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.”

McNabb shook his head.  “No, an’ I don’t know yet what ye’re talkin’ about.  All I know is, that Orcutt thinks he has got title to the pulp-wood.  We met him back at the railway, an’ he took pains to tell me about it.  What puzzles me is, how did ye work it so that after two weeks have gone by he still thinks he owns the timber?”

“I didn’t work it.  He came up here on the twenty-ninth and waited around until the first of July.  Then he and Cameron went over to the shack and concluded the deal, using Orcutt’s watch, which was Terrace City time—­an hour fast.  Then Orcutt and Wentworth hit straight for the mill site, saying they were coming back in two days.  Half an hour later I called Cameron’s attention to the error in time and took up the options for you.  After the papers were signed he decided to wait for the return of Orcutt and Wentworth.  But they didn’t return.  He waited for a week, and then went to look for them.  They haven’t shown up yet.”

Old John was chuckling aloud.  “An’ the Eureka Paper Company’s stuff is rollin’ down my tote-road as fast as they can unload it.”

“Do you mean they’ve started to haul the material for their mill?”

“Aye, not only material but machinery.”

“But what’s become of Cameron?”

“Losh, lad, I don’t even know the man.  We won’t worry about him.”

“But why did you want to put off the closing till the last minute?”

McNabb grinned.  “Why did you let Jean wear the sable coat?” he asked in return. “‘Twas only to string Orcutt along, thinkin’ he had me bested till the last minute—­then bring him up with a jolt.  I didn’t know it would work out so lucky for me.”

“How do you mean—­lucky?”

“You wait an’ see,” grinned McNabb.  “D’ye know, Orcutt offered me ten thousand dollars for my tote-road?  An’ it cost me a hundred thousand!”

A long silence followed McNabb’s words, during which Hedin cleared his throat several times.  The older man smoked his pipe, and cast covert glances out of the tail of his eye.  Finally he spoke.  “What’s on ye’re mind, lad?  Speak out.”