ving--and it took fire. Mother and
sisters had no time to escape. It was early morning. I was a boy of
eighteen, and was out on the farm doing my chores. When I saw smoke and
came back, the house was a burning mass, and--it was all over."

"Where was your father?"

"My father is dead."

"But he was there--at the time of the fire?"

"Yes. He was there."

He had suddenly ceased to be communicative, and she instinctively asked
no more questions, except as to the cause of the conflagration.

"Probably an explosion of coal-oil. It was sometimes used to light the
fire with in the morning."

"How very, very terrible!" she said gently, after a moment, as though
she felt it. "Did you stay on at the farm?"

"I brought up my two brothers. They were on a visit to some neighbours
at the time of the fire. We stayed on three years."

"With your father?"

"No; we three alone."

She felt vaguely puzzled; but before she could turn to another subject,
he had added--

"There was nothing else for us to do. We had no money and no
relations--nothing but the land. So we had to work it--and we managed.
But after three years we'd saved a little money, and we wanted to get a
bit more education. So we sold the land and moved up to Montreal."

"How old were the brothers when you took on the farm?"

"Thirteen--and fifteen."

"Wonderful!" she exclaimed. "You must be proud."

He laughed out.

"Why, that kind of thing's done every day in this country! You can't
idle in Canada."

They had turned back towards the train. In the doorway of the car sat
Philip Gaddesden lounging and smoking, enveloped in a fur coat, his
knees covered with a magnificent fur rug. A whisky and soda had just
been placed at his right hand. Elizabeth thought--"He said that because
he had seen Philip." But when she looked at him, she withdrew her
supposition. His eyes were not on the car, and he was evidently thinking
of something else.

"I hope your brother will take no harm," he said to her, as they
approached the car. "Can I be of any service to you in Winnipeg?"

"Oh, thank you. We have some introductions--"

"Of course. But if I can--let me know."

An official came along the line, with a packet in his hand. At sight of
Elizabeth he stopped and raised his hat.

"Am I speaking to Lady Merton? I have some letters here, that have been
waiting for you at Winnipeg, and they've sent them out to you."

He placed the packet in her hand. The Canadian move