The Major [101]
same time of such brilliant powers of description.
Before either of them was aware the party from the mine had returned.
"We have had a perfectly glorious time," cried Nora as she entered the room with her cheeks and eyes glowing.
"So have we, Miss Nora," said Jack. "In fact, I had not the slightest idea of the flight of time."
"You may say so," exclaimed Mrs. Waring-Gaunt. "These two have been so utterly absorbed in each other that my presence in the room or absence from it was a matter of perfect indifference. And how Jane managed it I don't know, but she got Jack to do for her what he has never done for me. He has actually been giving her the story of his life."
Jane stood by listening with a smile of frank delight on her face.
"How did you do it, Jane?" asked Kathleen shyly. "He has never told me."
"Oh, I just listened," said Jane.
"That's a nasty jar for you others," said Nora.
"But he told me something else, Kathleen," said Jane with a bright blush, "and I am awfully glad." As she spoke she went around to Kathleen and, kissing her, said, "It is perfectly lovely for you both."
"Oh, you really mean that, do you?" said Jack. "You know she was exceedingly dubious of me this morning."
"Well, I am not now," said Jane. "I know you better, you see."
"Thank God," said Jack fervently. "The day has not been lost. You will be sure to come again to see me," he added as Jane said good- bye.
"Yes, indeed, you may be quite sure of that," replied Jane, smiling brightly back at him as she left the room with Nora.
"What a pity she is so plain," said Mrs. Waring-Gaunt when she had returned from seeing Jane on her way with Nora and Mr. Wakeham.
"My dear Sybil, you waste your pity," said her brother. "That young lady is so attractive that one forgets whether she is plain or not. I can't quite explain her fascination for me. There's perfect sincerity to begin with. She is never posing. And perfect simplicity. And besides that she is so intellectually keen, she keeps one alive."
"I just love her," said Kathleen. "She has such a good heart."
"You have said it," said Mrs. Waring-Gaunt, "and that is why Jane will never lose her charm."
CHAPTER XVII
THE TRAGEDIES OF LOVE
When the week had fled Dr. Brown could hardly persuade himself and his hosts at Lakeside Farm that the time had come for his departure to the coast. Not since he had settled down to the practice of his profession at Winnipeg more than twenty years ago had such a holiday been his. Alberta, its climate, its life of large spaces and far visions, its hospitable people, had got hold of him by so strong a grip that in parting he vowed that he would not await an opportunity but make one to repeat his visit to the ranch. And so he departed with the understanding that Jane should follow him to Banff ten days later with her friend Nora.
The ten days were to Jane as a radiant, swiftly moving dream. Yet with so much to gratify her, one wish had remained ungratified. Though from early morning until late night she had ridden the ranges now with one and now with another, but for the most part with Larry, Jane had never "done the mine."
"And I just know I shall go away without seeing that mine, and Winnipeg people will be sure to ask me about it, and what shall I say? And I have never seen that wonderful secretary, Mr. Switzer, either."
"To-morrow," said Larry solemnly, "no matter what happens we shall have you see that mine and the wonderful Mr. Switzer."
It was the seeing of Mr. Switzer that brought to Jane the only touch of tragedy to the perfect joy of her visit to Alberta. Upon arrival at the mine she was given over by Larry to Mr. Switzer's courteous and intelligent guidance, and with an enthusiasm that never wearied, her guide left nothing of the mine outside or in, to which with painstaking minuteness he failed to call her attention. It was with no small degree of pride that Mr. Switzer explained all that had been accomplished during the brief ten weeks during which the mine had been
Before either of them was aware the party from the mine had returned.
"We have had a perfectly glorious time," cried Nora as she entered the room with her cheeks and eyes glowing.
"So have we, Miss Nora," said Jack. "In fact, I had not the slightest idea of the flight of time."
"You may say so," exclaimed Mrs. Waring-Gaunt. "These two have been so utterly absorbed in each other that my presence in the room or absence from it was a matter of perfect indifference. And how Jane managed it I don't know, but she got Jack to do for her what he has never done for me. He has actually been giving her the story of his life."
Jane stood by listening with a smile of frank delight on her face.
"How did you do it, Jane?" asked Kathleen shyly. "He has never told me."
"Oh, I just listened," said Jane.
"That's a nasty jar for you others," said Nora.
"But he told me something else, Kathleen," said Jane with a bright blush, "and I am awfully glad." As she spoke she went around to Kathleen and, kissing her, said, "It is perfectly lovely for you both."
"Oh, you really mean that, do you?" said Jack. "You know she was exceedingly dubious of me this morning."
"Well, I am not now," said Jane. "I know you better, you see."
"Thank God," said Jack fervently. "The day has not been lost. You will be sure to come again to see me," he added as Jane said good- bye.
"Yes, indeed, you may be quite sure of that," replied Jane, smiling brightly back at him as she left the room with Nora.
"What a pity she is so plain," said Mrs. Waring-Gaunt when she had returned from seeing Jane on her way with Nora and Mr. Wakeham.
"My dear Sybil, you waste your pity," said her brother. "That young lady is so attractive that one forgets whether she is plain or not. I can't quite explain her fascination for me. There's perfect sincerity to begin with. She is never posing. And perfect simplicity. And besides that she is so intellectually keen, she keeps one alive."
"I just love her," said Kathleen. "She has such a good heart."
"You have said it," said Mrs. Waring-Gaunt, "and that is why Jane will never lose her charm."
CHAPTER XVII
THE TRAGEDIES OF LOVE
When the week had fled Dr. Brown could hardly persuade himself and his hosts at Lakeside Farm that the time had come for his departure to the coast. Not since he had settled down to the practice of his profession at Winnipeg more than twenty years ago had such a holiday been his. Alberta, its climate, its life of large spaces and far visions, its hospitable people, had got hold of him by so strong a grip that in parting he vowed that he would not await an opportunity but make one to repeat his visit to the ranch. And so he departed with the understanding that Jane should follow him to Banff ten days later with her friend Nora.
The ten days were to Jane as a radiant, swiftly moving dream. Yet with so much to gratify her, one wish had remained ungratified. Though from early morning until late night she had ridden the ranges now with one and now with another, but for the most part with Larry, Jane had never "done the mine."
"And I just know I shall go away without seeing that mine, and Winnipeg people will be sure to ask me about it, and what shall I say? And I have never seen that wonderful secretary, Mr. Switzer, either."
"To-morrow," said Larry solemnly, "no matter what happens we shall have you see that mine and the wonderful Mr. Switzer."
It was the seeing of Mr. Switzer that brought to Jane the only touch of tragedy to the perfect joy of her visit to Alberta. Upon arrival at the mine she was given over by Larry to Mr. Switzer's courteous and intelligent guidance, and with an enthusiasm that never wearied, her guide left nothing of the mine outside or in, to which with painstaking minuteness he failed to call her attention. It was with no small degree of pride that Mr. Switzer explained all that had been accomplished during the brief ten weeks during which the mine had been