The spectator., 1921-01-14
CHAPTER <.
The Gamblers.

II viding that affairs of the farm would proceed satisfactorily during his ab- sence, but at last they were arranged, if not exactly 10 his liking, at least in manner that promised little loss. 1t was most unfortunate that Mary, in moment of headstrong passion quite without precedent in his experience of her, had determined upon 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 oppor- tune for her visit than many others.
 The hired man, in consideration of having no field work to do, finally con sented to milk the cows and deliver the milk daily to Mrs. Rles, who would convert it into butter-for a consider alton of so much per pound. To his good neighbors, 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 com plete. 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 iong journey any where; 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 mans desire for novelty and excite ment.
 Harris got off at the railway station to buy the tickets; Allan went to the post office on the odd chance of any letters awaiting delivery, and the hired man turned the horses home ward. The station agent was thread ing his way through his car report, and remained provokingly unconscious of Harris presence at the ticket window. The farmer took no pains to conceal his impatience, coughing and shutiling obviously hut it was not until the last box-car had been duly recorded that the agent degned to recognize his ex- istence.
 Nothing for you from he said, mentioning the mail order house from which Harris made most of his pur. chases.
 Well. I didn't expect anythin'," re- torted the farmer. although you're just as likely to have it when 1 don't as when I do. How much is ticket to Calgary
 You got the land fever, too?" the agent asked, as he consulted his tar ifs. "Riles went up the other day. You'n be making cleanup on the cheap land suppose. But I tell you, Harris, if I'd farm like yours you couldn't pry me off it with pinch-bar. No more worries for little Willie, and I'd leave the free land to those that haven't got any-like myself"
 "Worry '" snorted Harris. What do you worry about? You get your pay, whether it freezes or halls or shrivels up with one of these Dakota scorchers."
 The agent thought of the piles of re- ports on his table, but as he dumped the stamp on the tickets he answered, "Oh, I worry over the Monroe doc trine." He left the farmer counting his change. and turned to his reports. Another money -grubber gone crazy with the heat" he muttered. If I'd his wad wouldn't burn this wire with one hot short sentence!'
 (TO BE CONTINUED