Part 6 (1/2)

”No,” he said, ”land was different from yours It was spent in ht to a shabby rooy houses it was too late, and I was often too dejected, to think of a the hills, but that was all I saw of England unspoiled by traood deal of self-denial Railway fares were a serious obstacle”

Alice save him hinted at approval

”Self-denial isn't so unusual as you see about it at the Garth”

”But you sent my partnerhow far he could go ”The last tie amount and helped us to turn an aard corner In fact, we should have gone under for a ti that I owed ht never see, because I shared the benefit with your brother In its Western sense, partner means more than a business associate”

”That is obvious,” Alice rejoined quietly, but withis that the money seems to have been well spent,”

Featherstone interposed ”For all that, we don't know much about what Lawrence did with it or, indeed, about his life in Canada”

”It's curious that one gets out of the way of writing hoive one's friends a clear idea of how one lives Things are different------”

Mrs Featherstone smiled, and Foster saw that his wish to ence was understood Featherstone, however, was franker than he expected

”There were good reasons for Lawrence's not writing home and they made it aard for us to write to him for a time You can now tell us what he has done in Canada We want to know”

Foster began with so how he had firstcaer The men were beaten, but Lawrence and two or three ive in, and started in the rain, without blankets and with very little food, which a sy march to the nearest settle land, and Foster described how they lived in a rude bark shack while they felled the trees and piled the been unable to collect their wages from the lumber firm, the clothes they could not replace went to pieces and they slept, for the s they wore by day But they held out until the as done and paid for Foster tried to do his coerated, for Lawrence's philosophic good hued the rest and s

Then he stopped and glanced at the others, wondering whether he had said too

Alice's eyes were steadily fixed on hirave, but there was a hint of proud satisfaction in her husband's face Somewhat to his surprise, Foster saw that he had not jarred or bored theood; I believe that's the proper phrase,” said Featherstone

”Go on, please”

Foster did so His adventures had not appeared remarkable when they happened, and he did not think himself much of a story-teller, but he meant to do his best, for his partner's sake It would be soe and cheerfulness hich he had faced his troubles Still, he thought it better to vary the theed themselves as salesmen at a departs and prescribed for confiding custoht have had disastrous consequences led to his being fired Foster ith him, and they next undertook to cook, without any useful knowledge of the art, for a railroad construction gang Their incompetence beca a week's supply of desiccated apples to soak at once, with the consequence that the floor of the caboose was covered with swollen fruit that had forced itself out of the pot One of the gang, ent in to steal some fried pork, declared that the blamed apples chased hi, but Foster glanced at Alice and thought he read another e eyes

It was now nearly dark, but the glow of the fire touched the others'

faces and nobody seehts

He went on to describe their retreat in winter from a worthless mineral claim, where they had remained until the snow surprised theht or nine e through the tangled bush, and Foster got his foot frozen through sleeping in wet boots The frozen part galled into a wound, but with provisions running out they could not stop to rest The tent and half their blankets had to be throay and Lawrence hauled his, with the terees below, until they reached a frozen river, dohich he struggled against a savage wind

Then caainst keen opposition, for supplying telephone posts, and Foster was surprised to find that the description of their efforts to get the logs out of a rugged wilderness etically, the others an to wish he was not in the firelight when he saw that Alice was quietly studying him It was his partner's story he ether he could not leave hie the scene, and skipping eneral contractors at Gardner's Crossing The Hulton Coave them work, but they were hampered by want of capital, and had to meet the coonists Still theyout risky work that others would not touch, so the patience of creditors, and now and then outwitting a rival by an ingenious ruse Lawrence lived in the single-roo for himself on an oil-stove, while Foster camped with their men where they were at work

Then they built the sawmill with the help of Lawrence's check from home, and soon afterwards ed to supply the Hulton Company with lumber of a certain kind for some special work, and then found that few of the trees they required grew near the river This h hill and a gasolene winding engine bought or hired to haul the logs out of the next valley There was, however, another fir easily accessible that ht suit the purpose, but not quite as well, and Foster related how he and his partner sat up late one night, calculating costs and wondering whether they should pay Hulton a fine to break the bargain He added naively that they were so if they should substitute the inferior wood

”Whose opinion was it that you should supply the exact material you had promised?” Featherstone asked

”Well,” said Foster, ”Lawrence said so first, but I think we both lance at his wife indicated relief, but so in Alice's face showed that she had knohat Foster's reply would be

She had listened with keen interest, and he stopped, half amused and half embarrassed Perhaps he had talked too much, and while he meant to do Lawrence justice, he did not want to play the part of the indoirl's benefit Moreover, he knew she would detect, and despise hiood opinion, it was not modesty alone that led him to make Lawrence the hero of the piece