346 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



return for the winter's service, but a tear was 

 running down the woman's cheek, and it hardly- 

 seemed worth while. 



" Don't let us say anything more about it," I 

 suggested. " We will forget everything but your 

 claim of my share in the ruin of your household 

 gods coming up Troy Hill — I shall never be able to 

 forget that." 



I never gave Mrs. Wilton the opportunity to 

 tell me much about myself, but she didn't alto- 

 gether share her husband's grace of tact, and one 

 day she seized it. I thought it would be good for 

 her to remember that at least I did not take the 

 smallest advantage of other people and reminded 

 her of my lost opportunity. 



" Yes, but it must have suited your purpose or 

 you would never have done it," she said in a tone 

 of profound conviction, which also convinced me 

 that I had not been the only one to notice the lost 

 opportunity. 



The snow fell early in 1907, the musk-rats had raised 

 many huts in the sloughs, and there was every 

 prospect of a long but pleasant winter. Although 

 the snow was on the ground the sun was brilliant, 

 and there was hardly any wind. The Wiltons had 

 bodies of reasonable requirements, and hated over- 

 heated rooms even more than I did, the house was 

 kept at a reasonable temperature, and I never 

 remember being quite so comfortable in the 

 cottage. The wood-box in my room was always 

 filled, the house was spotlessly clean, my breakfast 

 and four o'clock tea were served in simple, dainty 

 fashion, and in the main I knew that I was in great 

 good luck to have found such estimable people. 



