CHAPTER XI.

_THE ADOPTION._

"And then I found that Art was but a song, A pulse of life that beats away the years; For while I touched the strings that trembling died A voice came into mine and made it strong; And through the curtain of emotion-tears I saw that Love was ruling at my side."

Winslow spent several more days on Blomidon than he had previously thought would be sufficient to conclude his investigations. The differing trap formations, the composition of the vein deposits, and the varied character of the crystalline structures gave him a large field for study. Here, also, the tides in all their force and wonderful character were easier of investigation than elsewhere.

Camping on the shore at various points of the mountain, or spending a night now and then on the boat, he had found in his boatman, Len Lawson, an interesting study as well, and had attempted at various times to get from him the confirmation of the strange story connected with his family.

Len proved himself on several occasions a skilful seaman and thoroughly acquainted with the changing conditions of the Basin and its more uncertain neighbor, the Bay of Fundy. But as to his personality Winslow found him every day less approachable, and he could not but be conscious of the fact that there was something of a dangerous nature in his companion. Winslow did not impress anybody with whom he came in contact with the idea that he feared anything. His open-handed manner and unconscious calmness in the face of danger kept Len in check. He had ample opportunity to learn that beneath the calm exterior, which always seemed unchanged in Winslow, was a great reserve of force and strength, and which he never attempted to trifle with. The one never took advantage of his position to work anything unmanly upon the other simply because he was in his employ. Nor would Len have submitted to imposition of any kind. One was perhaps as courageous as the other, but with the courage of Winslow was the strength of moral intelligence, the unobtrusive pride of a young manhood and a kind heart.

Familiar with many of the curious legends connected with every part of those northern shores, Len was at his best moments ready enough to talk about them. It was a part of his business to amuse those whom he conveyed in his boat. His shrewd intelligence taught him the advantage of this, and his mind was one which easily and naturally stored itself with tale and legend. Yet he carefully avoided any reference to his family or to anything which would lead up to that subject. Unintentionally, Winslow sometimes asked a question which in Len's mind suggested a connection with the haunting and proscribed subject. At once his manner would change, and for hours a strange set expression of his face and eyes never left him, while his manner was at once suspicious and repellent. At other times it left him in the power of some strong emotion, which alternated between defiance and despair.

At such times Winslow would set him at work demanding all his activity, either in working out a vein of mineral or in sailing out on the rapid waters of the channel between the bay and the Basin. Once this cost Winslow six hours in the boat without a wind and at the mercy of the tide, the wind having died out before they could get back to their camp.

It was almost a week before the _Marie_ cast anchor in the shadow of Pierre Island and Winslow found himself making his way to the road leading to Bluff Castle. On reaching the level top of the island he was both pleased and astonished to see coming out of the grove near the house Miss Gaston and the blushing Marie.

"We have been enjoying the view, and we saw your boat come in," said Miss Gaston, after the first greetings.

"I observe you have found our Evangeline," smiled Winslow.

"Oh, yes, we are fast friends," replied Miss Gaston. "I have needed a guide to disclose to me the secrets of these shores, and a companion as well, as Mrs. Forest does not wish her daughter to be long away from her since our adventure on Blomidon. In Marie I have found both guide and companion, as well as a friend."

"Have you found the place interesting at all?" he asked.

"Very much so, and we have found very beautiful specimens to add to our collection."

As they came near the house Marie escaped into it, leaving her friends. A moment after Suzanne appeared with a bundle of letters and papers and a telegram.

"How do you do, Suzanne? My mail, I suppose. Ah! a telegram. How is my friend Pierre?" he said, looking into her smiling face as he opened the despatch.

Miss Gaston slipped into the house as he was looking over his mail, and in a few minutes appeared again.

"I am in time to cross by the ford. My friends are expecting you as soon as you are able to come over to our hotel."

Winslow walked by her side to the beach.

"May I ask, how long has this intimacy existed between you and Marie?" he asked.

"We have been here four days. On our arrival we introduced ourselves at the island, and found that your name was the _open sesame_. I was much pleased with Marie, and interested in the father as well. I think the daughter is a beautiful girl, as good of heart as lovely of face."

"I would like to help the family," said Winslow, "for their history, while strange and fascinating, is also a sad one; and as you may know, Pierre is the last of his line."

"Yes, I have learned a great deal about the people from Marie and Suzanne. The child may need a protector some day, for her father's health is failing, and he is an old man, though he seems good for many years yet."

"I fear not," said Winslow, in reply; "he has a great grief ever bearing him down. Marie is all he has left in the world. And while he seldom speaks of his sorrow, I know he is bending under it. I am glad you have been drawn to the family as I have. I owe my life to Pierre," he continued, "and I feel, in the confidence the old man has reposed in me, under obligation to them, and more than that, I feel it a duty that binds me to them."

She looked at the young man and was struck by the words he had spoken in such a straightforward and manly way. She did not reply for a time, her thoughts being taken up with what he had said.

"I hope I may share with you in interest and responsibility in Marie, who has apparently bound us both to her," she said, at last. "I would not intrude myself into their lives or affect your connection with them by it, but I have found in Marie a sweet creature who has spoken to me of herself and laid bare her young heart as to a mother. She may need the comfort and love of a woman in her life, as well as the protection of a man."

"I am much pleased to know that you have assumed a place in her life," said the young man, warmly, turning upon her a face that told her of the honesty of his words and thoughts. He spoke openly, as if they had known each other for a much longer time. He continued:

"If my judgment is not at fault, and I am sure Marie's friendship confirms my opinion, there could not have been a better choice made by her."

"Thank you," she said, blushing at the unreserved expression of his approval, while she laughed to hide the embarrassment his words caused.

He also burst out laughing, and said, "Pardon me, Miss Gaston, but I do not feel as if I had not known you for a long time. The climb we had together and your purpose in regard to my friends here have made me feel well towards you, and are accountable for my plain statement of our position. We have these things in common, and from them springs a mutual interest."

So they came to an understanding, and yet each formed erroneous ideas of the other, whose result would be felt seriously by both for years of their life.

"Our friends are on the beach, I observe, waiting for me at the ford. I do not think they know that you have returned," she said.

Their appearance was the signal for the waving of handkerchiefs and the exchange of merry greetings.

"We have been expecting you, Mr. Winslow," said Mrs. Forest, after an exchange of courtesies.

"I was longer on Blomidon than I expected to be. I did not think to find you here so soon."

"We had all these lovely places in anticipation, you know, and we had exhausted Blomidon and completed our geological investigations," continued her daughter, with a smile. "This field presented a greater range for our work, and permits mother to have a sharper eye upon me. She has not gotten over her fear of the tide. Yet we have found all the zeolites, and the combinations of them,--stilbite, acadialite, flybites and skylights, and I don't know how many tights."

Their merry laughter echoed along the cliffs after this speech.

"I see you have been making a careful study of the subject, and have not lost much time," said Winslow, laughing.

"My dear, there is another bite you have forgotten to mention. I found a good specimen this morning, you know," said Mrs. Forest.

"When may we see you?" she said to Winslow, as he raised his cap, about to leave them. "We are easily found."

"We inhabitants of Pierre Island time our going and coming by the tide."

He returned to the island.

Events were making history in the life of Marie, the child-woman, the woman-child. When Winslow reached Bluff Castle he was surprised to meet Len, who strode past him without a word, his face pale with rage, and a savage look in his eyes. Entering the house, he found Marie in tears and Suzanne absent. Seeing him, she withdrew into another room, leaving him to conjecture as to the cause of her emotion. He suspected that Len had found her alone and had continued to force his unpleasant and jealous humor upon her after his protracted absence. He had lost no time, as the occasion showed.

Leaving the house, he went quickly after Len and called to him. This did not stop him or even cause him to turn his head to see who spoke his name. Again Winslow called after him in such a tone of voice as told Len he had better heed, so he stopped in the road and waited for him to come near enough to speak with him.

"I have received a telegram which will compel me to leave here sooner than I expected to. As the rest of my work will be done without a boat, I will pay you for the whole time I engaged you for. Is that satisfactory?"

"Yes, sir," he said, the sullen look on his face relaxing as he found that there was to be no reference to himself or Marie, which he had expected.

"When are you going away?" he asked, scarcely concealing his interest and satisfaction in what had occurred.

"Quite soon, I think. I liked your boat, Len, and I hope to need her again some other time."

Saying this, he turned to the house and went over his mail again, before preparing to meet his American friends.