128 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



possible cost of the lumber for his stopping-house, 

 was kind but not flattering. 



" You will only wear yourself out if you rush 

 your fences, and cleanin' this house is no joke — 

 I have tried it myself," he said with conviction. 

 " It is too cold to accomplish anything that you 

 cannot do within three feet of the kitchen stove. 

 When you had earned a warm, and a jolly good meal 

 washin' out your bedroom, I have no doubt that 

 you returned to the kitchen to find the fire out ; 

 and in any case that east room is a refrigerator when 

 there is no fire downstairs. I cannot think why you 

 like it." 



It was no use to explain that the walls were white 

 instead of a crude and angry blue, and the floor 

 green instead of yellow ; and at that time I hadn't 

 even discovered that the sun looked straight into 

 one's eyes as it came home from the east. 



" One can attack things so much better if one's 

 bedroom is all right and restful," I explained. 

 " But you are quite right, it is unbearably 

 cold." 



" I will put up the little stove downstairs and set 

 the drum in here," he promised. " And to-morrow 

 I shall go over to Mabel Mazey and ask her to come 

 along and scrub and polish the whole show. She is 

 a brick, and can do anything. Perhaps you could 

 induce her to come over once a week. If she can't 

 come for a whole day, she might for a half ; and it 

 is wonderful what Canadians can get through in the 

 shape of work. I shan't have to go north for a 

 week, as the man whom I want to build my shack 

 won't be in the neighbourhood before. I can get 

 plen y of wood bucked, and the stable in apple-pie 



2^5 



