Part 46 (1/2)
”Beatrice understands that I'm busy.”
”That's fortunate. It's not nice to feel neglected. Can't you take your mind off your farming for a little while, Craig?”
”It's my job. What's more, sticking to it seems the best way of making things easier for Beatrice. I'm an outsider at Allenwood and have got to justify my unorthodox notions by success. I haven't much polish and I'm not a good talker, but I can grow wheat--and luckily that comes into the scheme.”
”It may, perhaps. When are you to be married, Craig?”
”I don't know. Beatrice puts it off. I had hoped it might be after harvest, but nothing's settled yet.”
”Then you ought to be firm and insist upon fixing the wedding soon.”
”I wish I could. But why?”
”Because it might be better not to leave Beatrice among her friends too long.”
Harding looked surprised.
”Since the Colonel's given in, and Gerald's gone, I don't think there is anybody who would try to turn her against me.”
”No,” agreed Hester. ”Her parents would be angry if she broke her engagement. Now that they have accepted you, you can count on their support, even if they're not quite satisfied with the match. The trouble is that you and they belong to very different schools. They'll try to make the best of you, but Beatrice will see how hard they find it.”
”Hurrying on the wedding won't help much.”
”It might. Beatrice will try to accept her husband's views, and she'll probably find it easier than she thinks; but at present all she sees and hears will remind her of the changes she will have to make. Things you do will not seem right; some of your ideas will jar. Then the other women will let her see that they feel sorry for her and think she's throwing herself away. She'll deny it, but it will hurt.”
”Perhaps that's true,” said Harding. ”But talking of the wedding raises another question. I want a better house, and when I build I may as well locate at Allenwood.”
”Then you are still determined on getting control there?”
”I don't want control, but I may have to take it,” Harding answered.
”The settlement will fall to bits if it's left alone, and I suspect that I'm the only man who can hold it up. I'm glad you have talked to me.
What you've said makes it clear that I've not time to lose. Now, however, this hay must be cut.”
He led his team into the gra.s.s when Hester went away, but although he worked hard until dark fell, his mind was busy with many things beside the clattering machine.
A few days later he had occasion to visit Winnipeg, and after some talk with his agent there, he asked him:
”Do you know how Davies is fixed just now, Jackson?”
”I don't know much about him personally, but men in his line of business are feeling the set-back. They've bought options on land there's no demand for, and can't collect accounts; farmers with money seem to have stopped coming in; and the small homesteaders are going broke. Doesn't seem to be any money in the country, and credit's played out.”
”Then it ought to be a good time to pick up land cheap, and I want you to find a broker who'll ask Davies what he'll take for two or three mortgages he holds on Allenwood. My name's not to be mentioned; you must get a man who can handle the matter cautiously.”
”I know one; but, if you don't mind my asking, could you put a deal of that kind through?”
”I must,” said Harding. ”It will be a strain, but the crop's coming on well and I ought to have a surplus after harvest.”
”Isn't the dry weather hurting you?”
”Not yet. We can stand for another week or two if the wind's not too bad. Anyhow, you can find out whether Davies is inclined to trade.”