it as a
liberty," it ran. "You have given me a good deal more than this."

Then for just a moment her eyes grew hazy. In proportion to the man's
means, it was a costly gift, and, except for him, nobody had shown her
much consideration since she had left England. She was a trifle
perplexed, for she did not think there was lace of that kind on sale
often in Victoria, and, in regard to the gloves, it was not evident
how he had known her size. Then she remembered that one of the cotton
ones she sometimes wore had disappeared some little time before, and
once more the flush crept into her cheeks. That almost decided her not
to wear his lace, but she felt that to refrain from doing so would
raise the question as to how they stood with regard to one another,
which was one she did not desire to think out closely then; and, after
all, the lace was exactly what she wanted to complete the dress. She
rolled it together, and put it and the gloves away, but she treasured
the little note.

It was a week later when her father drove her to the pulp-mill in a
jolting waggon, and arrived there a little earlier than he had
expected. A dance usually begins with a bountiful supper in that
country, but Waynefleet, who was, as a rule, willing to borrow
implements or teams from his Bush neighbours, would seldom eat with
them when he could help it. He was accordingly not quite pleased to
find the supper had not yet been cleared away, but Laura, who
understood what he was feeling, contrived to lead him into a vacant
place at one of the tables. Then she sat down, and looked about her.

The great room was hung with flags and cedar boughs, and the benches
down the long uncovered tables were crowded. The men's attire was
motley--broadcloth and duck; white shirts, starched or limp, and blue
ones; shoes with the creeper-spikes filed down, and long boots to the
knees. There were women present also, and they wore anything from
light print, put together for the occasion, to treasured garments made
in Montreal or Toronto perhaps a dozen years before, but for all that
the assembly was good to look upon. There was steadfast courage in the
bronzed faces, and most of those who sat about the long tables had
kindly eyes. The stamp of a clean life of effort was upon them, and
there was a certain lithe gracefulness in the unconscious poses of the
straight-limbed men. There was no sign of limp slovenliness about
them. Even in their relaxation they were intent a