4 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



brought to a close his responsibility as engineer- 

 agent to the Massey-Harris Implement Company 

 at Fort Qu'Appelle, and he had departed with a 

 promise to hurry up other help. A double row of 

 neat stooks threw a belt around the eighty-acre 

 field of golden wheat, which was here and there 

 shedding its wealth reproachfully upon the bosom 

 of Mother Earth. The brand-new binder-reaper, 

 for which I had agreed to pay thirty-one pounds ten 

 shillings cash, seemed to groan as it leaned at 

 ease listening to the incessant music of its fellows 

 which floated through the clear atmosphere from 

 near and far. In the adjoining field it had hummed 

 from early morning. One could see the pale belt 

 of stubble growing wider and wider around the 

 shrinking zone of amber which the winged and active 

 implement was rapidly laying low. 



The old man's thought followed my envious and 

 possibly angry eyes. 



" There's Rolan'. He ain't got much more than 

 forty acres. I guess he'll have it down by to-morrow 

 noon. Every man should stand by his neighbour at 

 harvest-time. He's another Englishman, so I guess 

 he'll come in with his binder and help you out all 

 right. Two binders would soon get it down. My ! 

 but it's the finest field of wheat this side of the 

 valley — the best I ever see on th' auld place since I 

 came to the country. I shouldn't have sold it if it 

 hadn't been for my missus ; though you never know 

 if the frost will knock you out till it's safe down." 



" There's a wagon and team coming along by the 

 side trail," announced my brother, who had been 

 cheerfully waiting the turn of events in the heart 

 of one of the big stooks which, even in that first 



