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And　still　troubled　by　his　cough；　Mr。　Sleighter　hurried　down　the　path　to　the　gate　and　out　on　to　the　road。

Once　resolved　to　break　up　their　home　in　Eastern　Canada；　the　Gwynnes　lost　no　time　in　completing　their　arrangements　for　the　transportation　of　themselves　and　their　household　gods　and　such　of　their　household　goods　as　Mr。　Sleighter　advised；　to　the　new　western　country。

Mr。　Sleighter　appeared　to　regard　the　migration　of　the　Gwynne　family　to　the　western　country　as　an　enterprise　in　which　he　had　made　an　investment　from　which　he　was　bound　to　secure　the　greatest　possible　return。　　The　principle　of　exchange　which　had　been　the　basis　of　the　deal　as　far　as　the　farms　were　concerned　was　made　to　apply　as　far　as　possible　to　farm　implements　and　equipment；　household　goods　and　chattels。

〃What's　the　use　of　your　packin'　a　hull　bunch　of　stuff　West　an'　my　packin'　a　hull　bunch　of　stuff　East。　　We'll　just　tote　up　the　stock　an'　stuff　we　have　got　and　make　a　deal　on　it。　　I　know　all　my　stuff　an'　yours　is　here。　　We'll　make　a　trade。〃

To　this　Mr。　Gwynne　gladly　agreed。　　The　arrangement　would　save　trouble　and　useless　expenditure。　　Hence　the　car　was　packed　with　such　goods　as　Mr。　Sleighter　considered　especially　useful　in　the　new　home；　and　with　such　household　furniture　as　the　new　home　lacked　and　such　articles　as　were　precious　from　family　or　personal　associations。

〃What　about　the　pictures　and　curtains？〃　inquired　Mr。　Gwynne。　　〃We　don't　need　them。〃

〃Take　'em　all；〃　said　Mr。　Sleighter。　　〃Pictures　are　like　folks。　They　got　faces　an'　looks。　　And　curtainsmy　missis　got　hers　all　packed。　　Curtains　are　like　clothesthey　only　fit　them　that　owns　them。〃

〃And　the　piano？〃

〃Sure　thing。　　Say；　a　piano　in　that　country　is　like　the　village　pumpthe　hull　country　gets　about　it。　　Take　things　to　eat　an'　things　to　wear　an'　things　to　make　the　shack　look　pretty　an'　interestin'　and　comfortable。　　They　don't　take　much　room　and　they　take　the　bareness　off。　　That's　what　kills　the　women　folk　in　the　West；　the　bareness　inside　and　outside。　　Nothin'　but　chairs；　table　an'　stove　inside；　nothin'　but　grass　an'　sand　outside。　　That's　what　makes　'em　go　crazy。〃

So　the　car　was　filled　with　things　to　eat　and　to　wear；　and　things　〃to　take　the　bareness　off。〃　　Somewhere　in　the　car　was　found　a　place　for　Rosie；　the　cow；　a　remarkable　milker　and　〃worth　her　weight　in　butter；〃　as　Mr。　Sleighter　said；　and　for　Rover；　Larry's　collie　dog；　who　stood　to　him　as　comrade　almost　as　a　brother。　　A　place　in　the　car　too　was　found　for　Joe　Gagneau　who　from　the　first　moment　of　the　announced　departure　had　expressed　his　determination　to　accompany　Larry　no　matter　at　what　cost　or　against　whose　opposition。

〃A'm　goin'　be　in　dat　car'　me；　by　gar！〃　was　his　ultimatum；　and　the　various　authorities　interested　recognised　the　inevitable　and　accepted　it；　to　the　great　delight　of　both　boys。　　Joe　had　a　mouth　organ　and　so　had　Larry；　and　they　were　both　in　the　same　key。　　Joe　too　had　an　old　fiddle　of　his　father's　on　which　he　could　scrape　with　joy　to　himself；　and　with　more　or　less　agony　to　others；　the　dance　tunes　of　local　celebrity；　the　〃Red　River　Jig；〃　picked　up　from　his　father；　〃Money　Musk〃　and　〃The　Deil　Amang　the　Tailors；〃　the　two　latter　from　Dan　Monroe　at　the　country　dances。

In　due　time　the　car；　packed　with　the　Gwynne　household　goods　and　treasures　and　in　charge　of　the　two　superlatively　happy　boys；　with　Rosie　and　Rover　to　aid　in　providing　them　with　sustenance　and　protection；　set　forth；　Westward　Ho！　　Mr。　Gwynne　rode　in　the　caboose　of　the　train　to　which　his　car　was　attached。　　Mrs。　Gwynne　and　the　girls　were　to　follow　by　passenger　train　and　would　doubtless　be　found　awaiting　them　on　their　arrival　at　Winnipeg。

The　journey　westward　was　to　the　boys　full　of　interest　and　adventure。　　At　Toronto　they　picked　up　a　stowaway；　who；　taking　advantage　of　their　absence；　boarded　the　car　and　made　himself　a　bed　behind　some　bales　of　hay。　　Upon　discovery　by　Rover；　he　made　so　piteous　an　appeal　for　refuge　from　some　pursuing　terror　which　he　declined　to　specify；　that　the　boys　agreed　to　conceal　him　a　night　and　a　day　till　they　were　well　on　their　way　along　the　north　shore　of　Lake　Superior。　　When　Larry's　conscience　made　further　concealment　a　burden　greater　than　could　be　borne；　Mr。　Gwynne　was　taken　into　the　boys'　confidence　and；　after　protest；　agreed　to　make　arrangement　with　the　railroad　authorities　whereby　Samfor　that　was　the　stowaway's　namemight　retain　his　place　in　the　car。

He　was　a　poor；　wretched　creature；　reminding　Larry　of　the　scarecrow　which　he　had　put　up　in　their　garden　the　summer　before。　　He　was　thin　beyond　anything　the　boys　had　ever　seen。　　His　face　was　worn　and　old　and　came　to　a　peak　at　the　nose；　which　gave　him　the　appearance　of　a　monster　rat；　a　resemblance　emphasised　by　the　little　blinking；　red…　rimmed　eyes。　　His　hair　was　closely　cropped　and　of　brilliant　carrotty　colour。

But　he　had　seen　life　in　a　great　city　and　had　gathered　a　store　of　worldly　wisdom；　not　all　of　which　was　for　his　good；　and　a　repertoire　of　accomplishments　that　won　him　admiration　and　wonder　from　the　simple　country　boys。　　He　had　all　the　new　ragtime　songs　and　dances；　which　he　rendered　to　his　own　accompaniment　on　an　old　battered　banjo。　　He　was　a　contortionist　of　quite　unusual　cleverness；　while　his　fund　of　stories　never　ran　dry　throughout　the　seven　days'　journey　to　Winnipeg。　　He　set　himself　with　the　greatest　assiduity　to　impart　his　accomplishments　to　the　boys；　and　by　the　time　the　party　had　reached　the　end　of　the　first　stage　in　their　westward　journey；　Sam　had　the　satisfaction　of　observing　that　his　pupils　had　made　very　satisfactory　progress；　both　with　the　clog　dancing　and　with　the　ragtime　songs。　　Besides　this；　he　had　made　for　himself　an　assured　place　in　their　affection；　and　even　Mr。　Gwynne　had　come　to　feel　such　an　interest　in　the　bit　of　human　driftwood　flung　up　against　him；　that　he　decided　to　offer　the　waif　a　chance　to　try　his　fortune　in　the　West。



CHAPTER　VI

JANE　BROWN


Mr。　Brown　was　a　busy　man；　but　he　never　failed　to　be　in　his　place　at　the　foot　of　the　table　every　day　punctually　at　half　past　twelve；　solely　because　at　that　hour　his　little　daughter；　Jane；　would　show　her　grave　and　earnest　and　dark　brown；　almost　swarthy；　face　at　the　head。　　Eight　years　ago　another　face　used　to　appear　there；　also　grave；　earnest；　but　very　fair　and　very　lovely　to　look　upon；　to　the　doctor　the　fairest　of　all　faces　on　the　earth。　　The　little；　plain；　swarthy…faced　child　the　next　day　after　that　lovely　face　had　been　forever　shut　away　from　the　doctor's　eyes　was　placed　in　her　high　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table；　at　first　only　at　the　lunch　hour；　but　later　at　all　meal　times　before　the　doctor　to　look　at。　　And　it　was　an　ever…recurring　joy　to　the　lonely　man　to　discover　in　the　little　grave　face　before　him　fleeting　glimpses　of　the　other　face　so　tenderly　loved　and　so　long　vanished。　　These　glimpses　were　to　be　discovered　now　in　the　deep　blue　eyes；　deep　in　colour　and　in　setting；　now　in　the　smile　that　lit　up　the　dark；　irregular　features　like　the　sudden　break　of　sunlight　upon　the　rough　landscape；　transforming　it　into　loveliness；　now　in　the　knitting　of　the　heavy　eyebrows；　and　in　the　firm　pressing　of　the　lips　in　moments　of　puzzled　thought。　　In　all　the　moods　and　tenses　of　the　little　maid　the　doctor　looked　for　and　found　reminiscences　of　her　mother。

Through　those　eight　lonely　years　the　little　girl　had　divided　with　his　profession　the　doctor's　days。　　Every　morning　after　breakfast　he　stood　to　watch　the　trim；　sturdy；　round　little　figure　dance　down　the　steps；　step　primly　down　the　walk；　turn　at　the　gate　to　throw　a　kiss；　and　then　march　away　along　the　street　to　the　corner　where　another　kiss　would　greet　him　before　the　final　vanishing。　　Every　day　they　met　at　noon　to　exchange　on　equal　terms　the　experiences　of　the　morning。　　Every　night　they　closed　the　day　with　dinner　and　family　prayers；　the　little　girl　gravely　taking　her　part　in　the　reading　during　the　last　year　from　her　mother's　Bible。　　And　so　it　came　that　with　the　years　their　friendship　grew　in　depth；　in　frankness　and　in　tenderness。　　The　doctor　was　widely　read　beyond　the　literature　of　his　profession；　and　every　day　for　a　half　hour　it　was　his　custom　to　share　with　the　little　girl　the　treasures　of　his　library。　　The　little　maid　repaid　him　with　a　passionate　love　and　a　quaint　mothering　care　tender　and　infinitely　comforting　to　the　lonely　man。

The　forenoon　had　been　hot　and　trying；　and　Dr。　Brown；　having　been　detained　in　his　office　beyond　his　regular　hour；　had　been　more　than　usually　hurried　in　his　round　of　morning　calls；　and　hence　was　more　than　ordinarily　tired　with　his　morning's　work。　　At　his　door　the　little　girl　met　him。

〃Come　in；　Papa；　I　know　you're　hot；〃　she　said；　love　and　reproach　in　her　face；　〃because　I　was　hot　myself；　and　you　will　need　a　nice；　cool　drink。　　I　had　one　and　yours　is　in　here。〃　　She　led　him　into　the　study；　hovering　about　him　with　little　touches　and　pushes。　　〃You　ought　not　to　have　taken　so　long　a　round　this　morning；〃　she　said　with　gentle　severity。　　〃I　know　you　went　out　to　St。　James　to　see　Mrs。　Kale；　and　you　know　quite　well　she　doesn't　need　you。　　It　would　do　in　the　afternoon。　　And　it　was　awful　hot　in　school。〃

〃Awful？〃　said　the　doctor。

〃Well；　very　exceedingly　thenand　the　kids　were　very　tired　and　Miss　Mutton　was　as　cross　as　anything。〃

〃It　was　no　wonder。　　How　many　kids　were　there　for