come to the house determined not to forget his wrongs, and here he was, in
less than fifteen minutes, smiling at her over the head of the baby in
friendly amusement. He was puzzled now at the readiness with which he had
given in, but Nathan found his love stronger than his grievances.

"Take off your things, Lizzie; th' house's yours if you--if you really
want it to be."

Elizabeth took off her wraps and prepared to begin work on the disorderly
kitchen. Aunt Susan's limp apron hung on the nail from which the bonnet
had fallen, and she put it on, looking about her, undecided where it was
best to commence.

"I've come to help--where shall I begin?" she said.

"If I could tell you what t' do I could 'a' done it myself," Nathan said
ruefully.

Elizabeth thought of the orderly wife who was gone and a sob arose in her
throat.

"Oh, Uncle Nate! You don't know how I miss her sometimes."

And Nathan Hornby replied sadly:

"I kind a think maybe I do."

* * * * *

The night was cloudy and the long diagonal drifts made it hard to drive
after dark. The chores had kept Noland later than he had thought and it
was dusk when he arrived at Nathan's for Elizabeth.

Hugh Noland had been spending the afternoon with John Hunter about the
barn, measuring him and talking of farm prospects. Here was the place for
him to settle down, if he could arrange for a partnership. He was so much
convinced of this that he was endeavouring to make the alliances of
friendship before he led up to the more serious one. It had baffled him to
have Elizabeth answer in monosyllables both going to Mr. Hornby's and
again during their return; he wanted to talk. Her home was the first
farmhouse he had ever entered that he felt could be home to him; its
evidences of culture and refinement had made as lasting an impression upon
Hugh Noland as that same home had done upon Elizabeth when John Hunter had
taken her to see his mother in it. It was an oasis in the rural desert. He
meant to exert every effort to establish himself in it. When Elizabeth did
not respond to his attempts at conversation, he fell back upon the
analysis of herself and her husband which had been going on in his mind
all day. They were evidently not people who felt above their neighbours on
account of their superior education, for she had gone to spend a whole
afternoon with that plain old farmer and she had shown the liveliest
interest, even f