himself into the
felicitous arrangement by taking the young girl over in his farm wagon, it
being decided that Patsie's lameness made it best for her to remain housed
in Silas's barn for the night.

It was a mile and a half along soggy roads to Nathan Hornby's, and John
Hunter made as much of the time fortune had thrown at him as possible.
They sat under one umbrella, and found the distance short, and John told
her openly that he was glad she was to be in his neighbourhood.

CHAPTER V

REACHING HUNGRY HANDS TOWARD A SYMBOL

Susan Hornby's delight over Elizabeth's coming was the most satisfying
thing Nathan had seen since his return from Topeka. He had traded the land
to please his wife, by getting nearer Elizabeth, but the presence of the
girl in the house was so overwhelmingly surprising that Susan was swept by
its very suddenness into shedding tears of actual joy. Elizabeth was put
to the disconcerting necessity of explaining that her mother somewhat
resented Aunt Susan's influence upon her daughter's life when she found
her friends enthusiastically planning visits in the near future. She
softened the details as much as possible and passed it over as only a bit
of maternal jealousy, but was obliged to let this dear friend see that it
was rather a serious matter in her calculations. Susan Hornby now
understood why Elizabeth had never visited her in these four years.

With the eyes of love Aunt Susan saw that four years in a position of
authority had ripened her darling, and made of her a woman of wit and
judgment, who could tell a necessary thing in a right manner or with a
reserve which was commendable. Eagerly she studied her to see what the
changes of those formative years had brought her. She listened to
Elizabeth's plans for going to Topeka, and rejoiced that the intellectual
stimulus was still strong in her. Elizabeth was obliged to explain away
her parent's attitude regarding further education, and left much for the
older woman to fill in by her intuitions and experience of the world, but
there again Susan Hornby saw evidences of strength which made her feel
that the loss was offset by power gained. Elizabeth Farnshaw had matured
and had qualities which would command recognition. John Hunter had shown
that he recognized them--a thing which Elizabeth without egotism also
knew.

It was a new experience to go to sleep thinking of any man but Hugh. In
the darkness of the little bedroom in which Elizab