Coristine escaped upstairs to put
himself in shape for breakfast, and to visit his wounded friend. He
found that gentleman progressing very favourably, and perfectly
satisfied with his accommodation.
After morning prayers, conducted by the Squire with unusual solemnity,
the lawyer asked Miss Carmichael if she alone would not shake hands with
him, making no allusion to any previous encounter. She complied, with a
blush, and seemed pleased to infer that the Captain, above all, had not
heard of her mistake. The two had no time for explanations, however, as,
at the moment, Messrs. Errol and Perrowne, who had been told there was a
fire out towards the Lake Settlement, came in to learn about it, and
were compelled to sit down and add something substantial to their early
cup of coffee. They reported the rain almost over, and the fire, so far
as they could judge from the distance, the next thing to extinguished.
Once more the trays were in requisition for the invalids, and again the
colonel and Mr. Perrowne acted as aids to Miss Du Plessis and Miss
Halbert. Just as soon as he could draw her attention away from the
minister, Coristine remarked to Miss Carmichael: "I have the worst luck
of any man; I never get sick or wounded or any other trouble that needs
nursing.
Pages:
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513