328 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



this awful uncertainty in the air. But I won't risk 

 the grain, and I am entirely in your hands about the 

 charge." 



" I can't very well work without my own team 

 I guess," he answered. " But if you will find them 

 in feed I'll take off your crops with three of my 

 horses at four dollars a day." 



At that time the greenest stooker was asking and 

 getting two dollars a day. I had expected a demand 

 of anything from six dollars a day upwards. 



I thanked him. You can't gush in Canada, it 

 seems almost as bad form in the freedom of service 

 on the prairie as a breath of patronage ; only it was 

 the kind of thing that makes one want to stand up 

 for all Canadians for ever and ever. 



" If you will go straight across to the four-acre 

 oat-field with the binder," I said, " I will hitch up 

 my own team and start discing the big field. I 

 would rather not start stooking until you have got 

 several rows down." 



The sun shone on one's back in kindliest fashion, 

 and oh, it was healing-sweet after all those days of 

 work and worry and suspense. And the disc never 

 demands much of one's intelligence. I grew rested 

 and refreshed and hopeful ; the hum of the binder 

 was as " Consolation " by Liszt. Long before I 

 went to dinner I was hoping again — believing. But 

 by three o'clock the wind had turned bitterly cold. 

 Now and then I had to get off the disc and walk. 

 Suddenly there blew from the north a storm of cold 

 and penetrating rain. Si Booth unhitched his team 

 and went in ; it is not wise to bind wet grain even 

 at the point of the sword of frost. An hour later 

 I followed. 



1 



