I'm away," he said. "Mrs.
Svendsen's trustworthy, and everything will be quiet after the harvesters
have gone."

Gertrude did not answer, and they went on in silence to the noisy
separator. Perspiring men, stripped of their heavier garments, were
tossing the sheaves amid a cloud of dust; cleaned grain poured out into
open bags, and as each was filled two panting toilers flung it into a
wagon. Near-by stood a great and growing pile of bags, over which the
short straw would be spread a number of feet thick, to form a granary.
Gertrude joined her father, who was standing near the machine, moodily
looking on, and before Prescott had unloaded his wagon Curtis rode up
with Private Stanton.

"Nothing new at the muskeg, sir," he reported to Jernyngham rather
curtly, and walked his horse toward Prescott.

"We were passing," he told him, and indicated the pile of grain. "You're
not selling right away?"

"No; I'm not ready to haul the crop in to the elevators yet. I've one or
two more pressing things to do."

"Mayn't you miss a chance? Prices are pretty good."

Prescott was on his guard; he felt that Curtis suspected him.

"I don't know," he answered. "I guess they won't fall much."

"Your neighbors mean to sell, though it's quite likely that's to meet
their bills, and you always tried to get in on the first of the market
until this year. It must have cost you a pile to put in that big crop."

"It did."

"Then how have you got so prosperous since last fall?"

It was a pointed question, because everybody in the district knew that
Prescott had sold only a few head of cattle and a horse or two, while he
would shortly have his accounts to meet.

"It's a matter of management," he replied. "I've been working on a
different system this spring, and I find it pays." Then he looked
steadily at the corporal, "Besides, running Jernyngham's place along with
mine made it easier to cut expenses."

"It's a great crop. But we must be getting on."

He rode off and when they had left the stubble, Private Stanton looked at
him.

"His being able to hold his wheat; which he couldn't do last year, is a
pretty strong count against the man. You gave him his chance for
explaining and he made a mighty bad show. Looks as if he'd got some money
he couldn't account for since last fall."

"Not proved," returned Curtis. "There's something in what he said.
Anyway, he isn't afraid of us, since he's putting up his grain."

"I don't quite catch