320 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



asked, as I searched for cream in the cellar of what 

 I thought was my empty house. 

 . " Oh, I shall keep him," I answered. " It's of 

 no use to pay a man full wages up to harvest just 

 to secure his service through harvest, and let him 

 go at the very time you need him." 



" Is he a very good man ? " she asked. 



" Yes, he is a good all-round man when he 

 chooses — very — only he is like most newcomers in 

 this country, very slow." 



Meantime Pat had returned and heard my 

 verdict from his room. My wrath had burnt itself 

 out over Thomas. I was prepared to behave to 

 Pat as though nothing had happened. Undoubtedly 

 an old temptation had overtaken him, and I could 

 not forget that in the several weeks through which 

 he had worked for me there had been no sign of 

 such a weakness, and that the simple Irish labourer 

 had behaved as a gentleman. 



" Have you had food to-day, Pat ? " I inquired. 



" Not a crumb." 



I cooked him some beefsteak and made him some 

 strong tea ; it inspired confidence. 



" You'll be giving me the dollars to pay back 

 Mr. Dennison the fine ? " he ventured. " Fifteen 

 dollars." 



" Yes, I'll let you have it at once. It was rather 

 an expensive adventure, wasn't it ? " 



" Faith, miss, it's cruel ! An' not a scrap of 

 breakfast. I'll say that for them in the auld country 

 jails, they'll always be giving you your breakfast." 



Shortly after I met my neighbour and he spoke 

 of the affair. 



" I suppose you know he is talking of quitting 



