The corporal smiled in return, but as he marked her loveliness and remembered the figure at which the Northland had estimated Rolf Gargrave’s wealth, he thought to himself that many a man would endeavour to persuade her to a different mind, but he did not say so.
“Miss Gargrave, one never knows what the future holds—but whatever happens you can count me as your friend. I am not proud of my relationship to Dick Bracknell, even though it does make me some sort of a cousin to you. There is nothing that I will not do to serve you, and if anything that I learn will deliver you from your anomalous position, you may rest assured that I will let you know of it at the earliest possible moment.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bracknell,” she answered simply. “I shall be very grateful.”
They walked on a little way without speaking, then she turned to him suddenly. “You are my cousin, more or less, Mr. Bracknell, but I do not know your christian name.”
“It is Roger,” he answered smilingly.
“And if at any time I want to communicate with you, where—”
“Headquarters at Regina. That will always find me sooner or later, no matter what part of the Territory I may be in.”
“I am glad to know that,” she said, “and if at any time you have news for me, any letter sent care of Sir Joseph Rayner will reach me.” She turned in her steps as she spoke. “I think I had better return now. There is much to do at the Lodge, and they will miss me. But I am glad to have met you, and glad to think that I can count you among my friends.”
She held out her mittened hand, and as he took it Roger Bracknell felt the blood surge warmly in his face, and in his grey eyes as he looked at her there was a flame that had she observed it would have told her that she had secured more than a friend. But she did not see it, and as she walked away there was a pensive look on the beautiful face.