Corporal Cameron

and bursting with life. The last half-hour he had been pouring forth his experiences to his friend Martin. These experiences were some of them exciting, some of them o

end grew upon him, was prepared to resent it. "What the

is present moment sit upon y

ng? I say, you haven't-

' Colonial in this land of weal

bt it will develop. Meantime let us go out, and, in your

lly. "No more! I am on the water

loomily, "but I didn't think it was quite so b

only wish I had started two years ago

e it? Re

e sense, and t

as against that sort of thing in training, but I

leading the young hopefuls in that interesting and uncleanly neighbourhood into paths of virtue and higher citizenship by way of soccer and kindred athletic stunts. Dunn in his innocence agrees, whereupon Balfour Murray promptly develops a sharp attack of pneumonia, necessitating rest and change of air, leaving the poor old chief in the deadly breach. Of course, everybody knows what the chief would do in any deadly breach affair. He gave up his Highland tour, shouldered the whole Ca

t makes me quite ill to think of

"Kind of 'Days that are no mo

otten! And you, too! He's got

in his voice, "are you classifying me wit

"Now you're getting a little nat

like to hear me strin

wouldn't feel quite so l

I've got new light upon this 'damning' business. I've come to regard it as the refuge of the mentally iner

later. "Dunn ag

iately conscious of an overwhelming and mortifying sense of inadequacy, of amateurishness; hence I qui

en said with mournful deliberation, "You do

hing you've been accustomed to. I was at old Kingston's last night, and the old boy would have me load up with his finest. You know I've be

rst whiff, "there is still something left to

treet. His face and manner suggested Roderick Dhu, The Black Douglas, and all the rest of that interesting gang of cutthroats. I can'

at's the

hed loud and long. "It was funny! Mr. Rae, the cool, dignified, methodical, exact man of the law, struggling to lick into shape this haughty Highland chieftain, who in his heart scorned the whole silly business. The result, the complete disorganisation of Mr. Rae's business

ve been funny.

rtnight ago. Then Dunn, in despair, took Cameron off to his native haunts, and there he is to this day. By the same token, this is the very afternoon that D

er gloomily. "I've a kind of feeling th

n Martin fe

sful, Dunn's shout of joy and his double-handed shake as he grappled Linklater to him, drove fr

d for an hour the three friends reviewed the summer's happenings, eac

and in and out of fjords of wonderful beauty. Storms they had weathered and calms they had endured; lazy days they had spent, swimming, fishing, lo

," cried Dunn with enthusiastic d

my experiences are quite other. One word describes them, grind, grind, grind, day in and day out,

t he came through with banners flying and drums beating; and he ha

r, with a kind of curious uncertainty in h

bit and slumming a bit for a chap that got ill,

Interna

hesit

," said Martin, "t

got the thing in fine shape, though of course lacking the two brilliant quarters

stly! How could you do it, Dunn?" said L

too keen for him to treat it lightly. "Anything else seeme

said Martin, "

somehow can't get hold of himself. In fact, I'm quite worried about Cameron. I

to do?" Martin asked,

othing he can get here that's suitable. I'm afraid he

med Martin, "it can't rea

sn't it? But all the same, to a Scotchman, and especially to a Highla

cried Linklater. "The b

mind any man that has a chance to go to Canada on a good job o

talk with my governor and me about this very thing to-morrow night. I'

"My folks have som

too much of this coddling business" in the matter of Cam

klater in disgust. "At this season of the yea

earnestly, "we won't keep you long.

I'll come,"

but Mr. Rae. We'll just

ly in the deliverance of his beloved Cameron from pending evil, and who during the summer had allowed no week to pass without spending at least a part of a day with her. On this particular evening, having obtain

lady, both because of her reputation for cleverness, and because of the grand air which, when it pleased her, she could assume. Martin, too, stood in wholesome awe of Doctor Dunn, whose quiet dignity and old-time courtesy exercised a chastening influence

only the briefest discussion to arrive at the melancholy, inevitable conclusion that, as Mr. Rae put i

where the demand for a high standard of efficiency is less exacting, and w

words, I understand you to mean that the man who is

uld you not say

If failure arises from unfitness, his chances

ed Miss Brodie so

he atmosphere of that home to criticise one whom

" repeated

artin hesitatingly, "compa

" Miss Brodie's smile

rround them, supports of custom, tradition, not to speak of their countless friends, sisters, cousins, and aunts; if they're anyways half decent they're kept a going; whereas if t

y picture that,"

. People haven't time to bother

re is overdrawn,"

oung fellows who had been shipped out to Canada because they

the fit?" inqu

for every ounce

so in Scotl

or the chance that calls for all that's in them. They must march in the procession and the pace

s Brodie. "There are more

rtin, "and fewe

failure in this country. Many a young fellow,

et him; your caste law forbids. With us a man can d

more eagerly than before. "Not only mo

approving glance. "And he must

r. Rae, "what would you su

rtin refuse

fellow in Canada," said Dunn. "Take a

on every business street in every town and city in Canada for you, or for any fellow

t job, for

ied Martin. "H

r, his perfect self-possession, as he greeted each member of the company. For each he had exactly the right word. Miss Brodie he

d be sure to be here, and I more than suspected that my dear Miss Brodie," here he swept her an elab

boy is leading me to overstep the bounds of ev

Dunn kindly. "You bring sunshine

ly" with enthusiasm. "But what are you

said, "We were just talking about Camer

ied surprise. "How truly dreadful! But why should Cameron of a

. "What is there for a young man of spirit

delicious things, Cameron can do,-the Highlands in summer, Edinburgh, London, in the seaso

d Miss Brodie. "We ar

y dear Miss Brodie

ife-work?" said Dunn. "A fell

ith a sigh. "But surely he could have s

ut it! Now Mr. Martin was just about to tell us of the

ologise. Please go on. What

mely interested. Now tell me, what are the openings for a youn

do here, but with a difference. Take law, for instance: Knew a chap-went into an office at ten dollars a month-didn't know a thing about it. In three months he was raised to twenty dollars, and within a year to forty d

" inquire

u call it here;

raordinary terms th

Dunn impatiently. "Go on

echoed "Lily." "To s

Martin stoutly;

ty man, a gentleman, takes a position in a

that," said M

ly" with a violent shu

You wouldn't d

aid "Lily"

nt a gentleman's job. There are n

y. "'Lily,' we must ask you to not inter

ess. First thing you know a man wants him for a big job and off he goes

Brodie. "Go on, Mr. Mart

olely to the young lady. "Here's an actual case. A

he mean?" said "Lily"

he ro

oc

tiently. "You are terribly lackin

tha

," said Martin; "gets a sh

quires "Lily" mildly. "To hi

igging a cellar preparat

O

In a week the boss makes him timekeeper; in three months he himself is boss o

tonishment. "Oh, Martin, please! We are

n ass! I beg pardon," he added, turning to

in arithmetic-twenty pounds, I understand. Go o

r for this chap yet awhile; overalls and slouch hat for the ne

pardon," s

ins taking job

cried Mis

"there are the railroads all shouting for men of experience, whet

n to understand him?" i

nt people do. At least, I've a kind of notion ther

ou?" cried "Lily." "Think o

ting, extremely interesting, Mr. Martin. Still, t

impression. I confess to a little

xclaime

f brawn and brain

fect the alliterati

he must never take back-water; he must be re

" cried Miss Brodie. "You're entirel

d then, it's all very splendid, but just think of a-of a gentleman having to potter around among

e have afternoon teas and Browning Clubs, too, you mus

joyous sho

n arriving at a solution of the problem in hand, "I have u

ans seventy-five to a hundred dollars per acre, and a man can't do with less th

o a young man bred on

, "there is no such thing in Canada as a gen

?" inquired "Lily." "With the ploug

s long as any of his m

't eat with his servants?" said "Lily" in a ton

her in the big kitc

l!" gaspe

his cheek, "and my mother, and my brothers. They all eat w

"And why not? 'Lily,' I'm afr

Lily" devoutly, "I live

I understand there is cheaper land in ce

cried Martin with enthusiasm. "The very best out of doors,

d Mr. Rae, "that there is a very large movemen

reat boom on in M

nd what exactly may tha

onversation to get out of his hands, "you mean a great excitement

d Martin, "you'v

to secure a considerable amount of

the early settlers in Ontario. My father, when a little boy of ten years, went with his father into the solid forest; you don't know what that means in this country, and no one can who has not seen a solid mass of green reaching from the ground a hundred feet hig

Brodie. "Tell me the v

ent up to a big spruce tree, drove his ax in to the butt, then kneeled down with the two little boys beside him, and I have heard my father say that when he looked away up between the big trees and saw the bit of blu

t, my boy; make

ss Brodie softly. "

boys limbed them off, clearing the ground where the first house stood. That night they sle

nn. "Your grandmother

miles of solid black bush stretche

. Dunn, taking part for the first t

all l

id her eldest son, "tha

uldn't I?" whispered R

plied his mother; "I hav

salt if she loved her husband," cr

tor Dunn, "it's the s

egan Mr. Rae, still c

other difficulties. Still, hundreds are crowding in, and any ma

said Mrs. Dunn, returning to the the

was too big to be spared to go exc

g do yo

fif

imed Miss Brodie

ork in the bush and on the farm, and when he grew to be a man he cleared most o

get your educat

time, until I was fourteen, and after that in the winter months. When I

r. Rae, both interest and admiration in his voice, for

suspect more than he ought to, but h

say? We'll get a big bit of that land in the West, and won

ce. "I'd like it fine, Mamma," he said in

id his mother, smiling tende

me back for

rs that might have something to say about that. But I say, Martin,"

t building and people are beginning to go in. But ranching needs capital, too. It

sion, "a young man has better opportunities of making his fortu

s, that any young man not afraid of work, of any kind of work, and willing to stay with his job, ca

ie emphatically, "that I only wish I were a m

, it would matter little where they went, for they would achieve distinct s

u-ah, I beg your pardon; that is-" The disconcerting rapidity with which Mr. Rae's smile gave place to an appearance of grave, of even severe solemn

part of Mr. Rae. "Oh, I say!" he cried to Dunn in a gale of smothered laughter, "how does the dear man do it? It is

he room, "I think, Doctor Dunn, we have reason to congratulate ourselves upon not only a pleasant but an extremely profitable evening-ah-as far as the matt

eady geniality, "whenever you-eh? Wh

g Mrs. Dunn goodnight, with a

end Dunn. "Does the old boy often go off at half-

few times that way, too. But I say, old bo

id Martin; "as if I'd be

u've been perfectly lovely, and I am so glad to have got to

l, Miss Brodie?" exclaimed "Lily" in an anxio

ing-Wagner circle do? Besides, what could we do with you when we were all working,

ot in vain. There is no use going to Canada unless you mean

ws come-?" g

the way home. Good-night, Mr. Dunn; we've had a jolly evening. And as for our