the time being his manner was gracious. In fact, he was generally
more or less courteous to Nasmyth.

"Miss Waynefleet tells me you are thinking of going away," said the
owner of the ranch.

Nasmyth replied that he intended to leave the ranch, and was
explaining that he felt he had already abused his host's kindness,
when Waynefleet cut him short.

"We have been glad to have you here," he said; "in fact, I have been
wondering if you might feel disposed to stay. It is probably evident
to you that I cannot do all that is necessary about this place with
one pair of hands."

Nasmyth knew, from what he had seen on other and larger ranches, that
one man could do the work, though he felt that it was more than one
could reasonably have expected from Waynefleet. It was, however, clear
that somebody did a great deal, and he fancied that it was the
rancher's daughter.

"Well," continued Waynefleet, "I am disposed to spend a little upon
the ranch. They are talking of building a pulp-mill near the
settlement. That will make land more valuable, and probably lead to a
demand for produce. With that in view, I wish to raise a larger crop,
and I'm open to hire somebody." He made a little gesture. "My strength
scarcely permits me to undertake any severe physical effort, and I
may confess that my faculty is rather that of administration. Now I
will make you an offer."

Nasmyth considered it gravely. As it happened, he was feeling sorry
for the rancher's daughter, and it was this fact chiefly which led him
to come to terms with the man, since it seemed to him that there were
tasks the girl must shrink from--tasks of which he could relieve her.
Though he was quite aware that when his strength came back, he could
probably earn more than Waynefleet offered him, he accepted the chance
to stay at the ranch. Moreover, the varied work was likely to be much
easier than logging.

"It's a bargain. I'll make a start now, and haul one or two of those
logs out with the oxen," he said. "Still, I'm afraid you must not
expect too much from me for a week or two."

Waynefleet made no objections. There was, as a matter of fact, a great
deal to be done, and Nasmyth went back to his new quarters over the
stable almost too weary to hold himself upright that night. He,
however, gathered strength rapidly, and a few days later he was
chopping a great tree, standing on a narrow plank notched into the
trunk of it several feet from the ground as he swung t