90 The Illumination of Joseph Keeler, Esq. 



ing that John's energies might prove equal to making it a profit- 

 able venture, assisted by the practical knowledge of his farmer 

 associates. 



Agreements were then entered into by which each cooperator 

 was to supply definite amounts of farm products weekly through- 

 out the year, each in its special season of abundance; while the 

 directors of the local cheese factory saw the advantage of storing 

 their cheese in a cold warehouse locally for curing, instead of sell- 

 ing it at a cent or two of loss per pound in the hot weather for 

 storage elsewhere. Contracts for a cold-storage warehouse were 

 also let, and John had but little time apart from his evenings to 

 devote to the entertainment of his fair visitor, who, without 

 knowing it, was soon entering with spirit into John's schemes. 



The inherited instincts of two families of business people, with 

 John's legal knowledge, made progress rapid, and Miss Morrison 

 began to link, with the projects for the betterment of the district, 

 her future with the man whom she was learning to admire, as she 

 liad long learned to love. 



But the visit had long outrun its intended length, and modesty 

 seemed to say to Mary Morrison, that, if she were not going to 

 be a permanent resident, it was high time for her return home. 

 Fanny had not only played the part of hostess, but had also re- 

 joiced in the many symptoms of a growing admiration and fond- 

 ness on the part of Mary Morrison for her brother, so that she 

 often found occasion to retire early that the two might have 

 better opportunity to get to understand each other. At last the 

 day of departure was fixed by Miss Morrison, and for the last 

 time she and John had taken an extended tramp along the wind- 

 ing logroads among the pines through which the strong winds of 

 the coming spring "soughed" softly, giving a soothing sense of 

 harmony and companionship between the two lovers and all 

 their surroundings. All Nature seemed ready to spring into life, 

 and that nameless, but universal, influence of returning and 

 energising power, as truly a part of the nature of man as of the 

 plants and animals, was crystallising sentiments and longings, 

 hitherto not fully analysed, of these two into a strong pure 

 stream of love. Here and there a wood-pigeon cooed its soft 

 words to its mate and the chickadees chattered their encouraging 

 note. The waters of the creek in flood in the cedar flats, rushing 



