sters swept
through the settlements. The old man was seated in the hall, parlour,
drawing-room--or whatever you choose to call it--of Ben Nevis House. It
was an uncarpeted, unpainted, unadorned room with pine plank flooring,
plank walls, a plank ceiling, a plank table, and a set of plank chairs.
Ornament was dispensed with in the hall of Ben Nevis House; for although
Elspie would fain have clothed it with a little feminine grace, its
proprietor would not hear of such proposals.

"Stick as many gimcracks as you like about your own room, Elspie," he
had remarked when the first attempt was made, "but leave me my hall in
peace. It iss quite pleased with it I am as it iss."

Opposite the door of the hall there was a large open fireplace without a
grate. Doors all round the walls of the hall opened into the other
rooms of the establishment. Above what would have been the mantelpiece,
had one existed, there was a row of tobacco pipes. Old Duncan was a
great smoker. Indeed he would have been almost unrecognisable without
his pipe. He was smoking when Daniel Davidson visited him, in order to
hold the very important conversation to which we have referred.

"It iss as you say, Taniel," remarked the old man, frowning at his pipe,
which was not drawing properly. "Marrit life iss more to be desired
than single blessedness, whatever, an' it is a my opeenion that you will
do more work with Elspie helpin' you, than by yourself. When iss it you
will be wantin' to call me your father?"

The old man asked the question with a somewhat humorous smile, for he
was, to say truth, not a little proud of the staid, sensible, and strong
young fellow who aspired to his daughter's hand--besides, the pipe was
drawing well by that time.

"As soon as you like," answered Dan, "or, rather, as soon as Elspie
likes. You see, things are beginning to look a little more hopeful now.
People who seem to know best--or seem to think they do--tell us that
the Nor'-Westers are beginning to see that a colony here won't interfere
in any way with their business; a good deal of seed has been sown, and,
if all goes well, we may look for a better year than we have yet had;
therefore I don't see why we should wait any longer."

"Your observations are ferry true. There iss just wan little word you
mention that requires consideration," returned the old man with a brow
wrinkled so as to suggest profound sagacity of thought. "You said `if
all goes well.' Bu