to me, I had others dependent on me, and for their sakes

Ceeded to wipe the rescued man's face with as much force and energy as if he had been polishing tin pans
with a view to making them shine. "Softly, softly! How would you like to have your own
face rubbed in that fashion?" admonished Katherine; and then, finishing her preparations, she stood up in the boat in readiness to
help the poor man through his last stage to
safety. "Please throw me that oar," she said. Phil took up the oar,

and pitched it with great dexterity, so that it fell close to the boat. Katherine picked it up, making a little grimace of disgust at its filthiness; then, wiping
the worst of the mud off on the nearest
clump of rushes, she proceeded to lash both oars together with
the other end of the rope that
was tied
to Phil. "Are you ready?" she asked sharply, for the man
still knelt gasping and panting, and seemed to have no power to help himself. Aided by Phil he
rose slowly to his feet, then said in a hoarse voice: "I don't think I can
walk that bridge." "You will have to do it, or stay where you are until we can row round to Seal Cove

to bring assistance for you. Even then it may be hours before help can reach you, for the fishermen
are all out to-day, and Mr. Ferrars is away also,

as he has had to go to Akimiski to-day with Mr. Selincourt and his daughter."
There was contempt in Katherine's tone now, and she meant it to be so. If the man had a scrap
of courage in him, she must fan it into active life, but if he
were a poltroon, pure
and simp le, then she must do the best she could and leave the result.

To her delight, h