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almost immediately to a realisation that the firm would not be able
to meet the notes given to Heinzman。 Orde had depended on the
profits from the season's drive to enable him to make up the
necessary amount。 Those profits would be greatly diminished； if not
wiped out entirely； by the expenses； both regular and irregular；
incurred in holding the jam； by the damage suits surely to be
brought by the owners of the piles； trees； pile…drivers and other
supplies and materials requisitioned in the heat of the campaign；
and by the extra labour necessary to break out the jam and to sort
the logs according to their various destinations。
〃I'll have to get an extension of time；〃 said Orde to himself。 〃Of
course Joe will let me have more time on my own personal note to the
firm。 And Heinzman surely ought toI saved a lot of his logs in
that jam。 And if he doesn't want to； I guess an offer of a little
higher interest will fetch him。〃
Ordinarily the state of affairs would have worried him； for it was
exactl〃
〃Where was she exposed？〃
〃Down at Heinzman's。 You knowor perhaps you don'tthat old
Heinzman is the worst sort of anti…vaccination crank。 Well； he's
reaped the reward。〃
〃Has he smallpox？〃 asked Ordethat you would take them up
personally。 Our resources are all tied up。〃
〃Can't we raise anything more on the Northern Peninsula timber？〃
asked Orde。
〃You ought to know we can't；〃 cried Newmark； with an appearance of
growing excitement。 〃The last seventy…five thousand we borrowed for
me finishes that。〃
〃Can't you take up part of your note？〃
〃My note comes due in 1885；〃 rejoined Newmark with cold disgust。 〃I
expect to take it up then。 But I can't until then。 I hadn't
expected anything like this。〃
〃Well； don't get hot；〃 said Orde vaguely。 〃I only thought that
Northern Peninsuy the situation he had fought against so hard。 But now he was
too wearied in soul and body。 He dismissed the subject from his
mind。 The horses； left almost to themselves； lapsed into a sleepy
jog。 After a little they passed the bridge and entered the town。
Warm spicy odours of pine disengaged themselves from the broken
shingles and sawdust of the roadway； and floated upward through the
hot sunshine。 The beautiful maples with their dense shadows threw
the sidewalks into coolness。 Up one street and down another the
horses took their accustomed way。 Finally they pulled up opposite
the Orde house。 Orde hitched the horses； and； his step quickening
in anticipation； sprang up the walk and into the front door。
〃Hullo； sweetheart！〃 he called cheerily。
The echoes alone answered him。 He cried again； and yet again； with
a growing feeling of disappointment that Carroll should happen to be
from home。 Finally a door opened and shut in the back part of the
house。 A moment later Mary； the Irish servant girl； came through
the dining…room； caught sight of Orde； threw her apron over her
head； and burst into one of those extravagant demonstrations of
grief peculiar to the warm…hearted of her class。
Orde stopped short； a sinking at his heart。
〃What is it； Mary？〃 he asked very quietly。
But the girl only wept the louder； rocking back and forth in a fresh
paroxysm of grief。 Beside himself with anxiety Orde sprang forward
to shake her by the arm； to shower her with questions。 These
elicited nothing but broken and incoherent fragments concerning 〃the
missus；〃 〃oh； the sad day！〃 〃and me lift all alone with Bobby； me
heart that heavy；〃 and the like； which served merely to increase
Orde's bewilderment and anxiety。 At this moment Bobby himself
appeared from the direction of the kitchen。 Orde； frantic with
alarm； fell upon his son。 Bobby； much bewildered by all this
pother； could only mumble something about 〃smallpox；〃 and 〃took
mamma away with doctor。〃
〃Where？ where； Bobby？〃 cried Orde； fairly shaking the small boy by
the shoulder。 He felt like a man in a bad dream； trying to reach a
goal that constantly eluded him。
At this moment a calm； dry voice broke through the turmoil of
questions and exclamations。 Orde looked up to see the tall； angular
form of Doctor McMullen standing in the doorway。
〃It's all right；〃 said the doctor in answer to Orde's agonised
expression。 〃Your wife was exposed to smallpox and is at my house
to avoid the danger of spreading contagion。 She is not ill。〃
Having thus in one swift decisive sentence covered the ground of
Orde's anxiety； he turned to the sniffling servant。
〃Mary；〃 said he sternly； 〃la stuff might be worth saving any way we could
figure it。〃
〃Worth saving！〃 snorted Newmark； whirling in his chair。
〃Well； and
to the bookkeeper who answered he said： 〃John； bring me those
Newmark and Orde papers。〃
Orde heard the clang of the safe door。 In a moment the clerk
returned and handed to Lambert a long manilla envelope。 Lambert
opened this quite deliberately； spread its contents on his knee； and
assumed a pair of round spectacles。
〃Note for seventy…five thousand dollars with interest at ten per
cent。 Interest paid to January tenth。 MortI'm ashamed of you！ What kind of an
exhibition is this？ Go out to the kitchen and cook us some lunch！〃
He watched her depart with a humourous quirk to his thin lips。
〃Fool Irish！〃 he said with a Scotchman's contempt。 〃I meant to head
you off before you got home； but I missed you。 Come in and sit
down； and I'll tell you about it。〃
〃You're quite sure Mrs。 Orde is well？〃 insisted Orde。
〃Absolutely。 Never better。 As well a。 〃Why； I thought I remembered seeing
him up river only the other day。〃
〃No； his daughter。〃
〃Mina？〃
〃Yes。 Lord knows where she got it。 But get it she did。 Mrs。 Orde
happened to be with her when she was taken with the fever and
distressing symptoms that begin the disease。 As a neighbourly deed
she remained with the girl。 Of course no one could tell it was
smallpox at that time。 Next day； however； the characteristic rash
appeared on the thighs and armpits； and I diagnosed the case。〃 Dr。
McMullen laughed a little bitterly。 〃Lord； you ought to have seen
them run！ Servants； neighbours； friendsthey all skedaddled； and
you coudn't have driven them back with a steam…roller！ I
telegraphed to Redding for a nurse。 Until she came Mrs。 Orde stayed
by； like a brick。 Don't know what I should have done without her。
There was nobody to do anything at all。 As soon as the nurse came
Mrs。 Orde gave up her post。 I tell you；〃 cried Doctor McMullen with
as near an approach to enthusiasm as he ever permitted himself；
〃there's a sensible woman！ None of your story…book twaddle about
nursing through the illness； and all that。 When her usefulness was
ended； she knew enough to step aside gracefully。 There was not much
danger as far as she was concerned。 I had vaccinate