soil; but I knew that in such matters as cutting timber,
water, and ore and refuse heaps a hostile neighbor could harass them
considerably. "Uncle Martin is going to enjoy himself," said Aline, when I
told her so.

It was some weeks later when Harry and his assistants came home, bringing
with him a heavy bank draft and a wallet stuffed with dollar bills. He
looked more handsome and winning than ever when he greeted Aline,
and--though it needed some experience of her ways to come to this
conclusion--I could tell that she regarded him with approval. He had
finished the railroad work, and when he had furnished full details about
it, he showed that he had thoughtfully considered other matters, for he
said:

"Ralph, I guessed you would be busy altering Fairmead on opportunity, and
now that your sister has turned it into a palace I should always be afraid
of spoiling something; so I have arranged by mail to camp with Hudson, of
the next preemption. His place is scarcely a mile away. Miss Lorimer, you
don't realize the joys of living as a bachelor, or you would freely
forgive me."

"I think I do," said Aline. "Half-cooked food on plates that have not been
washed for weeks and weeks, and a house like a pig-stye. Have I not seen
my brother reveling in them? Mr. Harry Lorraine, from what Ralph has told
me, there is no one I should more gladly welcome to Fairmead than its
part-owner, and I am surprised that he should prefer the pig-stye. Still,
in reference to the latter, is there not a warning about blindly
casting?"

"There is," laughed Harry. "I crave mercy. In token of submission I will
help you to wash those dishes now." And, being perfectly satisfied to be
for once relieved of the duty, I lounged in the ox-hide chair watching
them through the blue tobacco smoke, and noting what a well-matched couple
they were. An hour had sufficed to make them good friends; and I was quite
aware that Harry had entered into the arrangement merely for our own sake,
Hudson, as everybody knew, being neither an over-cleanly nor companionable
person.

When the last plate had been duly polished and placed in the rack that
Aline had insisted on my making, Harry spread out a bundle of papers.

"Now we will settle down to discuss the spring campaign, if your sister
will excuse us," he said.

"Aline is already longing to show me how to run a farm. Go on, and beware
how you lay any weak points open to her criticism," I answered.

"In the first