"His own fault," laughed Katherine. "If he will go and sit in a
tub half the day, in the hope of shooting swans, he must expect to
get a cold."

"Boys will do unwise things, I fancy. They can't help it, so it is
of no use to blame them," Mrs. Burton said with a sigh.

Katherine laughed again. Mrs. Burton had a way of never blaming
anyone, and slipped through life always thinking the very best of
the people with whom she came in contact, crediting them with good
intentions however far short they might prove of good in reality.
The sisters were alike in features and in their dainty, womanly
ways, but in character they were a wide contrast. Katherine, under
her girlish softness and pretty winning manner, had hidden a firm
will and purpose, a sound judgment, and a resourcefulness which
would stand her in good stead in the emergencies of life. She
liked to decide things for herself, and choose what she would do;
but Mrs. Burton always needed someone to lean upon and to settle
momentous questions for her.

'Duke Radford was ready to start by the time dawn arrived, and
Katherine was ready too. It was so very cold that she had twisted
a cloud of brilliant scarlet wool all over her head and ears, in
addition to her other wrappings. There were some stores to take to
Fort Garry, and there would be others to bring back, as
considerable trading was done between the fort and the settlement.
Very often when 'Duke Radford ran out of some easy-to-sell
commodity he was able to replenish his stock from the fort, while
he in his turn accepted furs in barter from his customers, which he
disposed of to the agent when next he visited the fort. As on the