ded partner brushing all over it," he muttered, "I
guess it's your sister's doing--I knew there would be trouble when she
came in, stepping like a gopher on wet ploughing, with her skirts held up.
Anyway, I'm blamed well sick of Canada, and them Government land fellows
are coming right down on me, so I'm just going to drop the whole thing and
skip. I'm going to sell the place for an old song, or burn it, and light
out for Dakota."

I frowned, for this was the first time I had heard of Aline's visit, and
it struck me that although I suffered from her craze for neatness at
Fairmead she was overstepping the bounds in attempting to reform Hudson's
homestead too; but Harry evidently overheard him, for he came out.

"Try to talk sensible for once, Hudson," he said. "See here, I don't want
to take advantage of your beastly temper, but if you are really bent on
selling the place, and not vaporing as usual, I'm open to make you an
offer."

"I've been willing to sell it for two years," Hudson answered with a grin.
"Haven't done half my legal breaking, and don't mean to, so it's not mine
to sell, and would have to remain registered to me until the improvements
were completed. Then, you see, I could come back, and jump you."

"I don't think you could," said Harry. "You might hurt yourself trying it.
How much do you call a fair thing for the holding as it stands, bearing in
mind our risk in buying what is only the good-will with the owner
absent?"

They haggled over the terms for a while, and then Harry turned to me.

"We can do it at a stretch, Ralph, by paying him so much after the crop's
sold for the next two years. Of course, it's a big handful, but there's
lots of sloo hay that would feed winter stock, and I want the house badly.
Indeed, if I don't get it I'm going to build one. Don't you think we could
take the risk?"

I thought hard for a few minutes. We were speculating boldly, and already
had undertaken rather more than we could manage; but the offer was
tempting, and, noting Harry's eagerness, I agreed.

"Yes; we will chance it," I said, "on his own terms of yearly payments,
although heaven only knows how we're going to finance it if the crop dies
off. Hudson, I'll give you a small check to-morrow if you are satisfied,
but it's fair to tell you that if you stayed and completed the
improvements you would get more for it when you held the patent."

"That's all right," said Hudson. "I guess I'll take the check. You m