244 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



of time. After they had gone on their way I cleaned 

 the stable, fed the pigs, who are late risers, bucked 

 wood for fuel, passed my time usually in reading 

 and writing until half-past three, when I made 

 tea, and prepared for about two hours work among 

 the beasts, who usually came home at sunset in a 

 bee-line led by Nancy. 



My neighbour was obviously perturbed concerning 

 my determination to stay on through the winter 

 without help. He tried every warning and argu- 

 ment in turn, and I couldn't help thinking that I 

 caught a glimpse of something I had seen before 

 in the eyes of hunting men when women take 

 chances at the particular phase of a run where 

 the claim of chivalry would be hard to bear, and 

 harder to obey. 



I refused all idea of difficulty, and set my inten- 

 tion tight against help. I said I had several loads of 

 wood cut, and I had only to gather it. He was 

 anxious to gather at least one load for me as he 

 was going down to the Fort to stay with friends, 

 and considered I ran a most dangerous risk. How- 

 ever I determined not to run the risk of exposing 

 the nakedness of the land by setting him on the 

 trail of my own fuel store, and, remembering that 

 John McLeay had offered me a load of dry wood 

 from his fine store if I would send for it, I said if he 

 would fetch that for me I should be most grateful. 

 The greater part of my own store, I explained, was 

 neither cleared nor piled, and as I very specially 

 wished to reserve that exercise for myself I shouldn't 

 have it hauled for the present. 



He was obviously resentful about the whole 

 matter, but he went off and fetched the wood ; 



