286 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



was not sure that he cared about a woman " boss " ; 

 but the reason he gave was that my terms were far 

 too low for his service. 



He walked across the field to my neighbour's, 

 and I thought I had seen the last of him, but he 

 came back within half an hour. 



" Well there ! Boys Alive ! Guess I'll stay my 

 month. The fellow over yonder says maybe I'll 

 have to go back to Regina if the Sergeant hears I've 

 quit." 



He assured me he was bred on a farm in Eastern 

 Canada, and I concluded that he was perfectly at 

 home in the use of all implements, and farm work 

 generally. He rose literally at daybreak, and sang 

 long before the lark. At any moment after 3 a.m. 

 one might hear him descending the stairs, and his 

 invitation to the cows to attend the ceremony of 

 milking might be heard across the valley. He was a 

 very slow milker, and I do not think a good one, as 

 Molly developed warts and a general soreness which 

 usually may be traced to a rough or misunderstanding 

 hand. Neither was he kind on the surface of 

 things. " There ain't a beast on this here place as 

 minds," was his constant complaint. " You've got 

 to make a beast mind," his verdict on my happy 

 family, until at last I sharply requested him to 

 mind his own business. But he could be thoroughly 

 trusted in the matter of their food and water, and 

 I came to the conclusion that there was more love 

 of noise than any ill-feeling about his constant abuse. 



I had complete confidence in his power as a plough- 

 man, drawn I must confess from his most able 

 criticism of the landwork we had passed on our way 

 from Indian Head. One day I left him to strike a 



