But she had something else to think about that gave her a sense of loss and a poignant melancholy. Indeed, she had forced her mind to dwell upon the other matters in order to find relief, and she was glad when Thirlwell broke the silence.
"We ought to make the Shadow by to-morrow noon, and the mine in the evening."
"I think we go down the Grand Rapid before we reach the mine?"
Thirlwell made a sign of agreement, and after a moment's hesitation she gave him a quick glance.
"I wonder if you know what day to-morrow is? I mean the associations it has for me?"
"Yes," he said in a sympathetic voice. "I thought you would sooner not talk about it; but I remember. In a way, it's curious you should be here now."
"Ah," she said, "I wanted to be in the North when the day came round, but I did not imagine I should go down the rapid in the evening. It was in the evening the canoe capsized!"
"Dusk was falling; the smoke of a bush fire blew across the river, and there was a moon."
"The moon will be out to-morrow," Agatha said quietly. "It is strange; I couldn't have arranged that things should happen like this!"
She paused for some moments and then resumed: "Perhaps it is ridiculous, but I imagine now I am going to find the lode. The doubts I started with have gone; I feel calmly confident."