In her early girlhood he had been her hero.
Since her mother's death he had been her good comrade, and never had there been a shadow between them until that day when they had taken the last mail of the season up to the second portage, and heard the news about the change in the ownership of the fishing fleet from Astor M'Kree.

Perhaps he had been taken with some feeling of illness that day, and this continuing ever since had led to his altered ways and gloomy looks.

But even with this idea to comfort her Katherine went to her bed with a heavy heart that night, and a dread of the morning to which before she had been a stranger.

Her father had said that it was of no use to fear disaster until it really came, but her heart quailed that night as she lay sleepless, thinking of the days which stretched in front of her.

Until her father grew strong again she would have to let the day teaching go, even though it might be possible to keep the night school together.