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Updated: July 16, 2025
She could only see that Miss Townshead's head was bent lower over the paper than it had been, but she had a suspicion as to what the girl was feeling. It was also partly, but not more than partly justified, for Nellie Townshead was writing mechanically just then, though now and then she drove the pencil somewhat viciously into the paper when the hasty words grew faster.
"It should have been my father's, and now when I don't know that I want it, I think it's mine," he said. "Anyway, I'm kind of tired, and I think I'll turn in. Excuse me." He went out, and Nellie Townshead glanced at his comrade. "Do you know what he means?" she said. Seaforth smiled and shook his head. "I've never seen Harry taken that way before," he said.
Seaforth also talked a good deal, and Miss Townshead smiled now and then at him, but when she went with them to the door he lingered a moment because he felt her eyes were on him. "Your comrade didn't support you well, and I don't think the expedient would have occurred to him," she said, with a little tremor in her voice. "Still, it was done in kindness and I am grateful."
Alton said nothing further, and when his steps rang hollowly down the stairway the girl sat down and sighed. Then she laughed a curious little laugh and stopped to brush the tears from her eyes. As it happened, while Nellie Townshead sat alone in the darkness Miss Deringham was writing a note to Alton.
The time had scarcely been exceeded when he led a horse out of the stable, held his hand out for Miss Townshead to mount by, and then swung himself to the saddle. Then he and the girl swung across the clearing at a gallop, and Alice Deringham endeavoured to assure herself that she was not angry. It appeared that her angling was of considerably less importance than the capture of the steer.
A faint sparkle that had nothing to do with laughter crept into the girl's eyes, for there were times when her father tried her patience. "I wonder if it occurred to you that we shall probably starve to-morrow unless Mr. Alton, who is apparently not to be paid for it, makes what must be a very arduous march to-night?" she said. "I'm afraid it did not," said Townshead, with a fine unconcern.
That there was treachery at work she felt sure, and grew hot with indignation as she determined that if she could prevent it neither Alton nor his partner should suffer. It might have occurred to a man that what she contemplated implied a breach of confidence, but Nellie Townshead was a high-spirited girl, and only realized that Hallam was about to wrong her friends just then.
"Put another pound or two into her, and I'll pay you on your invoice for the last lot you sent me. Otherwise I'm going to whittle down that bill considerably. You see Townshead is too shaky to come down, and he can't live on nothing." "And the Lord knows when he'll pay you," said the storekeeper. "It's a good twelve months since he sent a dollar to me." Alton laughed a little.
"I'm not especially proud of it just now, but, you see, a man must live." Townshead looked up from his chair. "I fancy that is a slightly mistaken sentiment. Some men are better dead, and I occasionally feel tempted to include myself in the category." The young man smiled a little. "The Frenchman put it a trifle more concisely, sir," he said. Townshead nodded. "Still, he was correct.
That might be borne or grappled with afterwards if Alton came out triumphant, but in the meanwhile she dare not think of herself or what she had done. Presently there was a tapping at the door, and a maid came in. "There's a lady Miss Townshead waiting to see you, miss," she said. Now Alice Deringham was the reverse of a timid woman, but for a few moments she felt her courage fail.
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