taking the cattle to Mitchell County it was
possible to get in a greater acreage of small grain and corn. Patsie had a
small colt at her side, as did her mate also, and there was an extra man
needed in the field most of the time, but after repeated consultations it
was decided that by using care the teams they had would be able to plow
the corn, and that they could hire help for the harvesting cheaper than
they could buy another pair of horses.

However, in spite of the discussions which were supposed to have settled
the matter, John came home from Colebyville one Saturday with a new team.

"What do you think of them?" he asked Hugh, who opened the gate to let him
into the barnyard. "I just made up my mind that it wasn't economy to push
the horses we had so hard. I got them at a bargain."

"You've bought them, you say?"

"Yes," was the brief answer.

"I'd take them back," Hugh said slowly but decidedly. "Horses and dogs
talk with their tails, and I don't like the way this one acts."

"I can't take them back. I got them from a mover. I got them for a song,
and we're going to need them for the binder. I know what we said," he went
on, interrupting Hugh, who was trying to speak, "but there was a bargain
in them and we do need them."

"But we haven't the money! How did you buy them? You couldn't pay for them
outright."

Hugh Noland had been feeling his way down the foreleg of the horse nearest
him. The animal was nervous and had crowded over against its mate in an
endeavour to get away. Both its ears were laid back, and there was a
half-threatening air about its movements. As Hugh straightened up to
continue the discussion of finances, it jumped aside, quivering with
fright.

"I gave a check on the bank," John replied uneasily. Hugh had never
criticised him before.

Hugh was taken up with soothing the nervous animal for a moment.

"You'll run out of money before the summer's over," he said warningly.

"Oh, I've had to borrow a little already. With Elizabeth's illness and
all, I saw we weren't going to get through, so I just took out a loan of
five hundred and paid Doc Morgan while I was at it. I meant to have told
you. I've got some calves coming from over west to-morrow too." John
poured it all out while he was at it, with a relief in having it over.

There was a pause. When Hugh Noland again spoke it was with a distinct
note of firmness and almost of authority.

"The plain understanding in our partnership