nded returning to the
subject that evening, but Eddie and Gertie were deep in one of their
conferences until nearly bedtime. It would never have suggested itself
to her to seek any information from the objectionable Frank, so under
cover of a heated discussion between him and Trotter, she appealed to
Reggie.

"What does it mean to be weeded out?"

"Oh, Lord, I don't know! Kicked out, I suppose. Isn't there something in
the Bible about tares and wheat?"

"Nonsense; it doesn't mean that. I'd forgotten, by the way, how strong
you were on Biblical references. Do you remember your discussion about
Sarah and Benjamin with Agnes Pringle?"

"Of course I do. And I completely stumped her; don't you recollect?"

"Goose! She only wanted to make you look it up for yourself. But being
'weeded out' is something disastrous that happens to the farmers here,
like having the crops frozen."

"Well, it hasn't happened since I've been here, anyway. But I'll bet you
a bob it means kicked out. I tell you, I'll ask Gertie if she doesn't
think that I ought to be weeded out."

"You'd better not," laughed Nora.

The first open quarrel had taken place one day at dinner.

The night before Nora had proposed making her first attempt at baking
bread. Gertie had given a grudging consent. Everything had gone well
until the bread, once in the oven, Nora had gone to her room to add some
pages to a long letter which she had begun, some evenings before to
Agnes Pringle.

Gertie had been out in one of the barns most of the morning engaged in
some mysterious task which she had been reserving until the weather
became milder--there had been a decided thaw, setting in the day
before--and Nora intended to be gone only a short time.

Filled with a warm feeling of gratitude to Miss Pringle for her generous
loan of the ten-pound note, she was writing her a long letter in the
form of a diary describing her voyage across the Atlantic and the trip
across the Continent, both of which she was sure would greatly interest
her friend and furnish her with topics for her tete-a-tete dinners with
the excellent Mrs. Hubbard for some days to come.

Of the difficulties and disappointments in her new life she was resolved
to say nothing. Nora hated to confess that she had failed in anything.
And, so far, she could hardly say that she had made a success. Later
on, she might have to acknowledge that her move had been a mistake. But
for the moment she would confine hers