hem, digging
and sorting, till every limb ached and she seemed to be a part herself of
the damp brown earth that she was robbing of its treasure. For a time
when the harvest was done, when the ricks were thatched ready for
threshing, there had been a moment of ease. But with the coming of
October, the pressure began again. The thought of the coming frost and of
all those greedy mouths of cattle, sheep, and horses to be filled through
the winter, drove and hunted the workers on Great End Farm, as they have
driven and hunted the children of earth since tilling and stock-keeping
began. Under the hedges near the house, the long potato caves had been
filled and covered in; the sheep were in the turnips, and every two or
three days, often under torrents of rain, Rachel and the two girls must
change the hurdles, and put the hungry, pushing creatures on to fresh
ground. On the top of the down, there was fern to be cut and carted for
the winter fodder, and fallen wood to be gathered for fuel, under the
daily threats of the coal-controller.

Rachel worked hard and long. How she loved the life that once under other
skies and other conditions she had loathed! Ownership and command had
given her a new dignity, in a sense a new beauty. Her labourers and her
land girls admired and obeyed her, while--perhaps!--Janet Leighton had
their hearts. Rachel's real self seemed to be something that no one knew;
her companions were never quite at ease with her; and yet her gay,
careless ways, the humanity and natural fairness of her mind, carried a
spell that made her rule sit light upon them.

Yes!--after all these weeks together, not even Janet knew her much
better. The sense of mystery remained; although the progress of the
relation between her and Ellesborough was becoming very evident, not only
indeed to Janet, but to everybody at the farm. His departure for France
had been delayed owing to the death in action of the officer who was to
have been sent home to replace him. It might be a month now before he
left. Meanwhile, every Sunday he spent some hours at the farm, and
generally on a couple of evenings in the week he would arrive just after
supper, help to put the animals to bed, and then stay talking with Rachel
in the sitting-room, while Janet tidied up in the kitchen. Janet, the
warm-hearted, had become much attached to him. He had been at no pains to
hide the state of his feelings from her. Indeed, though he had said
nothing explicit,