THE FROZEN HARVEST OF 1907 343 



fuel and see what you can do in a day towards the 

 felling and cleaning and packing and hauling of 

 your seventeen loads." 



I walked back to the cottage, but couldn't get 

 back to even terms with myself, and writing or 

 reading was out of the question. I took up the little 

 hatchet which I had used to clean my hidden fuel 

 in the frozen months, and went down to the bluffs 

 of the unclaimed land on the far side of the west 

 fence, and there I started to fell trees. I had felled 

 a stray one here and there before, but nothing 

 approaching a load. At first I only got down about 

 twelve to the hour, but they were good poles, 

 big and sound, yet thoroughly dried out, with an 

 excellent promise of warmth-giving fuel. I cleaned 

 at an interval of four poles, and gradually the work 

 got into my blood and I liked it. There was interest 

 in seeking and keenest satisfaction in finding a little 

 group of sap-dried trees, and getting them down 

 was the nearest approach to sport at which I ever 

 arrived on foot. By three o'clock I had sixty 

 stout poles neatly packed, and I determined not to 

 say a word until I had doubled my quantity. It is 

 unnecessary to add that the satisfactory result of 

 my labour did not soften my feelings towards 

 Mr. Wilton. We loaded the grain-wagon as usual 

 on the following day and I drove off on the 

 fourteen-mile haul to South Qu'Appelle. Mr. 

 Rogers showed me exactly what to do at the 

 elevator ; it was quite simple. I did my shopping 

 whilst the horses fed, and got home just before 

 dark. 



I had enjoyed the day immensely, and said so, 

 although I have no doubt I should have found the 



