ned at the other.

With Mrs. Hunter gone, John took up the task of drilling his young wife in
the Hunter ways. To Elizabeth he was a model husband. She contrasted her
father's stupid inability and unwillingness inside of his home with the
orderly and systematic way in which John Hunter helped her. John took part
in whatever household function was taking place in his presence. He wiped
the dishes if she washed them; if a carpet was to be swept he handled the
broom if he were there to do it, and he never went to the field without
filling the reservoir and water pail as well as the coal scuttle and cob
basket. He assumed the management of cooking and housework so subtly that
the unsophisticated girl saw only his helpfulness; in fact, he had only
helpfulness in mind. John had ideas of neatness and order which made of
housekeeping a never-ending process, but John himself laboured steadily
toward their accomplishment, and he was so successful in inspiring her
with those same ideals that her pride helped her over many a weary day's
cleaning. She entered into them week after week and became expert at
ironing, baking, and all the little offices of the domestic altar. All her
strength was given to her work each day, and for a time she succeeded
comfortably, but as the days shortened and the routine became more
exacting she longed for the out-of-door freedom in which she had been
raised.

Christmas passed, and still Elizabeth had entered no house except her own
since her marriage in October. This would not have disturbed her, for she
was not a girl who cared for visiting, if it had not been that Aunt Susan
was being neglected.

Mrs. Farnshaw came and did not fail to let Elizabeth know that the country
gossips were concerned with tales supposed to account for her secluded way
of living. Some said that she was too "stuck-up" to associate with her old
friends, while others said that John Hunter had married her to keep his
house, but that he was not proud of her and preferred to leave her at
home. Luther had completed his "shanty," and Elizabeth knew by the smoke
she could see rising from his chimney that he no longer lived with Aunt
Susan; also Elizabeth heard bits of gossip about him from Jake, who had
taken a great liking to Luther and often spent his evenings with him.
Luther Hansen had come to borrow a scoop shovel when he had shelled his
corn, but John had managed to accept it as a barnyard call and had not
invited him to the