56 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



natural way in which they attached themselves to 

 the bench and Tate's sugar boxes. I suppose the 

 cheque-book having swallowed so many extra- 

 ordinary camels lately has indigestion at the mere 

 thought of the gnat-like proportions of tables and 

 chairs." 



" Go for a long walk," I recommended, " and for 

 once let me finish getting supper, wash up, and 

 prepare the breakfast. Did they come early for 

 Ella ? " 



" Yes ; she is going to a box-social. And if you 

 don't mind I would rather hold on to my own chores 

 this last night. But I really am getting a little 

 played out." 



Before noon of the next day the last bag from 

 the last load of oats had been emptied into one 

 end of the old granary. There seemed to be oats 

 enough to last for ever, but our neighbour looked 

 ominous. 



" Not more than two hundred and fifty bushels," 

 he said. " I'm afraid you will have to be buying in 

 the spring. With so little hay this amount of oats 

 won't tide you over. The old man never grew 

 many oats, but he was the finest hay and wood 

 gatherer in these parts. There is quite a good 

 stack of oat-straw, which you must keep for feed, and 

 just use the wheat-straw for bedding." 



Guy Mazey departed in the trail of his outfit. He 

 told me he was coming back to measure the grain, 

 but he didn't come, and it was in this way I sent 

 him a cheque for one hundred dollars on account, 

 and suggested that he should take the weight returns 

 from the weigh-bills received at the elevator, and 

 I would pay him the balance. He accepted the 



