r of her daughter's welfare, and pressing
an invitation to spend the autumn in the glorious scenery and weather
of the foothill country. Mary Harris read both letters over again,
with frequent rubbing of her glasses. Love for her daughter, desire
to see her old friend once more, and growing dissatisfaction with
conditions at home, all combined to give weight to the invitation so
earnestly extended. "If I only could!" she said to herself. "If I
only could! But it would cost so much."

The dinner was late that day, and Harris was in worse humour than
usual. He had just broken a plough-beam, which meant an afternoon's
delay and some dollars of expense. When he had started his meal his
wife laid the full envelope before him. "A letter from Beulah," she
said.

Without a word he rose from the table, took the letter in his hand,
and thrust it into the kitchen range. A blue flame slowly cut round
the envelope; the pages began to curl like dry leaves in autumn, and
presently the withered ghost of the missive shrank away in the dull
glare of the coal fire behind.

CHAPTER XI

THE PRICE OF "SUCCESS"

At last the ploughing was finished, and, although the rich smell of
wheat in the milk filled the air, it still would be almost a month
before the ripening crops were ready for the binder. Harris felt that
he could now allow himself a breathing spell, and that the
opportunity to investigate the rich lands of the Farther West was at
hand. Many nights, while Mary milked the cows, he had walked over to
Riles', and the two had discussed their forthcoming venture until
they had grown almost enthusiastic over it. Riles, it must be said,
was the leading spirit in the movement; although already possessed of
sufficient land and means to keep him in comfort through his
advancing years, the possibility of greater wealth, and particularly
of wealth to be had without corresponding effort, was a lure
altogether irresistible. And Harris fell in with the plan readily
enough. A quarter of a century having elapsed since his former
homesteading, he was now eligible again to file on free Government
land; Allan could do the same, and, by also taking advantage of the
purchase of script, it was possible to still further increase their
holdings. In addition to all this, Riles had unfolded a scheme for
staking two or three others on free homestead land: it would be
necessary, of course, to provide them with "grub" and a small wage
during the