"'Twill not be long now till we can see
for ourselves," and stepping to the door he called Jean, who was trying
to make friends with a group of Indian children.
"She'll have my room," said Murchison, as he followed McNabb to the
door. "An' no bunk, either, but a brass bed that I bought in Winnipeg
out of respect for my old bones an' the weakening flesh that covers
'em. You an' me will pitch a tent, an' 'twill be the first time in
many years, John, we've slept under canvas together."
The next moment he was welcoming the girl with a deference he would
have scarce accorded to royalty.
XXIII
Supper over, McNabb left Jean to be entertained by Murchison, and
strolled down to the landing to join Hedin. "Well, how's everything
comin'?" he asked, as he seated himself beside the clerk upon a damaged
York boat.
"I wired you that the deal was closed, and the pulp-wood is safe. But
there have been complications that you could never suspect."
"So?"
"Yes. In the first, you were dead right about Wentworth--about not
trusting him. And you knew who he expected to let in on the deal?"
"Why, Orcutt, of course," replied McNabb. "I know all about that.
That's why I told ye to hold off till the last minute about closing."
"But you couldn't have foreseen that Orcutt wouldn't bother to set his
watch back, or that they would use his watch in concluding their deal.
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