Page:Jane Mander--The Strange Attraction.pdf/13



hope you will like it,” said Bob Lorrimer rather doubtfully.

“I don’t care a cuss if I don’t. I shall stay till I’ve got all I can out of it. But I say, this is hot, isn’t it?” answered Valerie Carr.

“Yes, it’s the worst since I came. You couldn’t see much of the river, I suppose. There’s a big fire to the north of us.”

“Not a thing,” she said in a disgusted tone.

They stood on what was known as the Dargaville main wharf beside the steamer that had just brought Valerie from Helensville. Passengers still moved cautiously down the unrailed gangway with packages and bags in their hands, and relatives still greeted each other with forced gaiety or honest affection, and acquaintances with laconic nods. The donkey engine swung the first net full of trunks and boxes in dangerous imminence above the heads of all who stood on the limited area of the narrow landing.

“Look out! Look out!” impatiently yelled one of the steamer hands, annoyed that it should be his job to save people who did not seem to want to live.

There was a scramble out of the way. Bob and Valerie drew aside against the wall of a zinc shed. She looked into the pile of luggage that was dumped at her feet, saw that