120 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



he could crop the ten acres with oats, break up 

 the balance of the land required by the law of 

 homestead to be put in shape for crop, make enough 

 to pay his way and repay me before the end of the 

 season when he would sell up and go home. Eagerly 

 I put my lips to the draught of enthusiasm, and 

 swallowed the fresh responsibilities. 



" I shall have to start almost at once, the weather 

 is breaking," he said ; " as I must use the horses to 

 haul the building materials, I must get it over 

 before you need them for seedin'. I thought 

 perhaps you wouldn't mind coming back to the farm 

 from New York." 



" I shan't go," I said. " I can't possibly afford 

 it now that I must get another horse. I have told 

 Heriot Hylton-Cave that I will have him as chore- 

 boy directly the Millingtons can part with him, 

 and I don't in the least mind staying alone at the 

 farm whilst you are going backwards and forwards." 



When he had gone I thought it all over. I had 

 bound myself to a responsibility with the bond of 

 another's capital. The responsibility might demand 

 a far larger capital than I in my ignorance had 

 anticipated. That this increase of demand was 

 certainly not anticipated in England my weekly 

 mail never failed to impress upon me. The only 

 thing possible seemed to be to cut all side lines and 

 throw oneself right into the breach as a working 

 farmer. When Destiny grasps you by the shoulders 

 if you fall in with the idea, the burden of compulsion 

 seems to cease. 



The Millingtons were most kind and sympathetic 

 about the loss, and Mr. Millington advised me to 

 go over and look at the horses of Mr. Edwardes* 



