Part 8 (2/2)

”Unfortunately, that is more than I can do.”

Davies did not look surprised.

”What's your proposition?” he asked.

”I'll think over yours,” Gerald answered as coolly as he could.

Davies studied him for a moment or two. Gerald's expression was supercilious, but his face did not indicate much strength of character.

Besides, the only justification for arrogance that Davies recognized was the possession of money.

”You're the son of Colonel Mowbray of Allenwood, aren't you? Your people hold a good piece of land there.”

”You seem to know all about me. I'd better warn you, however, that you won't find my relatives willing to pay my debts.”

Davies smiled.

”I could try them. They might do something if I stated my claim.”

This was what Gerald had feared, and he could not hide his alarm.

”It will save you trouble if you realize that you wouldn't get a dollar,” he said hastily.

Davies was silent for a few moments. As a matter of fact, he was by no means anxious to be paid. Allenwood was isolated as yet, and the land accordingly not worth much, but the homesteads were unusually good and the advance of cultivation and settlement would largely increase their value. Davies wanted a hold on Allenwood which might be turned to advantage later, and he now saw an opportunity for getting it. Young Mowbray obviously objected to having his friends learn how he was situated, and this would make him easier to manage.

”Well,” Davies said, ”you have some land there, haven't you? What's the acreage, towns.h.i.+p, and range?”

Gerald named them, and Davies made some calculations on a piece of paper before he looked up.

”If I find this all right in the land register, I'll cancel your London debt, and take a mortgage on your holding,” he said, handing Gerald the paper he had been writing on. ”Here's an outline of the terms.”

”The interest's extortionate!”

”If you think so, go round the town and see if you can find anybody who'll be more liberal. If not, you can come back to-morrow and we'll fix up the deal.”

Davies felt safe in making the suggestion. He did not think Gerald had much business ability, and trusted to his reluctance to make his embarra.s.sments known. Besides, the mortgage brokers had their hands full and were not all so confident of the rapid advance of settlement as Davies was. Indeed, there were men who declared that the country was being opened up too rapidly, and predicted a bad set-back.

Gerald left Davies' office with a faint hope of being able to find a safer way out of the difficulty. To give his land in pledge would be a violation of the covenant that bound the Allenwood settlers. It was an offense that his father and his neighbors could not forgive. He shrank from the dangerous course; but the day went by without his finding any escape, and the next morning he called on Davies and the mortgage was signed.

While Gerald was at Winnipeg, Mrs. Broadwood startled the settlement at Allenwood by calling on Harding's sister. The visit was prompted by sympathy for the lonely prairie girl; but, coupled with that, Mrs.

Broadwood delighted in the feeling that all the Allenwood women would disapprove of her course. She was small and pretty, with plenty of determination and an exuberant cheerfulness which contact with her husband's friends had somewhat toned down; and there was about her an air of homely Western frankness that was charming.

When she reached Harding's camp, Hester sat sewing in the sun. The girl made a remarkably pretty picture, she thought, seated beside a pile of prairie hay, with a few purple asters springing up at her feet and, behind her, a ragged pine-tree drooping its branches to the ground. And over all the gold of suns.h.i.+ne.

”You look like a priestess of the sun!” Mrs. Broadwood greeted her, laughing.

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