, I'll have to consent," Challoner said.
"I have a duty to my partner. It's probable that he has already setoff, but I know where to find him, and there'll be plenty to do. Forone thing, as transport is expensive, we'll have to relay our suppliesover very rough country, and that means the same stage several times.Then, I don't suppose Harding will have been able to buy very efficientboring plant."
"He may have done better than you imagine," Challoner suggested with asmile. "A man as capable as he seems to be would somehow get hold ofwhat was needful."
Blake was surprised at this, because his uncle understood theirfinancial difficulties.
"Well, there's a fast boat next Saturday," he said. "I think I'll goby her."
"Wait another week, to please me," Challoner urged him. "You have hada dull time since I've been ill, and now I'd
like you to get about. Ishall miss you badly, Dick."
Blake agreed. He felt that he ought to have sailed earlier, but thetemptation to remain was strong. He now met Millicent every day, andit might be a very long time before he returned to England. He fearedthat he was laying up trouble for himself, but he recklessly determinedto make the most of the present, and, in spite of his misgivings, thenext eight or nine days brought him many delightful hours. Now thatshe knew he was going, Millicent abandoned the reserve she hadsometimes shown. She was sympathetic, interested in his plans, and, hethought, altogether charming. They were rapidly drawn closer together,and the more he learned of her character, the stronger his admirationgrew. At times he imagined he noticed a tender shyness in her manner,and though it delighted him he afterward took himself to task. He wasnot acting honorably; he had no right to win this girl's love, as hewas trying to do; but there was the excuse that she knew his historyand it had not made her cold to him.
Mrs. Keith looked on with observant eyes. She had grown very fond ofher companion and she made many opportunities for throwing the twotogether. One afternoon a day or two before Blake's departure shecalled Millicent into her room.
"Have you ever thought about your future?" she asked her abruptly.
"Not often since I have been with you," Millicent answered. "Beforethat it used to trouble me."
"Then I'm afraid you're imprudent. You have no relatives you couldlook to for help, and while my health is pretty good I can't, ofcourse, live for ever. I might leave you something, but it would notbe much, because my property is earmarked for a particular purpose."
Millicent wondered where this led, but Mrs. Keith went on abruptly:
"As you have found out, I am a frank old woman and not afraid to saywhat I think. Now, I want to ask you a question. If you liked a manwho was far from rich, would you marry him?"
"It would depend," Millicent replied, with the color flaming up in hercheeks. "Why do you ask? I can't give you a general answer."
"Then give me a particular one; I want to know."
The girl was embarrassed, but she had learned that her employer was notto be put off easily.
"I suppose his being poor wouldn't daunt me, if I loved him enough."
"Then we'll suppose something else. If he had done something to beashamed of?"
Millicent looked up with a flash in her eyes.
"People are so ready to believe the worst! He did nothing that he needblush for--that's impossible!" Then she saw the trap into which hergenerous indignation had led her, but instead of looking down inconfusion she boldly faced Mrs. Keith. "Yes," she added, "if he wantedme, I would marry him in spite of what people are foolish enough tothink."
"And you would not regret it." Mrs. Keith laid her hand on the girl'sarm with a caressing touch. "My dear, if you value your happiness, youwill tell him so. Remember that he is going away in a day or two."
"How can I tell him?" Millicent cried with burning face. "I only--Imean you tricked me into telling you."
"It shouldn't be difficult to give him a tactful hint, and thatwouldn't be a remarkably unusual course," Mrs. Keith smiled. "The ideathat a proposal comes quite spontaneously is to some extent aconvention nowadays. I don't suppose you need reminding that we dineat Sandymere to-morrow."
Millicent made no reply; she seemed rather overwhelmed by heremployer's frankness, and Mrs. Keith took pity on her and let her go,with a final bit of advice:
"Think over what I told you!"
Millicent thought of nothing else. She knew that Blake loved her andshe believed that she understood why he had not declared himself. Nowhe might go away without speaking. It was hateful to feel that shemust make the first advances and reveal her tenderness for him. Shefelt that she could not do so; and, yet, the alternative seemed worse.
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