aid they had, but it was evident that she had attached no
particular significance to the fact that Sally had worn a new fur cap.

"He hasn't been over to see you since."

The girl, who admitted it, looked troubled, and Mrs. Hastings laid a
hand upon her shoulder.

"My dear," she said, "if he does come you must put him off."

"Why?" Agatha asked, in a low, strained voice.

"For one thing, because we want to keep you," and Mrs. Hastings looked
at her with a very friendly smile. "Are you very anxious to make it up
with Gregory?"

A little shiver ran through the girl. "Oh," she said, "I can't answer
you that. I must do what is right."

Then, somewhat to her astonishment, her companion drew her a little
nearer, stooped and kissed her.

"Most of us, I believe, have that wish, but the thing is often horribly
complex," she said. "Anyway, you must put Gregory off again if it's
only for another month or two. I fancy you will not find it remarkably
difficult."

She turned away with that, but her manner had been so significant that
Agatha, who did not sleep very well that night, decided that if it was
possible she would act on her advice.

In the meanwhile, it happened that a little very dapper gentleman who
was largely interested in the land-agency and general mortgage business
was spending the evening with Hawtrey in Wyllard's room at the Range.
He had driven round by Hawtrey's homestead earlier in the afternoon,
and had deduced a good deal from the state of it, though this was a
point he kept to himself. Now he lay in a lounge chair beside the
stove smoking one of Wyllard's cigars and unobtrusively watching his
companion. There was a roll of bills in his pocket which the latter
had very reluctantly parted with.

"In view of the fall in wheat it must have been rather a pull for you
to pay me that interest," he said.

"It certainly was," Hawtrey admitted with a somewhat rueful smile.
"I'm sorry it had to be done."

"I don't quite see how you made it," persisted the other man. "What
you got for your wheat couldn't have done much more than cover working
expenses."

Hawtrey laughed. He was quite aware that his companion's profession
was not one that was regarded with any great favour by the prairie
farmers, but he was never particularly cautious, and he rather liked
the man.

"As a matter of fact, it didn't, Edmonds," he said. "You see, I
practically paid you out of what I get for running this place. Th