there was no one among them but rejoiced at
our success.

Wheat was in good demand at remunerative prices that year, and I remember
the day we hauled the last load to the elevators. Winter had set in early,
and wrapped in long skin coats we tramped beside the wagons across the
waste of crackling sod, while the steam from the horses rose like smoke
into the nipping air. We started long before the wondrous green and
crimson dawn, for it was nearly a twelve hours' journey to the railway
town. We reached it finally, after a tiresome ride; and then for two
hours we waited shivering among kicking and biting teams under the gaunt
elevators before we could haul in our wagons, and for perhaps fifteen
minutes there was a great whirring of wheels. Then they were drawn forth
empty, and presently we came out of the office with sundry signed papers
readily convertible into coin at Winnipeg, and marched exultant to the
hotel, scarcely feeling the frozen earth beneath us in spite of our
weariness. No spirituous liquor might be sold there, but for once we meant
to enjoy an ample meal which we had not cooked ourselves, served on clean
plates and a real white tablecloth.

It was a simple banquet, but we felt like feasting kings, and though since
then we have both sat at meat among railroad magnates, deputations from
Ottawa, and others great in the land, we never enjoyed one like it. Harry,
forgetting he was in Western Canada, tried to slip a silver half-dollar
into the waitress' hand, who dropped it on the floor, perhaps because in
that region wages are such that the hireling is neither dependent on nor
looks for a stranger's generosity. I stooped to raise the coin and hand it
her, and then started as for the first time our eyes met, while a wave of
color suffused the face of the girl who stepped backward, for it was
Minnie Lee.

"Harry," I said, stretching out my hand to her. "This is the lady I told
you about. You remember the letter. Now go along, and settle matters with
the proprietor. Sit down, Minnie, I want to talk to you. Tell me how you
came here, and why you left England, won't you?"

The girl had lost her pink-and-white prettiness. Her face was pale, and
she was thinner than before, while there was a hard, defiant look in her
eyes. Besides, she seemed ill at ease and startled when I drew out a chair
for her, and I too was singularly ill at ease. We had the long room to
ourselves, however, for on the prairie meals are served