I happen to be rich--or
shall be--is nothing to do with any one but myself. As far as I can
see it will be a blessing. Go on."

"No doubt it is as you say, dear," the man pursued; "but there are
plenty of people unkind enough to believe that I am marrying you for
your money. However, I am going to get this man red-handed, and, I
tell you, it will be the greatest coup of my life."

"I hope you will succeed, Leslie," the girl said, her brown eyes fixed
in admiration upon her lover. "Do you know, I never thought you were
such a determined fellow," she added impulsively. "Why, I can almost
believe that you'd learn to farm if you took the notion."

Grey's sense of humour was not equal to the occasion, and he took her
remark quite seriously.

"A man must be a fool if he can't run a farm," he said roughly.

"Many folks labour under that mistake," the girl replied. Then: "Say,
when are you going to do this thing?"

"Strangely enough, the critical moment will come two days after our
marriage. Let's see. This is Monday. We are to be married to-morrow
week. That will make it Thursday week."

The girl sat herself up on the sofa, and her young face expressed
dismay.

"Right in the middle of our honeymoon. Oh, Leslie!"

"It can't be helped, dearest. I shall only be away from you for that
afternoon and the night. Think of what it means to me. Everything."

"Ah, yes." She sank back again upon the sofa. There was the faintest
glimmer of a smile in the depths of her dark eyes. "I forgot what it
meant to you."

The unconscious irony of her words fell upon stony ground.

Prudence Malling was deeply in love with Leslie Grey. How few men
fully appreciate the priceless treasure of a good woman's regard.

"If I bring this off it means immediate promotion," Grey went on, in
his blindly selfish way. "I must succeed. I hate failure."

"They will take you off the border, then," said the girl musingly.
"That will mean--leaving here."

"Which also means a big step up."

"Of course--it will mean a big step up."

The girl sighed. She loved the farm; that home which she had always
known. She changed the subject suddenly.

"It must be nearly tea-time. We are going to have tea early, Leslie,
so that we can get through with it comfortably before the people
come."

"Oh yes, I forgot you are having a 'Progressive Euchre' party
to-night. What time does it begin? I mean the party."

"Seven o'clock. But you are going to stay to tea?"