r out of his way and crossed the floor with
angry strides. His face was red when he stopped in front of his wife.

"You don't believe the lying tale!"

"No," said Sadie, calmly. "If I had believed it, I wouldn't have talked
to you like this."

"Thank you! Now we have cleared the ground, I'm certainly going to do
something. I'll begin by driving over to Wilkinson's to-morrow, and I'll
take a whip."

"Festing 'tended to that matter before he left, and making another
circus won't help. Besides, Wilkinson has got to quit. You'll see
notices about his sale soon; I fixed that up."

Charnock laughed. "You're a marvel, Sadie, but the brute deserves it.
Well, if I mustn't thrash him, what's your plan?"

"You'll go to British Columbia and bring Festing back."

"I will, by George!" said Charnock. "We owe him and Helen much, and
the job is obviously mine--by joining Festing I give Wilkinson the
lie. You're clever, and I expect you saw this. Anyhow, I'll start; but
Festing's an obstinate fellow. Suppose he won't come back?"

"He mayn't at first. If so, you'll have to wait."

Charnock turned away and walked about the floor while Sadie watched him,
pleased but curious. Bob was rather hard to move, but he was moved now.
He came back, and sitting down, looked at her thoughtfully.

"I imagine you are giving me a bigger job than you know. If Festing has
taken the railroad contract, he'll probably stop until he had carried it
out. Now I don't imagine I'd find it amusing to loaf about and watch
him work; for one thing, it's pretty cold in the ranges after the snow
comes."

"Well?" said Sadie.

Charnock leaned forward with an apologetic smile. "I'd like to take a
share in the contract and help him through; that is, of course, if he
won't come back at once. But there's a difficulty; I haven't the cash."

"You want me to give you some?"

"Yes. I shouldn't feel much surprised if you refused. I've squandered
your money before, but this time I mean business. Can't you see that I
have, so to speak, got my chance at last?"

"I don't quite see. You have had many chances."

"I have," Charnock agreed; but there was a new note in his voice and a
look in his eyes that Sadie had not often seen. "I've been a fool, but
perhaps it doesn't follow that I'm incapable of change. However, let's
be practical. The crop is spoiled, we have no grain to haul in, and
there'll be nothing doing here while the snow is on the ground. Well, if
Festing c