asing of her mother's plea, "just two
more days," helped to sustain her. It had been a happy summer, two days
would not be long, and then would come John and the new home.

There had been many reasons for the happiness of Elizabeth's last weeks of
girlhood. The days had been full of pleasant work, and John had taken
regular and masterful possession of her evenings. He came always such a
picture of natty cleanliness and taste that it was a joy to be the object
of his wooing. When John had found that Elizabeth was not in love with
Luther, as she had been reported to be, but accorded the old grounds of
affection to him, he had spread himself comfortably in Luther's presence
and drawn him into conversation whenever it could be done. In addition to
a desire to set his well-polished boots in strong contrast against those
of busy, unobserving Luther, the only dressing of which was an occasional
soaking in oil to keep them from cracking, John Hunter had been half
forced to like honest, kindly Luther Hansen. Luther was not a man to
arouse antagonisms. He assumed his natural role with Elizabeth even before
her fiance and let the ground of their cordiality and friendship rest on
such sensible basis that they were accepted as a matter of course.

John Hunter had been restless and half angry when he had first come home
from Mitchell County--a thing he had not let Elizabeth see--but his
feelings had been soothed and delighted by the display of her preference
for him on his return. A new buggy had been purchased, and it was John
Hunter's pride.

Elizabeth was unconscious of any rivalry. The new buggy was a great
acquisition. It was the first to appear in that part of the country. She
felt favoured to have it at her service, but the crown of all her felicity
had been John Hunter's adoration, which had been poured at her feet
without stint. If she wished to go anywhere, she had but to mention it.
The relations of the early summer had been reestablished. He talked of the
new land, and of the cattle to be placed on it in two or three years, when
the calves he was buying would be grown. The lots in which he had held an
equity since his father's death had been sold before his mother's
departure from the old home, and twenty-five calves had been picked up
from the surrounding farmers with the money thus secured. Every evening
John drove to some farm to look for young cattle, and Elizabeth
accompanied him. Cash had been paid for the Western