m in the estimation of Riles, who would have put it
down to weakness. In Riles' code no insubordination should be
tolerated from man or beast, but least of all from a wife. He would
have found ready means to suppress any such foolishness.

Riles took the suggestion of a few days' delay with poor grace.

"Yes, an' while you're chasing up an' down fer a housekeeper the
Yankees get all the homesteads. They're comin' in right now by the
trainload, grabbin' up everythin' in sight. We'll monkey round here
till the summer's over, an' then go out an' get a sand farm, or
something like. Couldn't your wife do her visitin' no other time?"

"I'll tell you, Riles," said Harris, who had no desire to pursue a
topic which might lead him into deep water, "you go ahead out and get
the lay of the land, and I'll follow you within a week. I'll do that,
for sure, and I'll stand part of your expenses for going ahead,
seein' you will be kind o' representin' me."

The last touch was a stroke of diplomacy. The suggestion that Harris
should pay part of his expenses swept away Riles' bad humour, and he
agreed to go on the date originally planned, and get what he called
"a bede on the easy money," while Harris completed his arrangements
at home.

He was to get "a bede on the easy money" in a manner which Harris
little suspected.

***

When Harris returned home the next forenoon he found that Mary had
already left for Plainville. He sat down and tried to think, but the
house was very quiet, and the silence oppressed him...He looked at
his watch, and concluded he had still time to reach Plainville before
the train would leave. But that would mean surrender, and surrender
meant weakness.

CHAPTER XII

A WHIFF OF NEW ATMOSPHERE

Riles found the journey westward a tiresome affair. His was a soul
devoid of enthusiasm over Nature's wealth or magnitude, and the view
of the endless prairie excited in him no emotion other than a certain
vague covetousness. It was his first long rail journey in over twenty
years, but his thoughts were on the cost of travel rather than on the
wonderful strides which had been made in its comfort and convenience.
Riles indulged in no such luxuries as sleeping-car berths or meals
served in the diner, and two nights in a crowded day-coach, with such
hasty meals as could be bought for a quarter at wayside stations,
made the journey a somewhat exhausting one. Back in the observation
car, sleek commercial