ry well again," she explained. "Charly has his hands full in the
slashing. We must get it cleaned up, if it is to be ploughed this
spring."

"Nasmyth contrived to look after all these things. Why didn't you keep
him? The man didn't want to go away."

The colour deepened in Laura's face, and Gordon, who saw it, made a
sign of comprehension. "Well," he added, "I suppose that wasn't a
thing one could expect you to tell me, though I don't quite see why
you shouldn't think of yourself now and then. You know it wasn't on
your own account you sent him away."

"How does this concern you?" she asked.

Gordon flung one hand out. "Ah," he said, "how does it concern me?"
Then he seemed to lay a restraint upon himself. "Well, it does in one
sense, anyway. After all, I am a doctor, and a friend of yours, and
I'm going to warn you against attempting things women weren't meant
to do. If that doesn't prove efficacious, I'll say a word or two to
Nasmyth, and you'll have him back here again. It's a sure thing your
father would be glad to get him."

"If you do, I shall never forgive you," warned Laura, with a flash in
her eyes.

She was sorry she had spoken so plainly when she saw that Gordon
winced. She had guessed more or less correctly what the man felt for
her, and she had no wish to pain him. Except for that, however, the
admission she had made did not greatly matter, since she fancied that
he was quite aware why she had sent Nasmyth away. Gordon changed the
subject abruptly.

"There are very few of those blanket dresses this side of the
Rockies," he said. "You probably got it back East."

The girl's eyes had a wistful look as she answered: "We spent our
first winter in Montreal, and we had some friends who were very kind
to us. I like to look back upon those first few months in Canada."

Gordon nodded. "Oh, yes," he replied. "I know--sleigh-rides, snowshoe
meets, skating-rinks, toboggan-slides. Quite as lively as a London
season, and considerably more invigorating; I guess you've been
through that, too. In one way it's a pity you didn't stay in
Montreal."

He saw her sudden embarrassment, and fancied that she could have
stayed there, if she had wished to do so, but he felt that he must
speak frankly, and he shook his head severely.

"Do you never think of your own advantage at all?" he inquired. "Have
you none of the ambitions that most women seem to have?"

"Aren't you forgetting?" Laura asked with sudden quietness.