The Secret of the Reef Part 31

"I'm sorry," she said gently. "You may be more fortunate another time. I suppose you have some plans for the future?"

She seemed to invite his confidence, and he saw that her interest was sincere. It was unthinkable that she should have any knowledge of the conspiracy between her father and Clay, but he could not speak to her openly. Loyalty to his friends prevented his taking such a course, because she might inadvertently mention what she had heard, and it was impossible to ask her to keep it secret from her relatives.

"They're indefinite," he answered. "I expect we'll find something that will suit us by and by."

She saw that he was on his guard, and felt hurt by his reserve, particularly as she had made several advances which he would not meet.

Then, glancing down a street that led to the wharf, she saw, towering above the sheds, a steamer's tunnel and a mast from which a white and red flag fluttered.

"That's your old boat; she came in this morning," she said. "I wonder whether we might go on board? After the pleasant trip we had in her, I feel that I'd like to see the ship again."

"As you wish," said Jimmy, with obvious hesitation.

Ruth regretted the mistake that she had made, because she thought she understood his reluctance. He looked as if he had come down in the world, and would no doubt find it painful to re-visit the boat on board of which he had been an officer.

"Perhaps there isn't time, after all," she said. "I told my aunt when I would be back at the hotel, and we are almost there. She will be glad to talk with you."

Jimmy glanced at the building and stopped. Several luxuriously appointed automobiles were waiting in front of it, and a group of well-dressed people stood on the steps. He felt that he would be out of place there.

"I'm afraid I must ask you to excuse my not coming in," he said.

"But why? Have you anything of importance to do just now?"

"No," said Jimmy with a smile; "unfortunately I can't give that as a reason. I wish I could."

"You're not very flattering, certainly."

"I'm sorry. What I meant was that I'd kept you rather long already, and of course one can't intrude."

She looked at him steadily, offering him no help in his embarra.s.sment.

"You're very kind," he said with determined firmness. "But I don't intend to take advantage of that by coming in."

"Very well," she acquiesced; and, giving him her hand, she let him go.

The calmness with which she had dismissed him puzzled Jimmy as he went away. He wondered whether he had offended her. He had, no doubt, behaved in an unmannerly way, but there was no other course open. Indeed, it was fortunate that he had kept his head, and she might come to see that it was consideration for her that had influenced him. Then he reflected bitterly that she might not trouble herself any further about the matter and that it would be more useful if he resumed his search for something to do.

But Ruth did trouble herself. That evening she and her father were sitting in the rotunda of the big hotel with Aynsley and Clay. The s.p.a.cious hall was lavishly decorated and groups of well-dressed men and women moved up and down between the columns and sat chatting on the lounges. Some were pa.s.sengers from the _Empress_ and some leading inhabitants of the town who, as is not uncommon in the West, dined at the hotel. Outside there was obviously a fall of sleet, for the men who came in stamped their feet in the vestibule and shook wet flakes from the fur-coats they handed to a porter.

Perhaps it was the air of luxury, the company of prosperous people, and the glitter of the place, that made Ruth think of Jimmy walking the wet streets. The contrast between his lot and the comfort she enjoyed was marked, and she felt disturbed and pitiful. This, however, could not benefit Jimmy; and, although he had rather pointedly avoided any attempt to presume upon their friendship or to enlist her sympathy, she longed to offer him some practical help. She must try to find out something about his affairs, using subtlety where needed; while generally frank, she was not repelled by the idea of intriguing, so long as her object was good. It was obvious that in Clay she had a clever man to contend against; but this rather added to the fascination of the thing, and she had some confidence in her own ability.

"I met Jimmy Farquhar this afternoon," she said abruptly, speaking to her father.

"The _Empress's_ mate? What is he doing in Vancouver, and why didn't you ask him in?"

"He wouldn't come. I gathered that he'd been having rather a hard time lately."

The remark she had made at a venture had not been wasted. Her father's easy manner was not a.s.sumed; it was natural, and convinced her that he was not connected with Jimmy's misfortunes. This was a relief, but she had learned something else, for, watching Clay closely, she had seen him frown. The change in his expression was slight, but she had expected him to exercise self-control and she saw that he was displeased at the mention of Farquhar. This implied that he had a good reason for keeping his dealings with Jimmy in the dark.

"Then I must try to overcome his objections if I run across him," said Osborne. "I liked the man."

"The C.P.R. pick their officers carefully," Clay remarked with a careless smile at Ruth. "Still, the fellow didn't show much taste when he refused your invitation."

"I really didn't feel flattered," Ruth said lightly, wondering whether he had imagined that he might learn something from an unguarded reply.

"I guess he's not worth thinking much about. You wouldn't have had to ask me twice when I was a young man, but it's my opinion that the present generation have no blood in them."

"I believe that's an old idea," Ruth laughed. "Your father may have thought the same of you."

Clay was quick to seize the opportunity for changing the subject.

"You're not right there," he chuckled. "My folks were the props of a small, back-East meeting house, and did their best to pound the wildness out of me. It wasn't their fault they didn't succeed, but I'd inherited the stubbornness of the old Puritan strain, and the more they tried to pull me up the hotter pace I made. That's why I've given Aynsley his head, and he trots along at a steady clip without trying to bolt."

Ruth paid little attention to what he was saying. She was puzzling about Clay's connection with Jimmy's affairs, searching for some reason for Clay's evident att.i.tude. She was not sorry when he and Osborne rose and turned toward the smoking-room, for she wanted to question Aynsley.

"Why did you turn Jimmy Farquhar out of your mill?" she asked as soon as they were alone.

Aynsley was taken by surprise.

"As a matter of fact, I didn't turn him out."

"Then did he and his friends go of their own accord?"

"No," said Aynsley with some awkwardness; "I can't say that they did."

"Then somebody must have dismissed them. Who was it?"

He could not evade the direct question, for he had none of his father's subtlety, but he felt a jealous pang. Ruth would not have insisted on an answer unless she had an interest in one of the men. Farquhar was a good-looking fellow with taking manners; but Aynsley erred in imagining that she was concerned only about Jimmy. The girl saw that there was more in the matter and she was feeling for a clue.

"The old man came along when I was away and cut down the yard gang," he explained. "He's smart at handling men economically, and thought I was paying too much in wages."

"But why did he pick out those three? Didn't they work well?"

Aynsley felt confused; but he would not seek refuge in deceit.

"So far as I could see, they were pretty smart; but I'm not so good a judge. Anyway, he didn't explain."

"Then you asked him about it?"

"Yes," Aynsley answered lamely. "Still, I couldn't go too far. I didn't want him to think I resented his interfering. After all, he bought me the mill."

Ruth saw that he suspected Clay's motive. So did she, but she did not think he could tell her anything more, and, to his relief, she changed the subject.

CHAPTER XXII-A WARNING