Lady Merton, Colonist

elaine

of Simpson at his elbow. They were both standing in the spacio

uld you please wait for her, and take her to see the place where the emigra

ormation, and then sat down in a comfortable c

agitations and perils of the sink-hole. Philip had gone at once to bed and to slumber. Lad

affairs and of a certain crisis to which, in his own belief, he had now brought them. In the first place, he could not get over his astonishment at finding himself where he was. The very aspect of th

h for him; and neither in the States nor in Canada had he so far seen anything which would of itself have drawn him away from his Cumberland house

eat mark behind him; but where other men talk of "the household of faith," he might have talked rather of "the household of letters," and would have seen himself as a warm and familiar sitter by its hearth. A new edition of some favourite classic; his weekly Athen?um; occasional correspondence with a French or Italian scholar--(he did not read German, and disliked the race)--these were his pleasures. For the rest he was the landlord of a considerable estate, as much of a sportsman as his position required, and his Conservative politics did not include any sympathy f

onounced him interesting and "a dear." His manners were generally admired, except by captious persons who held that such a fact was of itself enough to condemn them; and he was welcome in many English and some foreign circl

ripple of talk had begun to flow through the district. Delaine, very fastidious where personal dignity was concerned, could not make up his mind either to be watched or laughed at. He would have liked to woo--always supposing that wooing ther

, in order that he might attend a celebration at Harvard University in honour of a famous French Hellenist, who had covered himself with glory in Delaine's eyes by identifying a number of real sites with places mentioned in the Odyssey. Nobody, however, knew but himself, that,

le to them that he should go with them through the Rockies. The proposal was most natural. The Delaines and Gaddesdens had been f

he Rockies. They could not unfortunately offer him sleeping room in the car. But by day Lady Merton hoped he would be their guest, and share all thei

she must put it, of course.

nvestigating the latest Greek acquisitions of the Louvre, or the last excavation in the Forum; picnicking in the Campagna

ype, its tramcars and crowded sidewalks. The muddy roadway, the gaps and irregularities in the street fa?ade, the windows of a great store oppo

elf, with a smile. The prospect made him all the more pleasantly conscious

here y

ried toward him, a

epted midway by a tall man

ree o'clock," said the interloper.

y! And th

rson ran through the list, and Elizabeth laugh

peg. Arrived this morning--and going this evening! So g

id Delaine,

y delightful party!--in our car this afternoon. We are to go and see a great farm belonging to some fri

"Charming!" His gaze ran ove

eth. "His cakes are a strong point"; she turned

out in forty minutes. You s

does.

ng you wish," said

listened. Who on earth was this new acquaintance of Lady Merton's? Some person she had met in the train apparently, and

ine," the Canadian was saying. "He is going to be a great man some day. But if y

perhaps excessive politeness. "What sort of

e speaker, as it wer

a French-Canadian," he said, r

see," cried Elizabeth.

He loves England--or says he

. "But, I see--I am not to talk to him abou

m sure he will want to behave himsel

y hoped he might l

as possible, don't we?"

Anderson. The note of sarcasm had returned to his clear voice

e Delaine was conscious of surprise that an

. I know you are most kind, in wi

nies?" put in Delaine. Again his smil

izabeth, looking at Anderson; "Canada, Mr.

ed Delaine, with an amus

Then, turning to Lady Merton, he rapidly went th

r. For this morning you are pr

elaine would take her round; a

e across him?" asked Delaine, a

Philip, you know, is no use at all. But Mr. Anderson seems to know everybody--gets everything done. Instead of sending my letters round this morning he telephoned to

abitants might be glad of distractions. He also begged--with a slight touch

't you feel that we must get the natives to guide us--to put us in

before--all her personal possessions and accessories seemed to him perfection. Yes!--but he meant to go slowly, for both their sakes. It seemed fitting and right, however, at this point that he should express his great pleasure and gratitude in being allowed to join them. Elizabeth replied simply, without any embarrassment that could be seen. Yet secretly both were conscious that something was on its trial, and that more was in front o

incessantly about persons and incidents connected with the

he expedition to Horace's farm? You recollect the little girl there--the daughter of the Dutch Min

names rolled out, and the speaker gre

the business streets, round the park, and the residential suburb rising along the Assiniboine, as they plunged through seas of black mud to look at the little old-fas

jolly things lately at Porto D'A

mother married, there was nothing here but an outpost in the wilderness!--a few scores of people! One just hears this c

elaine, drily. "Is Winnipeg going to b

igration Offices," laugh

e her way into the groups of home-seekers crowding round the clerks and counters of the lower room--English, Americans, Swedes, Dutchmen, Galicians, French Canadians. Some men, indeed, who were actually hanging over maps, listening to the directions and i

belonging to the primitive earth-life--and herself, there seemed to be some sudden intuitive sympathy which bewildered him; whether she talked to some Yankee farmer from the Dakotas, long-limbed, lantern-jawed, all the moisture dried out of him by hot summers, hard winters, and long toil, who had come over the border with a pocket full of money, the proceed

ulsed her. The high official who took them through, lingered over the process, busy as the morning was, all for the beaux yeux of Elizabeth; an

interesting!" said D

the perfunctoriness of the tone, and the hypocrisy

e showed he

er tone was quiet, he

good many emigrations in its day!" rem

fted h

re one sees it all--all, at once!--as a great march--the march of a new people to its home. Fifty years ago, wolves and bears, and buffaloes--twelve years ago even, the great movement had n

subdued, but there was a tremor in it. D

come of it? Numbers and size aren't

and said softly, as though she could not help it, "'

beth Merton he had yet to know. No trace of her

dian!" he sai

tor. We see the drama--we feel it--much more than they can who are in it.

anadian

beth

htly. "So few do. But I think he does. Oh, dear--dear!--

and he found a lady preoccupied. Canada, it seemed, was to be

e looked forward gloomily to a dull afternoon, in ques