One Days Courtship | Page 8

men," said the unfortunate gentleman, with a
somewhat unnecessary emphasis on the last word.
"Oh, Mr. Mason, I am afraid I have come at a wrong time. If so, don't
hesitate to tell me. If I can do anything to help you, I hope I may be
allowed."
"You have come just at the right time," said the lumberman, "and you
are very welcome, I assure you. If I find I need help, as perhaps I may,
you will be reminded of your promise."
To put off as long as possible the evil time of meeting his wife, Mason
went with the man to see the horse put away, and he lingered an
unnecessarily long time in ascertaining that everything was right in the
stable. The man was astonished to find his master so particular that
afternoon. A crisis may be postponed, but it can rarely be avoided
altogether, and knowing he had to face the inevitable sooner or later,
the unhappy man, with a sigh, betook himself to the house, where he
found his wife impatiently waiting for him. She closed the door and
confronted him.
"Now, Ed., what's the matter?"
"Where's Miss Sommerton?" was the somewhat irrelevant reply.
"She has gone to her room. Ed, don't keep me in suspense. What is
wrong?"
"You remember John Trenton, who was here in the summer?"

"I remember hearing you speak of him. I didn't meet him, you know."
"Oh, that's so. Neither you did. You see, he's an awful good fellow,
Trenton is--that is, for an Englishman."
"Well, what has Trenton to do with the trouble?"
"Everything, my dear--everything."
"I see how it is. Trenton visited the Shawenegan?"
"He did."
"And he wants to go there again?"
"He does."
"And you have gone and promised him the canoe for to morrow?"
"The intuition of woman, my dear, is the most wonderful thing on
earth."
"It is not half so wonderful as the negligence-of man--I won't say the
stupidity."
"Thank you, Jennie, for not saying it, but I really think I would feel
better if you did."
"Now, what are you going to do about it?"
"Well, my dear, strange as it may appear, that very question has been
racking my brain for the last ten minutes. Now, what would you do in
my position?"
"Oh, I couldn't be in your position."
"No, that's so, Jennie. Excuse me for suggesting the possibility. I really
think this trouble has affected my mind a little. But if you had a
husband--if a sensible woman like you could have a husband who got

himself into such a position--what would you advise him to do?"
"Now, Ed., don't joke. It's too serious."
"My dear, no one on earth can have such a realisation of its seriousness
as I have at this moment. I feel as Mark Twain did with that novel he
never finished. I have brought things to a point where I can't go any
further. The game seems blocked. I wonder if Miss Sommerton would
accept ten thousand feet of lumber f.o.b. and call it square."
"Really, Ed., if you can't talk sensibly, I have nothing further to say."
"Well, as I said, the strain is getting too much for me. Now, don't go
away, Jennie. Here is what I am thinking of doing. I'll speak to Trenton.
He won't mind Miss Sommerton's going in the canoe with him. In fact,
I should think he would rather like it."
"Dear me, Ed., is that all the progress you've made? I am not troubling
myself about Mr. Trenton. The difficulty will be with Eva. Do you
think for a moment she will go if she imagined herself under
obligations to a stranger for the canoe? Can't you get Mr. Trenton to put
off his visit until the day after tomorrow? It isn't long to wait."
"No, that is impossible. You see, he has just time to catch his steamer
as it is. No, he has the promise in writing, while Miss Sommerton has
no legal evidence if this thing ever gets into the courts. Trenton has my
written promise. You see, I did not remember the two dates were the
same. When I wrote to Trenton----"
"Ed., don't try to excuse yourself. You had her letter in your pocket,
you know you had. This is a matter for which there is no excuse, and it
cannot be explained away."
"That's so, Jennie. I am down in the depths once more. I shall not try to
crawl out again--at least, not while my wife is looking."
"No, your plan will not work. I don't know that any will. There is only
one thing to try, and it is this--Miss Sommerton must think that the

canoe is hers. You must appeal to her generosity to let Mr. Trenton go