170 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



we were left alone together. With the book spread out upon 



our knees we looked it over for perhaps Well, I am not sure 



how long, but anyway, when I came to, I saw something just 

 in front of me on the floor. Really, it startled me. For in 

 following it up with my eye I discovered that it was the toe of 

 a moccasin, and the worst of it was that it was being worn 

 by Mrs. Spear. There, for ever so long, she must have been 

 standing and watching us. The worst of that household was 

 that all its members wore moccasins, so you could never hear 

 them coming. 



That night, when we were sitting around the stove, Mrs. 

 Spear explained to me how she had educated her daughter and 

 added: "But perhaps, after all, if the wedding is not going to 

 take place right away, it might be well to send Daughter to 

 some finishing school for a few months — say in Toronto," and 

 then, after a little pause, and still looking at me, she asked : 

 "To which school would you prefer us to send Athabasca?" 



When I named the most fashionable girls' school in that 

 city, "Paw and Maw" settled it, there and then, that Daughter 

 would attend it next fall, that is, unless it was decided to 

 celebrate her wedding at an earlier date. 



Next morning, at breakfast, Mrs. Spear suggested that 

 Athabasca should take me for a drive through the woods and 

 Mr. Spear remarked: 



"You know, Mr. Heming, we haven't any cutter or any 

 suitable sleigh, and besides, one of the horses is working in the 

 stump lot; but I think I can manage." 



In a little while he led a horse round to the front door. The 

 animal had a pole attached to either side, the other end of 

 which dragged out behind; across the two poles, just behind 

 the horse's tail, was fastened a rack of cross poles upon which 

 was placed some straw and a buffalo robe. It was really a 

 travois, the kind of conveyance used by the Plains Indians. 

 Getting aboard the affair, off we went, the old plug rumbling 



