riends to me. But for them some days might have
been hard to live through, but they were always there like friends,
watching, understanding. They kept me steady."

"You must have had some difficult days, old girl, in this awful land.
Yes, yes, I know it's glorious, especially on a day like this and in a
light like this; but after all, you are away from the world, away from
everybody, and shut off from everything, from life, art--how could you
stick it?"

"Jack are you sympathising with me? Let me tell you your sympathy is
wasted. I have had lonely days in this land, of course. When Tom was
off on business--Oh! that man has been perfectly splendid. Jack! He's
been--well, I can't tell you all he has been to me--father, mother,
husband, chum, he's been to me, and more. And he's made good in the
country, too. Now look again at this view. We always stop to look at it,
Tom and I, from this point. Tell me if you have ever seen anything quite
as wonderful!"

"Yes, it's glorious, a little like the veldt, with, of course, the
mountains extra, and they do rather finish the thing in the grand
style."

"Grand style, well, rather! A great traveller who has seen most of the
world's beautiful spots told me he had never looked on anything quite so
splendid as the view from here--so spacious, so varied, so majestic. Ah,
I love it, and the country has been good to me!

"I don't mean physically only, but in every way--in body, soul and mind.
And for Tom, too, the country has done much. In England, you know, he
was just loafing, filling in time with one useless thing after another,
and on the way to get fat and lazy. Here he is doing things, things
worth while. His ranch is quite a success. Then he is always busy
organising various sorts of industries in the country--dairying,
lumbering and that sort of thing. He has introduced thoroughbred stock.
He helps with the schools, the churches, the Agricultural Institutes. In
short, he is doing his part to bring this country to its best. And this,
you know, is the finest bit of all Canada!"

Her brother laughed. "Pardon me," he said, "there are so many of these
'finest bits.' In Nova Scotia, in Quebec, I have found them. The people
of Ontario are certain that the 'finest bit' is in their province, while
in British Columbia they are ready to fight if one suggests anything to
the contrary."

"I know. I know. It is perfectly splendid of them. You know we Canadians
are quite foolish about our