dgar had his limitations and he was not
an altogether satisfactory exchange for his partner; but George laughed.

"He now and then goes farther than I would care to venture."

Flora looked at him with faint amusement.

"Yes," she said. "That's one of the differences between you; you're
not assertive. It has struck me that you don't always realize your
value."

"Would you like one to insist on it?"

"Oh," she said, "there's a happy medium; but I'm getting rather
personal, and I hear the others coming."

She drove away a little later, and when Flett had gone to bed George
and Edgar sat talking a while beside the stove.

"Grant's a staunch friend, and I'm more impressed with Flora every time
I see her," said the lad. "She's pleasant to talk to, she can harness
and handle a team with any one; but for all that, you recognize a trace
of what I can only call the grand manner in her. Though I understand
that she has been to the old country, it's rather hard to see how she
got it."

George signified agreement. Miss Grant was undoubtedly characterized
by a certain grace and now and then by an elusive hint of stateliness.
It was a thing quite apart from self-assertion; a gracious quality,
which he had hitherto noticed only in the bearing of a few elderly
English ladies of station.

"I suppose you thanked her for that seed?" Edgar resumed.

"I said I was grateful to her father."

"I've no doubt you took the trouble to mark the distinction. It might
have been more considerate if you had divided your gratitude."

"What do you mean?"

"It's hardly likely that the idea of helping you in that particular way
originated with Alan Grant, though I shouldn't be surprised if he had
been allowed to think it did."

George looked surprised and Edgar laughed.

"You needn't mind. It's most improbable that Miss Grant either wished
or expected you to understand. She's a very intelligent young lady."

"It strikes me that you talk too much," George said severely.

He went out, feeling a little disturbed by what Edgar had told him, but
unable to analyze his sensations. Putting on his furs, he proceeded to
look around the stable, as he had fallen into a habit of doing before
he went to rest. There was a clear moon in the sky, and although the
black shadow of the buildings stretched out across the snow, George on
approaching one noticed a few footprints that led toward it. There
were numerous other tracks about, but he tho