White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-05-02
CHAPTER v-continued

He had written to her Immediately
after the death of Carla's mother, and
toward the end of the fortnight he
sent her another letter. He wanted
her more than ever, and in this last
letter, his third since he had heard
from her, he told of the loneliness OF
the great house. its emptiness, its "old
ness. and how only her golden pres
ence could bring it back to life. In
spirationally he made suggestion.
If size would come hack and spend
only little while with him upon the
Mistussini he would take her any
where she might want to go when the
job was off his hands-around the
world, if that would please her. 1t
would be rather wo derful, wouldn't
It? Around the world-just they twol
He asked the question with almost
boyish hope and earnestness.
lie was glad when the day arrived
for him to leave for the Mistnssini, for
there seemed to be something of home
ness about the pit for him now. The
company boat met him at Roberval.
across the lake. When he first caught
the CLEAN of sunlight on the white.
bare walls Of the monastery at the
mouth of the Peribonka, he felt as Il
soothing and friendly influence had
rome to possess him.
A press Of business awaited him at
his Office, and not until the day after
his return did he see Carla. She was
among her children, in the closing
hour of school in the afternoon The
tragic strain which he had observed
in her face before her mothers death
had disappeared. A deeper and more
permanent thing had taken its place.
and though 1t was less poignant, 1t
stirred him for moment with SEN
sation of uneasiness, as If he had
personally lost something. He could
not tell just what II was. then or
afterwari. She seemed older, as If he
had been away two years instead OF
| two weeks, and he felt. in an unac.
countable way, as If a distance as
wide as the pit itself had come be-
| tween them Even the little tremble
| of gadness in her voice when she
greeted him did not dispel this effect
He walked with her to the cottage
and she gave him flowers for his
office. and when he returned with
them and put them on his desk, he
was oppressed still more by the sense
Of having missed an important and
| necessary thing which he had expected
1 to find when he came back to the pit
| He was sure that Carla had been glat
| to see him. But she was not the same
Carla he had taken over the blue
berry plains to Peribonka. He doubted
II she would personally come to his
Office with flowers again.
4 In this he was mistaken. She came
on Saturday morning with an armfu
Of asters. Another night or two o,
frost and they would all be gone
she said She asked about Claire
and they talked for few minutes o.
his visit to the city She did mo-
speak of her mother. or PerihOnka
or anything that had to do with her
self-except her flowers and hel
school. AS she arranged the flower.
she bent over his desk so that thu
silky head which lie had strOked will
his hand was very near him. and sud
denly he felt himself overwhelmed b,
flame that left no part of him I'm
touched When Gnrla's def tingerl
finished their task. she found Pau
looking at her with face that wa!
wholly Indian once nl.re. He Thanked
ner as he might have thanked her ,
year ago. His hand touched hers TO
Just q moment. and swift throl
came in Carlu's threat Their eye,
met. Carla's faultlessly clear and pur'
and filed with a shining light Paul.
with a soniber. settled grimness IA
back in them.
AT his door they paused anOthe
moment Then Carla left him
1t was her last visit to his office.
Within an hour after she had gon,
Paul was driving to PeribOnka alone
The roads had hardened, and he MADE