HOMESTEADING 



CHAPTER I 



WEST BOUND 



The door opened and a young man entered, just 

 an ordinary young Britisher, such as one sees by 

 dozens during the dinner-hour in the cafes of our 

 large towns. He had been a grammar-school boy, 

 but was now three-and-twenty, full grown and 

 fairly well proportioned, if somewhat slender. 



We had a very slight acquaintance, and I felt a 

 mild surprise at his entrance, but he soon broke 

 silence by remarking, as he dropped into a chair, 

 " I heard you were off to Canada again, and 

 thought I would give you a call." 



His tone arrested my attention, and I said, after 

 a few seconds, " My next visit home will find you 

 head of a department, with a fine salary and a 

 growing family perhaps — eh ? " 



He stood up, thrust his hands into his pockets, 

 and remarking, " Excuse me, but look here," went 



15 



