e hill roads were bad; then when we
got to the town the streets were crowded."

"That would be sae," the old man agreed. "Hawick's gey thrang at the
wool sales when the yarn trade is guid."

Foster liked to talk to strangers and as the girl had not rebuffed him,
he took her cloak, which looked very wet, from the rack.

"Perhaps I'd better shake this in the corridor and then we can hang it
up," he said.

She allowed him to do so and the old man remarked:

"Guid gear's worth the saving, and I was thinking it would be nane the
waur o' a bit shake, but if ye had leeved to my age among the mosses,
ye'd no' find yereself sae soople."

"Any kind of gear's worth taking care of."

"That's true," agreed the other. "A verra praise-worthy sentiment, if
ye practice it. But I wouldna' say ye were a Scot."

"In a sense, I'm a Canadian, but from what I've seen of the Ontario
Scots the difference isn't very marked. Anyhow, they don't buy new
material until the old's worn out."

The man chuckled, but Foster thought the girl looked interested.

"Then you come from Canada," she said. "Do you know any of the Ontario
cities?"

"I have been in Toronto, but I know the small towns near the Manitoba
border best. In fact, I left an ambitious place called Gardner's
Crossing about fourteen days ago."

From the quick glance she gave him he imagined that she had heard of
the town, but she said, "I have some friends in Ontario and understand
that they have had what they call a set-back there. Did this extend to
the neighborhood you came from?"

Foster told her something about the development of the lumber trade and
mining, but although he had hardly expected her to be interested he
thought she was, and the old man's shrewd remarks helped the
conversation along.

"Isn't the Crossing where the big factory is? I forget the name of
it," she asked by and by.

"Hulton's," said Foster, and afterwards thought she tactfully
encouraged him to talk about the manufacturing firm, although he did
not mention Fred Hulton's death. Her manner, however, was quite
correct; he had been of some small help, which warranted her conversing
with him to pass the time. That was all, and when their companion got
out and she opened a book he went to the smoking-compartment.

When he left the train at the Waverley station he saw her on the
platform and she gave him a slight bow, but he understood that their
acquaintance ended there and was content.