d
to hold it, at Great End Farm. All over England, all over unravaged
France and northern Italy similar scenes at that moment were being
thrown on the magic sheet of life; and at any drop in the talk, the
observer could almost hear, in the stillness, the weaving of the Great
Loom on which the Ages come and go.

There was a pause, when Dempsey came to a dramatic end with the last
breath of his grandfather; till Mrs. Halsey said dryly, fixing the young
man with her small beady eyes,--

"And you don't mind telling on your own grandfather?"

"Why shouldn't I?" laughed Dempsey, "when it's sixty years ago. They've
lost their chance of hanging him anyhow."

Mrs. Halsey shook her head in inarticulate protest. Betts said
reflectively,--

"I wouldn't advise you to be tellin' that tale to Miss Henderson."

Dempsey's expression changed at the name. He bent forward eagerly.

"By the way, who is Miss Henderson? Do you know where she comes from?"

The others stared.

"Last winter," said Betts at last, "she wor on a farm down Devonshire
way. And before that she wor at college--with Miss Janet."

"Was she ever in Canada?"

"Yes!" said Halsey with sudden decision, "she wor--for she told me
one day when I wor mendin' the new reaper and binder, that we in this
country didn't know what harvest meant. 'Why, I've helped to reap a
field--in Canada,' she ses, 'fower miles square,' she ses, 'six teams o'
horses--an' six horses to the team,' she ses--'that's somethin' like.' So
I know she's been in Canada."

"Ah!" said Dempsey, staring at the carpet. "And she's not married? You're
sure she's not married?"

"Married?" said all the others, looking at him in disapproving
astonishment.

"Well, if she ain't, I saw her sister--or her double--twice--about
two-and-a-half year ago--at a place thirty miles from Winnipeg. I could
ha' sworn I'd seen her before!"

"Well, you can't ha' seen her before," said Betts positively; "cause
she's Miss, not Missis."

"Ah!" said Dempsey again in a non-committal voice, looking hard this time
into the fire.

"Where have you seen her--in these parts?" asked Mrs. Halsey.

"At the Harvest Festival, t'other day. But I must have been
mistaken--that's all. I think I'm going to call upon her some day."

"Whatever for?"

"Why--to tell her about my grandfather!" said Dempsey, looking round at
Mrs. Halsey, with an air of astonishment that any one should ask him the
question.

"You won't be welcome."