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　mother；〃　and　then　sank　into　a　long　nightmare；　through　which　there　mingled　dim　shapes　and　quiet　voices；　followed　by　dreamless　sleep；　and　an　awakening　to　weakness　that　made　the　lifting　of　his　eyelids　an　effort　and　the　movement　of　his　hand　a　weariness。　　The　first　object　that　loomed　intelligible　through　the　fog　in　which　he　seemed　to　move　was　a　little　plain　face　with　great　blue　eyes　carrying　in　them　a　cloud　of　maternal　anxiety。　Suddenly　the　cloud　broke　and　the　sun　burst　through　in　a　joyous　riot；　for　in　a　voice　that　seemed　to　him　unfamiliar　and　remote　Larry　uttered　the　single　word；　〃Jane。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　the　little　girl　rapturously。　　〃Oh；　Larry；　wait。〃　　She　slipped　from　the　room　and　returned　in　a　moment　with　his　mother；　who　quickly　came　to　his　side。

〃You　are　rested；　dear；〃　she　said；　putting　her　hand　under　his　head。　〃Drink　this。　　No；　don't　lift　your　head。　　Now　then；　go　to　sleep　again；　darling；〃　and；　stooping　down；　she　kissed　him　softly。

〃Whyareyoucrying？〃　he　asked　faintly。　　〃What's　thematter？〃

〃Nothing；　darling；　you　are　better。　　Just　sleep。〃

〃Better？HaveIbeensick？〃

〃Yes；　you　have　been　sick；〃　said　his　mother。

〃Awfully　sick；　〃　said　Jane　solemnly。　　〃A　whole　week　sick。　　But　you　are　all　right　now；〃　she　added　brightly；　〃and　so　is　Joe；　and　Sam；　and　Rover　and　Rosie。　　I　saw　them　all　this　morning　and　you　know　we　have　been　praying　and　praying　and〃

〃Now　he　will　sleep；　Jane；〃　said　his　mother；　gently　touching　the　little　girl's　brown　tangle　of　hair。

〃Yes；　he　will　sleep；　oh；　I'm　just　awful　thankful；〃　said　Jane；　suddenly　rushing　out　of　the　room。

〃Dear　little　girl；〃　said　the　mother。　　〃She　has　been　so　anxious　and　so　helpfula　wonderful　little　nurse。〃

But　Larry　was　fast　asleep；　and　before　he　was　interested　enough　to　make　inquiry　about　his　comrades　in　travel　the　car　in　charge　of　Joe　and　Sam；　with　Mr。　Gwynne　in　the　caboose；　was　far　on　its　way　to　Alberta。　　After　some　days　Jane　was　allowed　to　entertain　the　sick　boy；　as　was　her　custom　with　her　father；　by　giving　an　account　of　her　day's　doings。　　These　were　happy　days　for　them　both。　　Between　the　boy　and　the　girl　the　beginnings　of　a　great　friendship　sprang　up。

〃Larry；　I　think　you　are　queer；〃　said　Jane　to　him　gravely　one　day。　〃You　are　not　a　bit　like　you　were　in　the　car。〃

A　quick　flush　appeared　on　the　boy's　face。　　〃I　guess　I　was　queer　that　day；　Jane；〃　he　said。　　〃I　know　I　felt　queer。〃

〃Yes；　that's　it；〃　said　Jane；　delighted　by　some　sudden　recollection。　〃You　were　queer　then；　and　now　you're　just　ornary。　　My；　you　were　sick　and　you　were　cross；　too；　awful　cross　that　day。　　I　guess　it　was　the　headick。　　I　get　awfully　cross；　too；　when　I　have　the　headick。　　I　don't　think　you　will　be　cross　again　ever；　will　you；　Larry？〃

Larry；　smiling　at　her；　replied；　〃I'll　never　be　cross　with　you；　Jane；　anyway；　never　again。〃



CHAPTER　VII

THE　GIRL　OF　THE　WOOD　LOT


June；　and　the　sun　flooding　with　a　golden　shimmer　a　land　of　tawny　prairie；　billowy　hills；　wooded　valleys　and　mountain　peaks　white　with　eternal　snows；　touching　with　silver　a　stream　which；　glacier…　born；　hurled　itself　down　mountain　sides　in　fairy　films　of　mist；　rushed　through　canyons　in　a　mad　torrent；　hurried　between　hills　in　a　swollen　flood；　meandered　along　wide　valleys　in　a　full…lipped　tide；　lingered　in　a　placid　lake　in　a　bit　of　lowland　banked　with　poplar　bluffs；　and　so　onward　past　ranch…stead　and　homestead　to　the　great　Saskatchewan　and　Father　Ocean；　prairie　and　hills；　valleys　and　mountains；　river　and　lake；　making　a　wonder　world　of　light　and　warmth　and　colour　and　joyous　life。

Two　riders　on　rangey　bronchos；　followed　by　two　Russian　boarhounds；　climbed　the　trail　that　went　winding　up　among　the　hills　towards　a　height　which　broke　abruptly　into　a　ridge　of　bare　rock。　　Upon　the　ridge　they　paused。

〃There！　　Can　you　beat　that？　　If　so；　where？〃　　The　lady　swept　her　gauntletted　hand　toward　the　scene　below。　　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　was　tall；　strongly　made；　handsome　with　that　comeliness　which　perfect　health　and　out…of…doors　life　combine　to　give；　her　dark　hair；　dark　flashing　eyes；　straight　nose；　wide；　full…lipped　curving　mouth；　and　a　chin　whose　chiselled　firmness　was　softened　but　not　weakened　by　a　dimple；　making　a　picture　good　to　look　upon。

〃There！〃　she　cried　again；　〃tell　me；　can　you　beat　it？〃

〃Glorious！　　Sybil；　utterly　and　splendidly　glorious！〃　said　her　brother；　his　eyes　sweeping　the　picture　below。　　〃And　you　too；　Sybil；〃　he　said；　turning　his　eyes　upon　her。　　〃This　country　has　done　you　well。　　By　jove；　what　a　transformation　from　the　white…faced；　willowy〃

〃Weedy；〃　said　she。

〃Well；　as　it's　no　longer　true；　weedywoman　that　faded　out　of　London；　how　manyeight　years　ago！〃

〃Ten　years；　ten　long；　glorious；　splendid　years。〃

〃Ten　years！　　Surely　not　ten！〃

〃Yes；　ten　beautiful　years。〃

〃I　wish　to　God　I　had　come　with　you　then。　　I　might　have　beenwell；　I　should　have　been　saved　some　bumps　and　a　ghastly　cropper　at　last。〃

〃'Cut　it　out；'　Jack；　as　the　boys　say　here。　　En　avant！　　We　never　look　back　in　this　land；　but　ever　forward。　　Oh；　now　isn't　this　worth　while？〃　　Again　she　swept　her　hand　toward　the　scene　below　her。　〃Look　at　that　waving　line　in　the　east；　that　broad　sweep；　and　here　at　our　left；　those　great；　majestic　things。　　I　love　them。　　I　love　every　scar　in　their　old　grey　faces。　　They　have　been　good　friends　to　me。　　But　for　them　some　days　might　have　been　hard　to　live　through；　but　they　were　always　there　like　friends；　watching；　understanding。　They　kept　me　steady。〃

〃You　must　have　had　some　difficult　days；　old　girl；　in　this　awful　land。　　Yes；　yes；　I　know　it's　glorious；　especially　on　a　day　like　this　and　in　a　light　like　this；　but　after　all；　you　are　away　from　the　world；　away　from　everybody；　and　shut　off　from　everything；　from　life；　arthow　could　you　stick　it？〃

〃Jack　are　you　sympathising　with　me？　　Let　me　tell　you　your　sympathy　is　wasted。　　I　have　had　lonely　days　in　this　land；　of　course。　　When　Tom　was　off　on　businessOh！　that　man　has　been　perfectly　splendid。　Jack！　　He's　beenwell；　I　can't　tell　you　all　he　has　been　to　me　father；　mother；　husband；　chum；　he's　been　to　me；　and　more。　　And　he's　made　good　in　the　country；　too。　　Now　look　again　at　this　view。　　We　always　stop　to　look　at　it；　Tom　and　I；　from　this　point。　　Tell　me　if　you　have　ever　seen　anything　quite　as　wonderful！〃

〃Yes；　it's　glorious；　a　little　like　the　veldt；　with；　of　course；　the　mountains　extra；　and　they　do　rather　finish　the　thing　in　the　grand　style。〃

〃Grand　style；　well；　rather！　　A　great　traveller　who　has　seen　most　of　the　world's　beautiful　spots　told　me　he　had　never　looked　on　anything　quite　so　splendid　as　the　view　from　hereso　spacious；　so　varied；　so　majestic。　　Ah；　I　love　it；　and　the　country　has　been　good　to　me！

〃I　don't　mean　physically　only；　but　in　every　wayin　body；　soul　and　mind。　　And　for　Tom；　too；　the　country　has　done　much。　　In　England；　you　know；　he　was　just　loafing；　filling　in　time　with　one　useless　thing　after　another；　and　on　the　way　to　get　fat　and　lazy。　　Here　he　is　doing　things；　things　worth　while。　　His　ranch　is　quite　a　success。　Then　he　is　always　busy　organising　various　sorts　of　industries　in　the　countrydairying；　lumbering　and　that　sort　of　thing。　　He　has　introduced　thoroughbred　stock。　　He　helps　with　the　schools；　the　churches；　the　Agricultural　Institutes。　　In　short；　he　is　doing　his　part　to　bring　this　country　to　its　best。　　And　this；　you　know；　is　the　finest　bit　of　all　Canada！〃

Her　brother　laughed。　　〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　so　many　of　these　'finest　bits。'　　In　Nova　Scotia；　in　Quebec；　I　have　found　them。　The　people　of　Ontario　are　certain　that　the　'finest　bit'　is　in　their　province；　while　in　British　Columbia　they　are　ready　to　fight　if　one　suggests　anything　to　the　contrary。〃

〃I　know。　　I　know。　　It　is　perfectly　splendid　of　them。　　You　know　we　Canadians　are　quite　foolish　about　our　country。〃

〃WE　Canadians！〃

〃Yes。　　WE　Canadians。　　What　else？　　We　are　quite　mad　about　the　future　of　our　country。　　And　that　is　why　I　wanted　you　to　come　out　here；　Jack。　　There　is　so　much　a　man　like　you　might　do　with　your　brains　and　training。　　Yes。　　Your　Oxford　training　is　none　too　good　for　this　country；　and　your　brain　none　too　clever　for　this　big　work　of　laying　the　foundations　of　a　great　Empire。　　This　is　big　enough　for　the　biggest　of　you。　　Bigger；　even；　than　the　thing　you　were　doing　at　home；　Jack。　　Oh；　I　heard　all　about　it！〃

〃You　heard　all　about　it？　　I　hope　not。　　I　hope　you　have　not　heard　of　the　awful　mess　I　made　of　things。〃

〃Nonsense；　Jack！　　'Forward'　is　the　word　here。　　Here　is　an　Empire　in　the　making；　another　Britain；　greater；　finer；　and　without　the　hideous　inequalities；　injustices　and　foolish　class　distinctions　of　the　old。〃

〃My　God！　　Sybil；　you　sound　like　Lloyd　George　himself！　　Please　don't　recall　that　ghastly　radicalism　to　me。〃

〃Never　mind　what　it　sounds　like。　　You　will　get　it　too。　　We　all　catch　it　here；　especially　Old　Country　folk。　　For　instance；　look　away　to　the　left　there。　　See　that　little　clump　of　buildings　beside　the　lake　just　through　the　poplars。　　There　is　a　family　of　Canadians　typical　of　the　best；　the　Gwynnes；　our　closest　neighbours。　　Good　Irish　stock；　they　are。　　They　came　two　years　after　we　came。　　Lost　their　little　bit　of　money。　　Suffered；　my！　how　they　must　have　suffered！　though　they　were　too　proud　to　tell　any　of　us。　　The　father　is　a　gentleman；　finely　educated；　but　with　no　business　ability。　　The　mother　all　gol