“No, we will not speak of it again, for it is not a pleasant subject for discussion,” he replied.  “Only tell me that you will take my burden and bear it for me as best you can, if I am not able to bear it myself, and then I can be at peace.”

Katherine bent over him, gathering his feeble hands in a close clasp, and the steadfast light in her eyes was beautiful to see.  “Dear Father, I will do my very best to make the wrong as right as it can be made.  Now try to rest, and get better as fast as you can.”

He smiled, shook his head a little at her talk of getting better speedily, then to her great relief he shut his eyes and went to sleep.  The burden had fallen from him upon her, and it had fallen so heavily that just at first she was stunned by the blow.  There was no sound in the quiet room except the regular breathing of the sleeper.  Outside the brief winter day merged into the long northern night; the stars came out, shining with frosty brilliancy, but Katherine sat by the bedside, and never once did her gaze wander to the window.  Mrs. Burton came in presently, bringing a lamp, and scolding softly because the room was in darkness.  But when she saw how quietly her father was sleeping, her gentle complaining turned into murmurs of pleased satisfaction.

“Really, Katherine, you are a better nurse than I thought.  I was so afraid of the restlessness coming on again, as it has done about this time every day since his accident.  But now he is sleeping most beautifully, so I feel sure he has taken a turn, and that we shall pull him through.”

“Yes,” said Katherine, as she followed Mrs. Burton into the store to look after the fire.  “I think he will get better now,” but her tone was so dull and lacking in spirit that her sister faced round upon her in quick consternation.

“What is the matter?  Do you feel ill?  Why, you are white as chalk, and you look as if you had seen a ghost!”

“I don’t think there are any ghosts to see in this part of the world,” Katherine replied, with a brave attempt at a laugh, “unless, indeed, the unquiet spirit of some Hudson’s Bay Company’s agent, done to death by treacherous Indians, haunts these shores.”

“Or some poor sealer caught in the ice and frozen to death,” murmured Mrs. Burton, with a sobbing catch in her breath.

Katherine, who was putting wood in the stove, turned suddenly, catching her sister in a warm, impulsive hug.  “There are no ghosts nor unquiet spirits among those brave men who meet death while doing their daily work, darling!” she said earnestly.  “But I fancy some of those old H.B.C. agents were fearful rogues, and well deserved the fate they met at the hands of the outraged red men.”

“Perhaps so; I don’t know.  But I don’t like seeing you look so pale, Katherine.  Come and have your tea, and I will send one of the boys to look after Father for a little while.”

Katherine followed her sister from the store into the kitchen, wondering as she went if tea, however hot, would have the power to drive away the creeping chill at her heart.  Miles went off to take charge of the sickroom, while Phil set tea, chattering all the time concerning the gossip of the store which had come to his ears during the last few days.