ruffled, his
eyes were dull, and his mouth had a slack droop. Festing felt some pity
for the man, though he was also sensible of scornful impatience. The
smell of burned paper disturbed him with its hint of vanished romance.
Putting the lid on the stove, he took the lamp from Charnock's unsteady
hand, and, when he had lighted it, found a brush and set to work.
Presently Charnock made a vague sign of relief as he looked at the swept
floor.

"All gone!" he remarked. "There was something I couldn't find. Suppose I
burned it, though I don't remember."

"There's nothing left," said Festing, who felt guilty. "Why did you
destroy the things?"

Charnock sat down and awkwardly lighted his pipe. "Wanted to begin again
with what they call a clean slate. Besides, the stove's the best place
for bills that bother you."

"You can't get rid of the debts by burning the bills."

"That's true," said Charnock with a grin. "Unfortunately obvious, in
fact! However, I cut up my account book."

"I don't see how that would help."

"My creditors can now amuse themselves by finding out how I stand."

Festing frowned impatiently. "A rather childish trick! It doesn't strike
me as humorous."

"You're a disgustingly serious fellow," Charnock rejoined. "But you
might be a bit sympathetic, because I've had a nasty knock. My creditors
have come down on me, and I'm going to be married."

Festing smiled. He had some sense of humor, and Charnock's manner seemed
to indicate that he felt he was confronted with two misfortunes.

"You must have known your creditors would pull you up unless you came
to terms with them, but one would expect you to please yourself about
getting married."

"I'm not sure your joke's in good taste," Charnock answered sullenly.
"But in a way, one thing depended on the other. Perhaps I oughtn't to
have said so, but I'm upset to-night. Though I did expect to be pulled
up, it was a knock."

"No doubt. Are you going to marry Sadie?"

"I am. Have you any reason to disapprove?"

"Certainly not," said Festing. "Sadie's rather a friend of mine."

In a sense, this was true. When Festing first came to the prairie from
a mountain construction camp, where he had not seen a woman for twelve
months, he had felt Sadie's charm. Moreover, he imagined that the
girl liked him and consciously used her power, although with a certain
reserve and modesty. For all that, he fought against his inclination and
conquered without much effor