ld and far remote. There was a
barrier greater than that of crashing ice and bitter water between them.

"Oh!" she said. "I have felt that. I try to feel it always--but just
now it's not enough."

Then she turned her face away with a bitter sob, and Mrs. Hastings who
stooped and kissed her went out quietly. She knew what had come about,
and that the girl had broken down at last, after months of strain.

In the meanwhile, it happened that Edmonds, the mortgage broker, drove
over to the Range, and found Hawtrey waiting him in Wyllard's room. It
was early in the evening, and he could see the hired men busy outside
tossing prairie hay from the waggons into the great barn. They were
half-naked and grimed with dust, but Hawtrey, who was dressed in store
clothes, had evidently taken no share in their labours. When Edmonds
came in he turned to him with anxiety in his face.

"Well?" he said sharply.

"Market's a little stiffer," said Edmonds.

He sat down and stretched out his hand towards the cigar-box on the
table, while Hawtrey waited until he had picked one out with very
evident impatience.

"Still moving up?" he asked.

Edmonds nodded. "It's the other folks' last stand," he said. "With
the wheat ripening as it's doing, the flood that will pour in before
the next two months are out will sweep them off the market. I was half
afraid from your note that this little rally had some weight with you,
and that as one result of it you meant to cover now."

"That," admitted Hawtrey, "was in my mind."

"Then," said his companion, "it's a pity."

Hawtrey leaned upon the table with hesitation in his face and attitude.
He had neither the courage nor the steadfastness to make a gambler, and
every fluctuation of the market swayed him to and fro. He had a good
deal of wheat to deliver by and bye, and, for prices had fallen
steadily until a week or two ago, he could still secure a very
desirable margin if he bought in against his sales now. Unfortunately,
however, he had once or twice lost heavily in an unexpected rally, and
he greatly desired to recoup himself. Then, he had decided, nothing
would tempt him to take part in another deal.

"If I hold on and the market stiffens further I'll be awkwardly fixed,"
he said. "Wyllard made a will, and in a few months I'll have to hand
everything over to his executors. There would naturally be
unpleasantness over a serious shortage."

Edmonds smiled. He had handled his m