Corporal Cameron

arance rather than to profit and, though the soil was good enough, it had never been worked to profit. Consequently, when its owner had tir

des of the lane, had been allowed to run sadly to wood. At the side of the house the door-yard was littered with abandoned farm implements, piles of old fence rails and lumber and other impedimenta, which, though kindly Nature, abhorring the unsightly rubbish, was doing her utmost to hide it all beneath a luxuriant growth of docks, milkweed, and nettles, lent an air of disorder and neglect to the whole surroundings. The porch, or "stoop," about the summer kitchen was set out with an assortment of tubs and pails, pots and pans, partially filled with various evil looking and more evil smelling messes, which afforded an e

y field the signs of coming harvest were luxuriantly visible, the hay fields, grey-green with blooming "Timothy" and purple with the deep nestling clover, the fall wheat green and yellowing into gold, the spring wheat a lighter green and bursting into head, the oats with their graceful tasselated stalks, the turnip field ribboned with its lines of delicate green on the dark soi

e gentle rolling landscape, with its rich variety of greens and yellows and greys, that swept away from his feet to the dark masses of woods, with their suggestions of cool and shady depth, filled his soul with a deep joy and brought him memory of how the "Glen of the Cup of Gold" would look that morning in the dear home-land so far away. True, there were neith

ul voice broke in

eakfast! There was none last night! If you

om the barn yard, where he was assis

alked to

elp?" he

ey. "Here, Ma, here's our new

be confessed its color was determined more by the grease and grime than by the tan upon it. Yet, in spite of the flabby folds of flesh, in spite of the grime and grease, there was still a reminiscence of a one-time comeliness, all the more pathetic by re

ce studying and appraising the new man. The r

nd git me that wood. I want it right now. You're

ticks in no time." So saying, Haley walked off with his pails to the milking, leav

s. Haley?" enquire

few sticks for the breakfast, but perhaps I can get a

," said Cameron with some hesitation,

lem of how to produce the sticks necessary to breakfast by the application of the one to the other was one for which he could see no solution. He lifted his axe and brought it down hard upon a maple log. The result was a slight indentation upon the log and a sharp jar from the axe handle that ran up his arm unpleasantly. A series of heavy blows produced nothing more than a corresponding series of inden

e, deep, full, and mellow, behind him. "That axe

escape about her face and neck. She was dressed in a loose pink wrapper, all too plainly of home manufacture, gathered in at the waist, and successfully obliterating any lines that might indicate the existence of any grace of form, and sadly spotted and stained with grease and dirt. Her red stout arms ended in thick and redder hands, decked with

saw mostly,"

?" echoe

aw 'em through and then

ickety saw horse. Never in his life had he used such

se this thing

the girl, flashing a keen glan

in my life," said

cried, "let

set it in position, took the saw from his hands, and went at her work with suc

mpatiently to Cameron, who was

-grained block of wood into firewood, gathered up the stick

on," she said, "but you'll have to hustle

but by main strength, he cut off a number of blocks from the maple log and proceeded to split them. But in this he made slow progress. From the kitchen came

ughter, "bringin' a man here jest at the busy season who don't know n

a," replied the girl, "

n old-country man learn to handle an axe or a scythe after he

the door, "best split some

eron with a look o

boy set on end the block at which Cameron had been laboring a

Cameron admiringly, "

e glancing blow, a slab started and, at

ameron again, "I mus

utside of the block. "This heart's goin' to be tough, though;

. "We'll try yeh this way." He laid the end of the block upon a log and plied the axe with the

h one now!" he said

brought the axe down fairly upon the stick with such force that the

admiration. "All you want is knack. I'll slab it o

re lay in half an hour a goodly pile of fire wood ready for t

than you've had for some time. Gues

ling about with great agilit

was too busy getting breakfast ready for the hungry men who were now performing their morning ablut

busier seasons of the year. The other, Perkins, was Haley's "steady" man, which means that he was employed by the year and was regarded almost as a member of the family. Perkins was an Englishman with fair hair and blue eyes, of fresh complexion, burned to a clear red, clean-cut features, a

his own humour. Though his manner was pleasant enough, Cameron became conscious of a feeling of aversion, which he recognised at once as being as unreasonable as it was inexplicable. He set it

otty. Do they wash

fter using a second and third supply, however, he turned, with hands and face dripping, and looked about for a towel. Perkins handed him a long roller towel, black with dirt

till next week, you know, and this is only Wednesday.

face aflame and eyes emitting blue fire.

towel the middle of the week?" said Perkins in mock dismay. "

knows how to use 'em," said Mandy,

loud bantering tone, "guess you're

ron with a quick rising of wrath, "but I do kno

e's the comb!" But Cameron declined the article, which, from its appearance, seemed t

well cooked, but everywhere there was an utter absence of cleanliness. The plates were greasy, the forks and knives bore the all too evident remains of former meals, and everywhere were flies. In hundreds they swarmed upon the food, while, drowned in the gravy, cooked in the potatoes, overwhelmed in the maple syrup, buried in the butter, their ghastly carcasses were to be seen. With apparent unconcern the men brushed aside the living and picked out and set aside the remains of the dead, the unhappy victims of their own greed or temerity, and went on calmly and swiftly with their business. Not a word was spoken except by Cameron himself, who, constrained by what he considered to be the ordinary decencies of society, made an effort to keep up a conversation with Mr. Haley at the head of the table and occasionally ventured a remark

from Cameron's hand, looked at it narrowly for a moment, then with thumb and fo

but perfectly audible, "they

oth the action and the remark had been unnoticed by her. But on Mandy's face he saw the red ensign of shame

on determined to miss the intermediate course of pie and maple syrup and, that he might f

plenty, there's lots to spare. Here, have some apple sauce." She

for a moment in obvious uncertainty, then with sudden decision she cried "Never mind," and with swift but effective application of lip and tongue she cleansed the spoon of the dripping cream, and, stirring

exclaimed in a

claimed her mother. "A

and passed another to Cameron, who accepted it with

ughter. Cameron in the meantime was making heroic attempts to cover up the sound by loud-voiced conversation with Haley, and, rendered desperat

. "She's got too much to do and it's awful

'd just better say, 'There's Mandy.' She's the whole thin

se to Perkins' jesting remarks. As Cameron was passing out from the kitchen he heard her bitter declaration: "I don't care

ns, "it was all a joke, and who cares

y face behind the kitchen, leaving Perkins gazing af

he confided to Cameron, "but she ne

to the business of adjusting himself to his present environment. But to his fastidious nature the experiences of the morning made it somewhat doubtful if he should be able to carry out the policy of adjustment to the extreme of schooling himself to bear with equal mind the daily cont

men stood waiting

eemed to avoid as far as possible giving direct orders to his men. "Nex

uely associates in some mysterious and remote way with porridge and bread, but whether potatoes grow on trees or oats in pods he has no certain knowledge. Blessed is the country boy for many reasons, but for none more than this, that the world of living an

ts in this as in other departments. There are turnip-hoers and turnip-hoers, just as there are painters and painters. It was Tim's ambition to be the first turnip-hoer of his district, and toward this end he had striven both last season and this with a devotion that deserved, if it did not achieve, success. Quietly he had been patterning himself upon that master artist, Perkins, who for some years had easily held the championship for the district. Keenly Tim had been obser

Perkins and Webster leading the way,

o do it, Tim," said Cameron. "

p-hoeing is as easy as rollin' of

ut that is what I don't. You

be able to hit w

hand," said Cameron. "Well, I can do

o careful, slash right i

ve done some Rugby in my day-I know someth

n one place and not a weed; and you mustn't

," echoed Cameron. "Say! this business grows int

t to keep goin' after you're clear tuckered out and never l

some distance if you keep on in that line. Now as to racing let me vent

Tim, all

y if you are up against a stronger man. Wait till you know you can

pond

ght in his eye, and a touch of colour in his pa

s seed has grown each drill will discover a line of delicate green, this line being nothing less than a compact growth of young turnip plants with weeds more or less thickly interspersed. The operation of hoeing consists in the eliminating of the weeds and the superfluous turnip plants in order that single plants, free from weeds, may be left some eight inch

rnips?" enqu

nd I am afraid I won't ma

od place to learn, eh, Tim

imply handed Cameron a h

n in a low voice, as Perkins and

single plant standing shyly alone where had boldly bunched a score or more a moment before. "Click-click-click," and

his is high art. I shall never

n slashed in. "Click-click," "Click-click-click," when lo!

t this mess," he

saying, he made a hole in Cameron's drill and with his hoe dug up a bunch of plants from another drill and pa

ad," said Cameron. "We can

ut the forenoon, and before the dinner hour had come Cameron was making what to Tim appeared satisfactory progress. It was gre

ndid," cried Tim,

sting a critical eye along Cameron's last drill

teacher, you se

ht Tim myself, and in two or three years

contemptuously, bu

f the neck and rubbing his hand over his hair in a manner perfectly maddening. "Don't you

king rapid progress with his work and Tim was able to do, not only his own drill, but almost half of Cameron's as well. By supper time Cameron was thoroughly done out. Never had a day seemed so long, never had he known that he possessed so many muscles in his back. The continuous stooping and the stead

in a state of suppressed excitement and it dawned upon him that the ho

y, "listen to me. You are going to

now?" said Tim

myself some and I have trained men to race.

said the gallant lit

ou can't hurt yourself much. Now, how many

up twice,"

o at your top speed, your

uess," replied Tim, af

yourself out and go your best. And, listen! I have been watching you this afternoon. You have ea

sational powers with the two-fold purpose of holding back Perkins and Webster and also of so occupying Tim's mind that he might forget for a time the approaching conflict, the

me over to his side. "Now, Tim," said Cameron, in a low voice, "wait a little longer;

h a rush brought his drill up even with Webster, passed him, and i

are you going?" asked

udly, "and I'll tell

erkins with a laugh, "tell them you w

swer. It was a distinct challenge, and, while not op

soon gave it up and fell back to help Cameron up with his drill, remarking, "I ain'

in?" enquir

man in the whole country at turnips. He took t

said Cameron confidently, with

"You just wait a bit, Perkins

stance ahead, and then, though it was quitting

ll night, eh? Well, I'll just take a whirl out of you," and fo

pon them, still in the lead and going like a small stea

rt, drew up within a hoe-handle len

an hold him," cried Cameron, a

ow him and you," and with an accession

t you, I guess," he exulted, and, with a whoop and

observing the combatants and

e Tim, whose work was without flaw, moved again to the front place. There remained half a drill to be done and the issue was still uncertain. With half the length of a hoe handle between them the two clicked along at a furious pace. Tim's hat had fallen off. His face showed white and his breath was coming fast, b

it being, as the latter remarked, "quitting time anyway," and were following

eed had shaken the lad's nerve. But Cameron's voice steadied him, and, quickly responding, Tim

boy, steadying him now and then with a quiet word, then, recognising that the crisis of the struggle was

f supply he called up an unsuspected reserve of strength and speed and, still keeping up his clean cutting finished style, foot by foot he drew away from Perkins, who

's voice, who, unperceived, had come into the field. Tim's reply was a l

shin'-on this-dril

d and, after a few moments of further struggle, threw down his hoe with a whoop and called out, "Quitting

kicking, squirming, and trying to

ron. The tone in his voice

with an oath, dropping the boy a

n this race and he mustn't be interfered with," replied

have hurled himself at the man who stood smiling quietl

enquired, recognising tha

nt, Sir, in the form of a race," repli

n with diplomatic skill. Then turning to Perkins, as if dismissing a trivial subject, he added, "Looks to me as if that hay in the lower meadow is pretty nigh fit to cut. Guess we'd better not wait till next week. You best start Tim on that with the mower in the morn

in his tone, "and what's more, Tim, you're a sport. I'd li

freckles. For a time he stood silently contemplating

ith a sharp intake of his breath, "I was awful near quittin'," and then, looking straight into Cameron's eyes, "It was you done it, and-I-won't fo

tood voiceless, but he needed no words. Cameron knew well the passionate emotion that thrilled his soul and shook the slight body, trembling under his hand. For Tim, too, it had been a notable day. He had ach