Page:A Wild-Goose Chase - Balmer - 1915.djvu/154

140 for Eric involved, in some way, her turning to Latham. She knew that Geoff had guessed much more. And now as she looked quickly to Koehler she saw that more complete comprehension was coming to him; and McNeal, slower witted but with quicker feelings, was clenching his big hands at his sides.

"You mean you are ordering the end of the search?" Margaret asked Latham.

"Do you believe there is any use in keeping it up?"

"A little longer at least," she said tremblingly.

"How far off is the freeze-up?" Latham asked McNeal.

"No one knows," the Scotchman said. "We may get ice to-morrow, if we get a calm and it's colder. It may be a month off if the winter's late."

"But probably?"

"Two weeks; some chance of three."

"Of open channels?"

"Or little ice."

Latham closed his lips tightly. "I thought so. With the channels as we found them