arris found some difficulty in providing that affairs of the farm
would proceed satisfactorily during his absence, but at last they
were arranged, if not exactly to his liking, at least in a manner
that promised no serious loss. It was most unfortunate that Mary, in
a moment of headstrong passion quite without precedent in his
experience of her, had determined upon a visit just at the time when
she was particularly needed at home. If Harris had been quite fair he
would have remembered that there had been no time in the last
twenty-five years when she had not been needed at home, and the
present occasion was perhaps no less opportune for her visit than
many others. But he felt a deep grievance over his wife's conduct,
and while he missed her sorely he was determined that no act of his
should shorten her visit or imply that the business of the farm was
in any way suffering from her absence. He had managed their affairs
successfully in the past; he would continue to manage them
successfully in the future; and he only hoped that time would impress
upon her the fact that he was doing everything for the best. He
assured himself that he was actuated only by a desire for the highest
good for his family, even while their disobedience and ingratitude
rendered his task unnecessarily difficult.

The hired man, in consideration of having no field work to do,
finally consented to milk the cows and deliver the milk daily to Mrs.
Riles, who would convert it into butter--for a consideration of so
much per pound. To his good neighbours, the Grants, Harris turned for
assurance that should he and Allan be delayed on their trip, or
should the harvest come in earlier than expected, ample steps would
be taken to garner it.

So, with these arrangements complete, the farmer and his son drove
into Plainville one fine bright morning at the end of July, ready for
their first long trip into the New West. Indeed, it was Allan's first
long journey anywhere; an excursion to Winnipeg at the time of the
summer exhibition had been the limit of his experience of travel, and
the hard work of the farm had not yet extinguished the young man's
desire for novelty and excitement. He looked forward to their
expedition with a feeling akin to enthusiasm, and he secretly
cherished the hope that their travels might bring them again into the
company of his mother and sister, for whom, with the slackening of
labour, he now felt an increasing loneliness.

Harris go