t going to say----" Susan considered a moment and then said
firmly: "He was glad to see us because there was something about those
cattle he hadn't told her. Didn't you see the look on her face?"

"That wouldn't make no difference with th' way he'd do by us. 'E was as
glad as could be, an' asked you t' come back 's if you'd been 'is mother.
It's some stuck-up notion of hers--this thing of them not visitin' their
neighbours."

Susan looked up at him indulgently.

"You won't refuse to be good friends with her--for my sake, Nate. She was
as glad to see me as a little child."

"Why don't she come t' see you then?" Nathan asked sternly, able only to
see the one point.

"I don't exactly know, Nate. I couldn't crowd her on that matter--she
looked so worried when I brought it up that I just let it go. I only
_know_ she wants to come."

They dropped the subject and rode along over the smooth road, too absorbed
in their own thoughts to get pleasure out of this last sleighride of the
season, both endeavoring to solve the problem from their own viewpoint,
Nathan full of distrust and suspicion, his wife too well versed in human
nature to doubt Elizabeth's honesty or believe that she was spoiled by a
fine home or an advanced social position. At last she spoke her
conclusions:

"There's something in her face I like better'n ever, but there's a worried
something there I don't like to see."

Nathan was sorry he had criticised Elizabeth. Sue loved the girl. Nathan
and Susan discussed, but never argued. If Susan remained of her first
opinion after talking a thing over, Nathan conceded within himself that
she had some good reason for her convictions even where he could not
agree.

"Sue 'll have t' see it for herself," he meditated. "I'd be glad t' see
'er right. We'll see how it turns out." But as he tried to get himself
into that frame of mind he remembered how many days had been spoiled for
his wife that winter because she longed for Elizabeth, and he
involuntarily muttered:

"Dirty little huzzy!" and ground his straggling teeth as he thought of
it.

* * * * *

After Nathan and Susan Hornby had turned into the main road, John walked
slowly back to the house.

"What'd I say that Mrs. Hornby didn't like?" he asked, as he entered the
kitchen where Elizabeth was preparing the supper which Nathan had declined
to stay and eat.

Elizabeth's brow was drawn into a puckered wrinkle. She