en I saw her in the garden the first day I came."

He thought Miss Graham gave him an approving look, but he turned to Mrs.
Dalton.

"I hope you will give your consent; but, of course, if you object, or
there's anything you want to ask----"

Mrs. Dalton roused herself. She felt breathless, as if she had been
carried along at an unusual pace.

"To begin with," she said quietly, "I cannot object to you. We know
something about your character; you helped my son, helped him more than
you perhaps thought. But there is something I must ask." She hesitated
and then resumed: "You have seen the life Helen leads with us. She
has never had to use much self-denial. What have you to offer her in
Canada?"

"Not much. In fact, that's partly why I came first to you. I felt you
should be warned; that's really what I meant."

"You are honest," Miss Graham interposed. "You want my sister's
approval, but don't think it essential."

Festing looked at Mrs. Dalton. "If you refused, I wouldn't be altogether
daunted. I might wait, but that is all. This is a matter Helen must
decide."

"Yes. All the same, it is my duty to guard her from a possible mistake."

"Very well; I'll make matters as plain as I can. To begin with, I
haven't much money, and although I'm building a good homestead, a
Western farm is very different from the Scar. There's none of the
refinement you have round you; a man must work from sunrise until it's
dark, and there are many demands upon a woman. For all that, I can
guard against Helen suffering actual hardship. In fact, she shall suffer
nothing I can save her from. It's the pressure of things one can't
control and her own character that may cause the strain. If I know her,
she won't stand by and watch when there's much that ought to be done."

"She would not. But how long do you expect the strain to last?"

"Not very long. Two years, three years; I can't tell. When you break new
land you work hard and wait. The railroad throws out branches, elevators
are built, small towns spring up, and while you improve your holding
comfort and often prosperity comes to you."

"But in the meantime a little capital would help?"

"Of course," said Festing. "The trouble is I haven't much, but I think I
have enough to provide all that's strictly necessary."

He thought Mrs. Dalton gave her sister a warning glance, but she said:
"Well, you have my consent to ask Helen; but if she is willing to run
the risk, there is a stipula