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Loraque le document eat trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul clich*, il est film* A partir de Tangle aupArieur gauche, de gauche it droite. et da haut en baa, ^n prenant le nombre d'imagea niceaaaire. Lea diagrammes suivants illuatrent le mithode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■^6^L^i^k^.^'\. ^i&:.'im:^m^ f ^Xm^f^ i.a*ii ,1 ijAHu&isp^gipftfej^j MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TIST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) ^ /APPLIED IIVHGE Inc ^^ 1653 Eost Main Stmt B'JS Rochester, N«» York 14609 USA •-as (716) 482 - OJOO - Phone ^B (716) 28B - 3989 - Fox JANET OF KOOTENAY EVAH McKOWAN Ut .u-^ I .'-■.<^» iiilCi T •• .*n 'WT^^TS JANET OF KOOT ENAY EVAH McKOWAN r^'10^A •}%.^' '£/r. f9m^BUJ^4 JANET OF KOOTENAY LIFE, LOVE, AND LAUGHTER IN AN ARCADY OF THE WEST BY EVAH McKOWAN McClelland & stewart publishers : : toronto J -: i^fi^i ;-■ t 'r H' Copyright, 1919, By George H. Doran Company 8bOZ3? Printed in the United States of America mm JANET OF KOOTENAY JANET OF KOOTENAY Kootenay Valley, March the first. JJear Nan : Veni. Vidi. Purchaci. My cherished dream is realised: I own a fruit tarm. Not that you, whose rolling prairie wheat would be indmed to call the place that I have bought a farm at all. A beautiful bit of forest primeval would be more nearly your description ot It and, not havmg my robust imagination, you would never be able to visualise, as I do, the most I loved British Columbia the minute I had crossed the divide. Crowning the summit, the peaks of Crow's Nest Mountain and the Three Sis ers were lit with the dawn rays of a sun ^haUvould not be visible to me for another Z As the train windows revealed an unfoldin- panorama o '^Mountains high with lakes close b^ and mighty forest trees," I knew why I had gotten '^il '•': 'T'^te; 8 JANET OF KOOTENAY 80 restless on the ranch. I had been starved— just starved for scenery. McGregor was awaiting me at the train. Two rather nice looking hotels were in sight and I in- quired of him which would be my better choice. He at once advanced a number of reasons why I would not care to stop at either of them, and said that it was the invariable custom for a young woman to seek a private home. Without more ado, he led me home to his wife, who was all ready for me. She furnished some objections to the hotels that he had missed, and added : "Besides, my dear, they charge such outrageous prices. Three dollars a day! You'll like it so much better here and I can do it for two fifty a day as well as not." You might mention that to Mrs. Gilpin at the Fort. She has been trying to get up the courage to put her rates up to one twenty-five a day for two years. However, I was thankful afterward to have been put on my guard by the opening number. Having nothing to do that afternoon, a state quite common with liim, I should imagine, Mc- Gregor offered to drive me round to see his "prospects." He got out and dusted up the grandiloquent air that he had used wuen British Columbia Farm lands were sold by the pound, with no price too high to ask. i JANET OF KOOTENAY 9 He drove me first to a place with about forty acres of well grown trees. The place pleased me mightily as an orchard, but no one could possibly have evolved a home out of the big bare house that was set baldly on the crest of a hill, and McGregor seemed disinclined to knock off three thousand or so-he said the hou.e had cost that— so that I could burn it down and build a home. What I want," I told him, -is a small and artistic house with vines and trees about." I produced his advertisement with the picture of the small log house buried in vines, with rows of trees stretching into the dim distance. "Oh, that," he said. ''That place is not for sale." "But the picture is here, and under it the words, 'farms for sale.' " "Um, yes. Doubtless you could buy it if you had money enough. Forty or fifty thousand, say. But that picture is there merely to show what can be done with British Columbia soil. Under- stand?" "But the advertisement doesn't say that " He Ignored this triviality. "IVe the selling of some mighty fine places," he said, -and if you'll just give me an idea of how much cash you got along " I ^rew wary at this and interrupted him : ' * There i« only one word in your prospectus that 18 responsible for my coming here, and that is this, s?"' ;_» 10 JANET OF KOOTENAY 'bargains.' If you will show me first anything you have that you would put under that heading, I can decide at once and will likely be able to get back on to-morrow's train." He sat up and pulled himself together. The prospect of losing a long wanted buyer and a well paying boarder at one fell swoop seemed to stir his latent conmion sense. "Wo looked at farms with young orchards and at farms with full bearing treos ; some which had splendid water and some none. But always it seemed that, no matter how many the attractions, there would be something to bar them from being eligible. Usually it was the house. ''Why/' I asked him, "have they all cut down and destroyed enough logs to make an artistic home, in keeping with the surroundings, and then put up a frame house and pamted it an atrocious colour? And why have they not left trees for shade and protection?" Before he had discovered a suitable reason for all this we had turned a corner, and there, before my very eyes, was the house of my dreams. Built of logs it was, with a roof of shakes, and half hidden in a group of poplars that was a miniature park. "Drive in," I commanded. "This is my home. I don't care what it costs." "It's not for sale, Miss. Not at any price." "Of course not," I said, despondently, " any one JANET OF KOOTEXAY u with sense enough to build a place like that would have sense enough to keep it." It was my disappointment in this matter that prepared me to consider his next idea "Tell you what," he said, -what you want is w-ild land. I've an eighty at the foot of Goat Mountain that would jue^. suit you. It has trees of every sort and you could leave them standing where and how you like when you clear the lana. It has P good mountain stream too. Between you and mo, it's no good buying a place without good water, ' ' But, ' ' I demurred, ♦ ' that all takes time, break- mg wild land and growing orchard." "Oh yes, some. But when it's done it's your home; not one built by any one. And :ou can clear up pretty fast-if you have the cash." "Is It a bargain?" I asked. -And how about taxes on this sort of thing?" This last was added to remind him that he was paying taxes on a great deal of property, and that It would be very nice to have this off his hands before the June payments fell due : not to mention having this money to pay them with. Wasn 't that subtle I I believe that I would make an a^^ent myself. ° We inspected the eighty. Trees there were, as he said— m plenty. I wondered if it ever could be cleared. He explained that land that is fertUe enough to grow mammoth trees, giant ferns and 12 JANET OF KOOTENAY i I I 1 brakes and a wild luxuriance of all undergrowth, is just as willing, when placed in harness, to grow superb fruit trees, raspberry canes and tomato vines. **How much?" I asked when we oamo again to the place where his horse waited. He lit his pipe for time to think. "The time was, not so very long ago, when I wouldn't have taken two hundred an acre for this piece." "Good-ni/z/iH" I said, climbing into the buggy. "Hold on! Peter Gordon, on tho next place here offered me one hundred an acre over a year ago ' I sat down hard and tucked the robe about me. "Make me an offer, then," ho said. Not for nothing had I been making every man on the train talk fruit farm. Most of the train- men owned a bit of land themselves and their in- formation had helped me a great deal. "The back twenty is nothing but hillside pas- ture. That's worth twenty -five an acre." "Forty." "No. Twenty-five. That males five hundred. For the remaining sixty I will pay fifty an acre. That makes three thousand. Thirty-five hundred altogether. Take it or leave it." "Seventy-five straight is rock bottom," he re^ monstrated. "Thirty-five hund.od: cash." JANET OF KOOTENAY 13 vallJy!' '' ''"'* "^ *"'"'" ^'''' °^ ^^^'^ ^'^ in the "Cash," I said. '•That four or five acres over by Gordon's fence that was cleared by a squatter once is worth a couple of hundred to any one." "Thirty-five hundred." iJJr "'■•' ""^y " •"'"■""'o from a shipping aid- "Cash." I noted that even- time I 8,ii,l thi. word, his .yes would brigll-n TnvoZfaH^ tl,rf,"' " "'.''' ""y "'«■'• A cool thousand for the stream; twenty-five hundred for thehmd " »!,„ "'""«/"'-'" ^oh length and depth that I though he must have fallen asleep Onee 1 , glanced around carefully vo see if there were any signs of relenting in my face. I saw to "rat th.re were none. So, finally, with a wren<^ tha wori l-y 'he magio of the ''When can you pay itf " he asked. mo,-ning."" "" """^ '*" ^' ""= '■""'^ "P^" i" tue It will be useless for me to try to desorihs t„ 70U, as I would Uke to, my place or its sTround! 14 JANET OF KOOTENAY » ; i 1 ings. Those four years on the prairie must have dried up the fount of my exchimatory raptures, although I remember that you always managed to retain yours, and to use thcin often for sunsets, dawns and oilier times of exciti>mont. However, devoid of colouring, here is its geo- graphical situation, as Miss Botts used to say. It is one of a row of small farms, each of eighty acres or so, and, all but mine, all or partially cleared, that are backed up, like a row of parked automobiles, against the foot of Ooat Mountain. Thuse face, looking south, on the new National Automobile Highway between Halifax and Van- couver. It is only an afternoon's ride to Ralph Connor's Black liock; and the graveyard where the men, who died of typhoid in the construction camp, are buried, is only over a hill or two. The great Kootenay flats, the reclamation of which we have heard talked of so often, are only three or four miles away, and the whole valley is like a huge bowl, the edges of which are serried ranks of blue hills, crowned with snow. The land itself could be divided into four square lilocks of twenty acres, each one back of the other. Th ^ front has a small knoll, on the top of which T!iy house will stand. The sccord twenty is rather low and should make ideal celery ground, with its moist black earth. The third block, sloping up- ward again, was 'mrely made for peach orchard JANET OP KOOTENAY 15 and kindred crops, and the back, as I said, ig niorely hillside pasture. And there are neighbors, Nan; neighbors aJI about Standing on my little knoll, I can count eight houses within the radius of a mile. You may indeed be able, from the top of your windmill, to declare yourself monarch of all you survey, but it will bo of men. c(.mr<,rt to mcswhenevoningfalls.to see the twinkling lights of co-monarchs all about. The place immediately opposite mine is owned by a Mrs. and Mr. Good. That is the way Mc- Gregor said it. I said that I hoped I would like her. She looked a motherly soul from a distance —wore a sunbonnet and all that. He said he hoped that she would like me. My neighbour on the left, as I look south, is a Captam teuton, a returned soldier, away now T^i^'^l?' ^"^ *''^ "'^^-^ '' t^^ Peter Gordon that McGregor mentioned. Both are bachelors. I am sure of the possibilities of at least one neignbour-Goat Mountain. I am in love with it already and shall lose no time in getting to be on mtimate terms with its trees and fiowers, its little ravines and glades, even, I hope, its top. And now I must post this and find out thj quick- est way to get my land cleared and ready for ac- tion. It seems a crime to mutilate it. Your erstwhile discontented, but now animated and happy Janet Kirk. i ! t i. ! My dear Nan: This is being written beneath my own vine and fig tree, or, to be more explicit, beneath my own cedar tree. The man who is to build my house has put a floor and part wall to my tent, also a window and door. So we are quite comfortable, Bingo and I. He contributes to my sense of se- curity by sleeping on the mat inside the tent door. I have bought only a few absolute necessities for use till you send my things along. Mrs. McGregor's regret at losing me was touch- ing. I will not include Bingo in this as she thor- oughly hated him. She said she had quite ex- pected me to stay at least a month and had gone to considerable expense in the matter. What the expense had been she did not mention. Had I remained, I could have easily suggested more to her — a lamp for instance, for my room that would make a light. She even offered to make it two dollars a day to help me out. I did not mention that it was the two fifty a day that had really helped me out. I have selected the spot for my house. They will begin excavating the minute the frost is out of the ground— probably in a few days, if these sunny southern breezes continue. When a warm, 16 •i JANET OF KOOTENAY 17 soft wind such as this blows over the Three Bar, it is a Chinook. Here, it is natural, early March weather, quite to be taken for granted. The contractor has his tool shed up and, before commencing the house, is going to get the build- mgs ready for my venture into the realms of poultry. He will build four combination brooder and colony houses, the four to be set in a square for brooding and heated with burners from one gasoline tank. Later they will be set in a row and used as colony houses. I have ordered one thousand baby chicks from Spokane, White Wyandottes. Will not these droves of snow-white fowl be artistic, roving through the orchards of *'Arcady." Yes, that is what I have named my place. Do you not think it a fitting one for the embodiment of my dreams of a pastoral life? And oh, the plans I make for Arcady, here in the evenings by my student's lamp, with Bingo asleep at my feet— except when he gets up, boredly, to go for my wool ball that has rolled into an obscure corner— plans for my orchard, my garden, my house, my chickens, a dairy herd per- haps Speaking of plans, the only fixed one that I had before coming here was that my little home must be of logs- yes, certainly of logs, with vines all about. You cannot have forgotten all I had to say about that. Well, it turns out that a log %1 36 JANET OF KOOTENAY house, decently made, is an expensive affair, and that very special knowledge and skill is required in its making. At least, such is the opinion of Mr. James, the only contractor in the valley. He refused, point- blank, to be bothered with one. However, he drove me to see a quaint little place he had just completed, sided up and down and topped with a roof of shakes. Could I have my house covered all over with the shakes?" I asked him. **You could if you could get the shakes. " "How does one get shakes?" Most people hereabouts have made their own. Cut them from blocks oi cedar with a long knife struck with a hammer." "Then, if that is all, I will have them." Have you ever seen shakes. Nan? They are huge cedar shingles that weather, in time, to every beautiful shade of brown. I have decided to make my own, enough for the whole house. To begin this I shall need my team, for the cedar blocks must be hauled from the river bot- tom. So, will you send along Molly and Dexter. I shall get the men busy on their stable at once. Also there was a plow, harrow, cultivator and wheelbarrow— I have almost forgotten what all. Send me the old mower. The farmers here put up the wild hay that grows on the river flats for winter feed, and of course I must be in the swim. m^x^!^: I! JANET OF KOOTENAY if You may send an ext a plow, now that you are going into tractors, and I think that, with my bit of furniture, should almost fill the car. Send the big blue davenport and charge it to your next payment. It never fitted your room anyhow; I shall build mind around it. I hope all this will not trouble you too much. Just remem- ber that there is a Christmas turkey in it, also strawberries, tomatoes and such things all down through the years. I have seen the manager of the Canyon Mills about buymg my timber. He was glad to get it and will put men at cutting it this week. I im- pressed on him the necessity of haste. The tim- ~)cr IS to be exchanged for lumber for the house and barn, which seems like money from home. Very much love, also thanks from Jaket. !i^ic"l| Arcady, March 15th. Dear Nan : Here arrives another Sunday Budget. You may expect one each week, posted Monday morn- ings. I shall be too busy to write week days, if all I gather of market garden work is true. To-day has been most exciting. Have met two of my neighbours. I begun the day by washing my hair— not a minute before it needed it. Then I was busy making Bingo miserable for company by scrubbing him when a knock came at thj tent door. **Why, my neighbour," I exclaimed. "Won't you come in?" But Mrs. Good, her eyes accusing, was staring in stupefaction at my costume. "Yes, Nan, I am doing what I had threatened- dressing for my work. Overalls I don't like, so I simply wear my riding breeches and leggings and a leather-trimmed khaki blouse. Personally, I think it both sensible and becom- ing, but my visitor seemed to be simply bereft of breath by the brazenness of it all. "Then, is there something I can do for you?" I asked. Then she found her voice. 20 11 JANET OF KOOTENAY 21 ;*I was going to ask you to go in to church with me." Her frigid tone said plainly that no female who shamelessly answered her door without a skirt would get an invitation of any kind from her. ''But," she went on, ''as I see you're busy, 1 II merely say good-morning." Down through the trees she marched, her back radiatmg self-righteousness. She gave vent to her outraged propriety and to her especial brand of Christianity by hitting her patient old horse smartly with the whip. Well, it had to come, I suppose. I intend to do a man's work on my farm; I intend to dress so that I can do it and I cannot see how I can be hidden, camouflaged or smoke-screened from the gaze of sensitive-souled neighbours all the time. Only this. Nan: put not your trust in sunbon- nets. They may conceal any kind of a face. One by one our young illusions vanish. Then, with my hair still blowing, I went to the spring for water. The "spring" is really a sand- bottomed well, scooped out where the stream drops over a log, right on the border between Captain Fenton's place and mine. The poplars and balm of gilead will soon be adding their fragrance to that of the woodsy moss about the spring. With only a little effort of my imagination I get the odor of violets and mayfloweis. Just as I dipped in my pail, a lazy English voice 22 U HI 4' - n : JANET OF KOOTENAY I almost let the thing float so startled me that down the stream. "I say, are my eyes playing tricks with me?" it said. I looked all about but could see no one. **I wonder about my cars?" I mused. Then the owner of the voice made himself vis- ible. A cane hung on his arm and he was putting in his pocket a book that he had been reading iu the warm sun as he sat on a log. "Your ears are excellent, it would seem. Miss "Wood-nymph." ** 'Miss Kirk' would be more accurate, not to say suitable," I said. "And my name is Fenton. I am your neigh- bour." "I know," I said. "I didn't know you were back, but I know all about you. Mrs. McGregor told me about my neighbours." "All of us?" ' ^o, you and Peter. She left me unprepared for Mrs. Good." "But you are prepared for Peter and me?" "Oh, yes. Peter is afraid of women. Afraid some siren will ensnare him sometime.' "Ha! And Fenton?" "Oh, he was a reservist and rushed home at the beginning of the war. He won a D.S.O. at the Marne." "He doesn't sound to be so profoundly inter- JANET OF KOOTENAY 23 esting as th« other. But he is interested. He ad- mires your pluck in tackling a farm alone, also your good sense in the costume you wear. All my neighbours do not." Goods?'''"''^ "^'^^ amusement in the direction of "More than likely not. But then, the road of progress is always blocked with well-meaning peo- ple, valiantly trying to uphold old traditions." Just l.ero the Captain's mount, a big and shiny black bast With a smartly cropped mane, came to the stream for water. He was duly presented tti'hr ^^"^^""'-r ^-^--"^ tlfe introdu' tion, he srifted inquiringly about the pockets of his master's worn but well-fitting tweeds. No sugar lumps, Midnight. Highlv unpatri- otic these days. Ask the lady if she would ifke to ride you sometimes." ''She would, indeed," the ladv replied. lie inquired if I had met Peter. I said I had not, and asked him to even matters up by tellinc. he man that I was a man-hater of the most viru! lent type. I' Young woman," he inquired sternly, -are vou asking a British officer to tell a lie?" ' ' ITmm -m, we-ell ' ' ^br?A' ^^? .^?"*'' ^" ^^^^^t. And doubtless .he statement will be more than welcome, allaving apprehensions and all that." ' Before we parted he offered to hplp me at any it% ■■rom 24 JANET OF KOOTENAY I i points where the intricacies of gardening proved to be too much for me. I noticed that, as he led Midni;?ht back to his stable, he used his cane and was quite lame, almost as though he might wear an artificial limb. I wonder. Arcady has fairly hummed with activity during the last week. The bushmen have felled several of the trees. It is fascinating to see the tall green monarchs sway a moment then come crashing to the earth. Especially so to Bingo. I have to hold him every time or his fine calculations would place him in the exact spot where the trunk falls heaviest. The fragrance stirred up by the falling spruce and f r is so evergreeny and Christmasy. Mr. James has the barn well along. He is rush- ing things as it is easier to get the needed men before they must commence work on their own land. Am hoping that Dexter and Molly will ar- rive in a day or so. The only other thing that I can think of is the purchase of a cow and calf. Remembering the one we bought in Fort Weyne, I was determined that this cow, whatever she cost, should have no faults. With this in mind, I went to Worth's— I bought her of a very eloquent Mr. Worth — and escorted the boy who was sent to bring her home. She came willingly on being called. That was unlike our Minerva. She stood quietly while being JANET OF KOOTENAY 26 « although I walked about her constantly and allowed Bingo to do so too. This had always dnven Minerva into fits. Then I milked a while and she is easy to milk. Mr. Worth showed me that she had filled a twelve quart pail to the brim I marvelled a bit that a pail that I have that is exact y the same size only holds .ight quarts, but that discrepancy of course was not Betsy's So I bought her; seventy dollars. Can one get a Jersey cow, a good milker, with all those virtues and a calf for seventy dollars? 1 really seem to have. The calf has been named William. This will indicate to you that it will not grow up to join the dairy herd that I sometimes dream of. However William may pasture about here till he grows up trom untimely veal into patriotic beef. Your friend, and also that of the food controller, Janet K. I Wi £^^ 'fi^. iSSR \ t W i\: Arcady, March the twenty-second. Dearest Nan : Your letter came last nij?ht, otherwise these budgets had been suspended. I note that my accounts of my new surround- ings have not moved you to the slightest envy; that you still think it the height of human bliss to ride out and out in the crisp morning air across the level prairie to meet the sunrise. Fancy one's riding to meet a sun thr.t comes up in the prosaic way that it does about Fort Weynel You should see the sunrise here in the mountains ! Sometimes when, in half-awake forgetfulness of where I am, I glance from my window to ste whether the prairie dawn has decided to be blue- gray-pink or yellow-gold, my breath is almost taken by the sight of the hills and clouds all sifted through with wonder colours. The hilltops looking my way are frowning purple ; the facets to the south-east, smiling gold. My own personal sunbeams are, at this moment, stealthily climbing up behind the Canyon lull. Then, all of a sudden, they arc over on the top of Goat Mountain, crowTiing it with opal and dispel- ling its white-cloud night-cap. This done, they move joyfully down to spend the day with me. 20 JANET OF KOOTENAY 27 "We unloaded the car Wednesday. MoUj and Dexter were glad to touch terra firma and seomod pleased to see me. Bingo was so delighted to 1)0 with them again that he wanted to sleep in the stahlo to-night. Everything came through in ship-shape. The furniture reposes in the hayloft for the present. A tcamless neighbour is using Molly and Dex. tor to bring \\\) cedar blocks for himself and nic. I find that it is a good idea for a woman to o\vii horses and madiiuory as she can often trade their use for work that she cannot do. The amount of trading that is done in a community where noigli- bours are plentiful and money scarce is amazing. An old man near here, whose name and nation- ality is Saundy MacPhaill, came and offered to milk and care for Betsy for a quart of milk, niglit and morning. I concealed my elation as best I could while making the bargain. The excavating of my cellar is finished. They did not find a single stone. To-morrow they com- mence the cement walls. The floor will be of cement too. It requires the very best to winter the fruits and vegetables properly, but the sprlii'- high prices make the effort and expense worlii while. Trees have been falling continuously. The knoll seems rather naked with them all lying low. I tied a white string about the trunks of those I wished left standing for shade and protection. mm.. -.-.■{M.^-, ^ ^^mx- 28 JANIOT OF KOOTENAY In front of llio house-to-bo arc four big cedars. Thoy niako a very ornamontal tree, and grow doiiHoly bushy if the tip is cut to prevent their growing liigher. I cliinbGd and cut the first one myself but found it a pretty shaky and breath-taking job so I per- suaded Cliow, a Chinaman I have engaged for the summer, to climb the second. lie pronounced that as "enough for one day" with much finality. Even my offer of an extra dollar did not move him. A youth cutting logs near at hand, seeing the dollar, came and earned it — and ho said he had earned it — by beheading number three. No fresh material being at hand, number four still brazenly flaunts its graceful tip skyward. The first valiant knight that manifests a desire to win my maidenly favour by performing some feat of gallantry ^vill be set at that stunt. Oddly enough, a woman farmer of twenty-eight, who has been a teacher, a reporter and a homesteader — all three states very hard on the coy-maiden-with- drooping-eyes attitude — is not usuar^ peaterod with sighing swains dying to do her favours. When it comes to inspiring deeds of manly valour, the kind of girl who will stand all night in a lino in front of the pre-emption office in below- zero weather, as you and I did, is not "in it" with a curly-headed, bright-complexioned young woman whose sole asset is tangley eyelashes. JANKT OF KOOTENAY soarco tlio valouMocrs, I shall always liavo Arca.Iy_at tho wost of the house I have left a Ztf:'V "'«t »..o„,od to await a h,™ o to do«^ ?• ,f 'r'.r "'" ™" "'''« 'h" I'""' '1»" goes do«„ to Iho l.ttlo si ,i„a ,,i|i „,,„ ^ 8°^^ o younK ,„,ph,rs, even though the men^assufe mo «mt It shouIJ bo cleared and dug for celery the" Celery „„ ,„^.,, ^i,,^ ^f „_.^ « there may be tmt ,t must not interfere with my trees. ^ ' popht I w 11 r' "']" "?"'"' ^'"'^ ''^y°" -"- , '\i! '° ■ -k why -u r son liad not enlisted and as fli.ngs el'om go irom bad to better i It away as soon a. ;,.^jst^.ie *'"' 'icniy I felt perverse enough to try my original scheme on n,m. I asked his advice a^ourgatcf chimneys, nursery stock and many oC thfn^' Here the experiment was more successful much I real y must write to that magazine and putThem ■.ght ,n the matter. Mr. Good followed me rX to the road and I let hiin advise me f 0^11 f tee h^rthfgetitr "^ ''' •-- -- toSLJeruSrvrLTafLtTyfud^^^ v^S wTe'"""" f ''"• ^"^ I "aUs^that a very bad beginnmg has been made. X Sffiile as I recall that Mr. Good is goin- to speak to "Charity" about having me ov "'for S" will T" '""" "'t'- "■ ^«"»^ "''>» ' ' cht comes '^"''^'"^ '"" "^^'^ t^'at time Do you get the name? Charity Good! Some- T?:v ^«?it' it « 32 JANET OF KOOTENAY what the same anomaly as t^v^ of the coloured girl I knew called Lily Snowd .. Enclosed is a ground plan of Arcady From your own Jan. Arcady, March 29. Dear ol Nan : Two thousand shakes this week; again with some assistance, although I explained that it was sure to be indelicate from the point of view across the road. Have given a man the job of putting a wire fence around Arcady. That is, across the front and back. Then, I believe that it is up to me to pa-r half of the cost of Peter's and Captain Fen- ton's line fence also. Oh yes, indeed; I remember perfectly that I had said that I would never have a wire fence on any place of mine. But I have discovered that wire is quite the cheapest and most practical fencing, so am having it— with the mitigating circumstances of rustic posts and top rails. Just inside, a Carraganda hedge will be planted, all across the front. Car'-" landa grows rapidly and rankly here. The will soon be covered. While the ^.ice man and I were laying the line, we noticed that we were followed by a small boy who seemed to be animated with a lively interest in all our doings. More than once before had I seen this same small boy observing the prog- ress of Arcady from the road, or from nearby tree-tops. 33 Zi^ TiStiiMT ■Imi ..t'i^'.,.' A-V^l 34 JANET OF KOOTENAY "What is your name, son?" I asked. *' Nicholas Albert Worth." "My word! Who calls you that?" ** Mother, sometimes. When I don't come first time. Kest o' the time I'm Nicky. You niaking- a fence?" "Yes." **Goin' to dig postholes soon?" "Yes." "Ca-n I have the lend of the fish-worms!" "Certainly. But you can't fish till May." * ' Oh well, I 'U have 'em ready. Whyn 't you cut the tip off that other cedar?" "Nicholas Worth, is it true that you can ask more questions than any other person in the val- ley? I've heard so." Nicholas grinned. * * Yes, I guess sc. Who told you? A little bird?" Here, Nicholas reading aright my intention of leaving the fence man and him to their own de- vices, dug his toe into the soft spring earth and said, almost desperately : "My mother won't ever let me go onto any one's place without being invited." "Do you want to come with me?" "You bet." TrottingT^y my side, he endeavoured to get the thing straight for home consumption. ^ * * You did invite me, didn 't you I I was standing right by that tree and you asked me in." *'? m M ■ 1 ■ III SS3 ^Tirv i^^f'.Aikh im- r 'i ^;^J j^Af . JANET OF KOOTENAY 35 "Ves, Idid." her yoTl'r^ "^ "^'^'^^ P^^^^^' ^^ ^^u tell I'l liaven't a phone yet, Nicky." "Yes." "With a big box on the waggon?" "les." ' * Was that so no one could see what was in iti Mother thought it must be." ^ m ui "You don't take your curiosity off the winrl do ,„u, Nictyj No, it wasn't lo no It loSl^ '* Was it to keep the dust out?" I saw no dust." "Was it to keep the 7riud ou*?" "No." . f''}'y ^^""^Sht for several minutes, then irazin- judicia ]y at the top of Goat Mountain,-!' ^ ^ n 1 knew what was in the inside of that box Ijouldn't ev.r tell a single soul. Cross my ''Do you realhj want to know, Nicky?" sp'Zt;"'' ""^ '"" »' ''^"y '*i'*^'« from ''Was it f How many?" 36 JANET OF KOOTENAY \^ **A whole thousand." ♦*Gee! They'll all die." "Oh, I do hope not, Nicky. Why do you say so?" ** 'Cause mother's did. And Mrs. Perry's, pretty near all. Mother says you can't raise chickens 'cept by settin' hens. Whyn't you ask my mother?" "I didn't think of it, Nicky. But I think mine will live. 'You see, I paid thirty-five cents each for two- week-old chicks instead of twenty-five for two-day-olds." "Thirty-five cents each for a whole thousand! Gee, that's a lot. Almost a hundred dollars, I guess. Will you make any 'money?" "Not if they all die." ' ' P 'raps they won 't all. Maybe just some. Any dead j^et?" "No." "Er any sick?" "A few felt a bit dumpy when we put them in the brooders, but I think they'll be all right. Do you want to see them ? ' ' * * You bet. Then can I see your horses and pet your dog?" "You can ask questions about them another day. Just a peep at my chickens now, then a cooky and off you go. ' ' He was almost as enthusiastic as I about the moving masses of fluffy yellow white bedls. We JANET OF KOOTENAY 37 inspected the thermometers in the four brooders and I let him watch me give them their rations of dry mash and skim milk. They are fed every four hours, in small amounts so that they will not overeat. When Nicky was finally in possession of his cooky, he still seemed loth to leave. Something ■was on his mind. "I crossed my h'^art, didn't If " he said at last. "Bless your heart, I don't care whom you tell about my chicks." He waited for no more, but hurried on flying feet to the merciful task of allaying home curi- osity. Thursday, Captain Fenton came and asked me to come to see his greenhouses. He has two quite big ones ; goes after it very scientifically. I didn't know what to say. "Mrs. Grundy has gone to town and won't be back till eight o'clock," he said, "if you are think- ing of her. ' ' So I went. Nan, if you could only have seen his spring bulbs I Tulips, nax'cissi, hyacinths and daffodils — a pastel colour-riot! The fragrance still hangs in my clothes. He ships a huge crate of these every day. Also he has thousands on thousands of tomato plants, cabbage, cauliflower, head-lettuce and corn ready for the first transplanting. This must be a tre- mendous job and I would have loved to offer to 38 JANET OF KOOTENAY help as nothing appeals to me like fussing with young growing things, but . Having encoun- tered already the eyes of curiosity (Mrs. Worth), suspicion (Peter), and censure (Mrs. Good) I thought it best to mind my step. ' The Captain told me that Sauudy usually helps him, had cared for it during his absence at the war and again when he was away recruiting. Just then Saundy arrived, as angels do when spoken of, and our host made tea in his den at one end of the greenhouses. This den is typical of the cultivated tastes of its owner. There were a few sketches, exquisite portrayals of lights and shades; many worn and interesting books and a lamp and some bits of oriental pottery that looked as though they might be almost priceless. Together with these were bear skins and goat heads, relics of his more recent life in Canada. If one could only make him talk about himself! However, Saundy talked lots. I liked the old Scotchman immensely. It was a very jolly party —and tea! Tlie Captain can certainly make tea. It was some Oolong blend, of a fragrance that beggars description. When Saundy had gone, my neighbour got me an exquisite pot of hyacinths, a book on hotbed culture together with a timetable for the planting of the various crops, and walked home with me. The conversation touching once on Peter I ^f^ms^m^is^vm^mms^m .■I--, ('h JANET OF KOOTENAY 39 asked if he had been told that our neighbourly regard was mutual. It seems he had. "But I am afraid that he still remains to be convinced." ''What did he say, exactly," I asked. •'He said, 'time will tell, time will tell* " "I shall SCO that it does then," I said. "Did ho tell you to beware?" Caught suddenly, ho only laughed. "I shall lavo co allay his fears on that score too, then." "No, I did that. Told him that matrimonial de- sis-ns on tlie part of young women is one of the tilings a remnant soldier is exempt from How- ever," ho went on, -there is one thing that is not barred him, and he needs them more than ever That IS friends. I am so glad to have found a good one in you. I'll come to-morrow and show Chow about the hotbeds." Later, in the niglit, his words "matrimonial de- signs on the part of young women" came back to me and drove away sleep. Had he acquired the same idea that Peter was credited with— that I was on the rane' with the idea of securing a home- maker from somewhere in the neighbourhood? I alternated between fits of fury at his telling me that there was no use in having designs on a remnant soldier-although he had not really said that, and certainty that he was too well-bred to harbour such a thought. 40 JANET OF KOOTENAY At times r thought of getting up and writing to Lester Owon that he might send along that sdi- taire, that he says is all ready to mail when a fruit farm falls through, but a latent decency re- mmded me that an engagement ring should have perquisites other than those of removing suspi- cions of my motives. However, I decided that in future I would bo well on the safe side. After a careful study of the hotbed instructions, I had Chow understand- ingly busy at them, when, fairly early the next morning, Captain Fenton came over. I* Eh, what?" he said in some surprise. •♦The book you so kindly loaned me is very lucid, 80 I find I needn't trouble you at all " "Ah!" Have you ever noticed that that one small word can contain whole paragra,^hs at times? And somehow, ni , r he had gone I didn't feel the sati - faction I had expected to at all. Soon after noon he saw mo getting water and came to the spring, a determination in his face that there was no escaping. ** There was some reason for your manner this morning," he said quietly. -Don't you think I have a right to ask what it was?" Sidestepping seemed to be out of the question so I faced him. '♦You think exactly as Peter does." For a long moment he looked at mo in absolute JANET OF KOOTENW 41 stupofaotion, then when he had g. asped my mean- ing he walked across the log bridge and came close to mo in a manner that positively bordered on ferocity. ' ' You— provoking— little ' ' What I was I shull never find out, for at this moment my faithful Bingo attempted to forestall any bodily harm to me by slipping round and nipping my supposed antagonist in the heel— his lame heel. You remember how he always flew at you the moment you seemed to be getting the best of a wrestling match or scrap. "Even if you don't beat that infernal beast, which I think you should do," he said in some heat, "you might at least look sorry." "But how can I? You must remember that Bingo is my sole defender. If you treat me with a proper respect, you and he will be friends. Be- sides,— I thought you wore an artificial limb— I'm glad to know that you do not." "I'm Borry not to share your joy in either case." ''Not T" * ' Not, ' ' he interrupted me. ' * My knee will never bend again. So I can never again pick my straw- berries, scrub ray floors or say my prayers. A wooden leg nowadays can do all sorts of tricks. But never mind that. About this other. Where under heaven did you get such a notion? What have I said — or done?" xm(t:m:tJ^ 42 JANKT OF KOOTENAY << Vou- »f Really, my reasons, when summoned before those disconcerting eyes seemed extraordinarily banal. As I remained silent, he went on. "Why, I've thought of you as some modem goddess of youth, health and courage. It can't be that I have given any reason for your thinking me a bounder like that." "But," I objected, "Peter is not considered a bounder; merely a man of perspicacity." "Never mind Peter. If you will not tell me what I have done, then perhaps you will tell me what I can do." "You can forgive me, if you will. I'm thor- oughly ashamed. And I would like very much to be your friend." lie took my proffered hand in both his, and Bingo jumped about to show that his absolution had been granted. In a day or two you will receive a pot each of daffodils, tulips and hyacinths; Captain Fcnton's own idea. Next year I intend to liave a green- house, but one cannot do everything first year, liut 1 have three hotbeds. One for flowers; the others for lettuce, cross, radishes an.l onions for table use. My garden stock I shall buy from my neighbour's greenhouse this year. Bingo sends gilt-edged regards Janet Kiek. ^''■:h^ •c^-y Arcady, April 5th. Dear Nan : My lo^s are Rono. Tlioro seemed to be piles of them everywhere and 1 tliou^lit it would take weeks to move them, but they sent a bij,' tractor; three days it came, two trips a day, four loads a trip, and all were j^one. I kept a biff pile of the small logs, on the back forty, ami in the winter shall have a machine como and cut them into wood. It is the thinjjj to do here. A gans? commenced clearin;;: Thursday. I gave a man the contract of clearing and plowing tlio front forty,— to be finished by the first of May. lie gets forty dollars an acre. They are slashing the underbrush and piling for burning. Then there are stumps to be blasted. It will probably be lively about here for a while. This morning I had the pleasure of another visit from Nicky. He came at nine o'clock, just as I was at breakfast. "You asked me back, didn't youf" he asked almost before I had the door open. "I'm glad to see you, Nicky." "Mother says I can stay while she gets ready for church, if I don't get into a single bit of dirt. I'm a bother round home when I get dressed up. What you doing?" 43 44 JANET OF KOOTENAY "How did you know that I wouldn't be getting ready for church too?" " 'Cause you don't go." "To church?" "Naw. And I wish I was a lady fanner so I could do as Hike." "But I do go to church. '* "Here?" "Perhaps not here yet. I've only been here a few weeks and the mud makes walking hard. I haven't a horse like your mother for driving in to church." "Did you go where you were before?" "Yes. We went to the schoolhouse on Tuesday evenings, and sometimes some of the neighbours drove us to town in their cars on Sunday even- *ngs." **Did you have neighbours that was bachelors there?" * * There were some. Why ? ' ' "Then why did you move here?" "You didn't think it was because the neighbours were bachelors, Nicky?" "Um-hum. Sure. Or else you'd have bought a cleared place somewhere." So, that is what they think ; for assuredly that small boy had not been the originator of that idea. But that information was extra — not at all what Nicky had really come to tell me. After we had fed the chickens, he led me with JANET OF KOOTENAY 45 great secrecy to the "sumpin* '* that he wanted to show me. "We skirted round the cleared place in deference to Nicky's Sunday boots, and not till we were close by Peter's fence did he pause. ** There," he said. "Did you know you had them?" After a search among the tangle of neglected grass I discovered that what I "had" was four quite long rows of strawberiy plants. It looked as though they had strayed through the fence from Peters big patch, but Nicky explained that they had been planted by the man who had built the shack. I think that my delight at finding them must have satisfied even Nicky. I expect the plants are old and will need coddling, but fancy my hav- ing fruit of my very own this year! Here an unmistakable whistle summoned Nicky, so he hustled off, leaving me with sufficient mate- rial for a Sunday morning's contemplation. A nurseryman called about trees yesterday. Mr. Good had sent him. He made a plan of my land, with the distances apart and all that, for planting, also with the best spots for each variety marked. He had the most gorgeous pictures of fruit which he says cannot nearly do justice to what will grow in Arcady. I gave him an order which includes, beside every variety of apple, peaches, pears, grapes, cherries, plums, raspberries, currants, and straw- 46 JANET OF KOOTENAY berries, also some Virginia creeper and Dutch- man's Pipe vines. Ornamental trees I do not need. He compli- mented me on my sense in keeping such a good selection. I saw Captain Fenton at the well to-day. He says he gets frighfully thirsty some days, waiting to get his water till he sees me getting mine. We talked of Albermarle— that is the name of his place— and Arcady. I noticed a slight frown of worry in his eyes as I waxed eloquent over my plans for my place. Several times I have caught the expression and wondered, so this time I asked outright. **Why should I look worried over your ex- ploits?" he countered. "That is what I am asking you." ''Then," he said, after studying my face un- certainly for a moment, ''I'll tell you. I've been wondering if you realised how much all this is costing you." "Let's see," I said; "about forty a day fo: clearing. Twenty or more a day for building; two twenty-five a day for the Chinaman; some- thing like two to feed those greedy chickens, and a few more for horses, cow. Bingo, incidentals and myself. And I spent two hundred fifty on trees to-day." "Oh well, then. As long as you know. I thought— you know it mounts up horribly— that JANET OF KOOTENAY 47 you might think this the same as a prairie propo- sition. And I've wondered— if you get in a tight hole— I've a bit I am not using— would you think " ^ "You are very good," I said, ''but, thanks to a timely railroad in Saskatchewan, and four good crops there, I am on easy street- that is, if this does not keep up too long. But I am not urging other girls to try it as I had intended doing. How would a girl with small capital, as I had when I went to the prairie, do here? There are other women farmers round here; how do they do it?" "Let's see. Mrs. Crofts, the widow, used her husband's life insurance. Two ex-teachers over on Elm Creek insured their own lives and bor- rowed on that. Miss Ladds and M: s DeForest are business women of some kind and only spend the summer here. Some have not confided their schemes in me but doubtless they have them. I think most women buy a cleared place and make payments, but at any rate, few of them storm at it in the way that you do. Forty acres cleared the first year is breaking the record." Bo you listen to that. Nan I Instead of making a failure of fruit farming as you and Lester so glibly prophesied, I am breaking the record in the first lap. I am glad to know that my making shakes im- pressed you all properly. They went a little 48 JANET OF KOOTENAY slower this week for I am off on another tangent. This time it is a stone gateway. Those two regal cottonwoods— their shape is much like Ontario elms— seem to demand stone gateposts to uphold their dignity. So I, mo my- self, am going to make these gateposts. On the back twenty there is plenty of stone, a nice Hat shale that builds beautifully. I acquired a mixing box and some cement from the men who are building the cellar. ^ Saundy, who at times is a prospector, lent me his drilling irons and showed me how to drill holes in the big rock on the back corner. Reluctantly the stumping men let me have a stick of dynamite— giant, they call it— and a piece of fuse from the supply they have on hand for stumping. I knew as I proceeded about the business, that every man on the place was covertly watching me, so I summoned all the nonchalance at my com- mand as I laid the fuses and prepared to light them. Every man, I felt sure, expected me to end by calling on his superior masculine aid— and how I would love to have done so— but I felt that it was up to me to demonstrate my theories of feminine independence, then and there. It was with many an inward quake that I struck the match that was to touch the fuses off, and how I did want to run when their sputtering began I I began the descent at a normal and manlike gait JANET OF KOOTENAY 49 that grow easier with distance, and all would havo ZirVr' 'Y "■ '"'^^^ ^'" "^^"'-"^ ^«rk from W T J '7 ',' '""'' i"vosti,^.,tin;,^ the burning fuse I flow back and, when he would not follo^ me ended by piclnn^r liini up and tearing do^vn that slope carryin^r n vory indi,rnant and stru-- glins dog. I had lost all my iionchalanco but"l Btill had my dog. Bang I Bang! Bang! All throo charges an- ZT\''y/l """ «■'"' I -»^ »f thai U demonstrated that I could lay a fuse properly besides wh,ch I had „o fancy for having S to trLT't "^ ^"'^ ""« "^ I P™''ed about banged. ^^ " ^""^ "' dynamite had not Tlio stone was broken beautifully. Chow got down two loads, and I began the posts yestlrry afternoon working till it was dark. It is roany very simple The stones are just placed where they look n.«> and the chink., are filled with eo ment. I used Mr. James' spirit level and square to keep the sides plumb. I cannot begin t2 teU yon how proud I am of myself The gate itself is to be a very wonderful affair made of young tamarac poles. The idea is all my own and Mr. James has expressed unqualified d"! approval of it,-expressed it ve.7 volubly afl the time ho was making the frame. Now that the Its a s y '' ' r i" "■ " '^ ^^ ^^^^ '' «* AU-C-A-D-Y made from the tamaraa I am 60 JANET OF KOOTENAY i> ' anxious to have the posts done and get at it En- closed is a picture of what my gateway is expected to look like when finished. I intend to make rustic rails for the driveway bridge, also seats in the rose garden and under the poplars by the tennis court, after the same man- ner. More people than Mr. James disapprove of my apparent frivolity. Last night, just as I was be- ginning this letter to you, two neighbours wer* strolling over the place in a frank tour of inspec- tion. Tent walls are slight detriment to the won- derful acoustics of evening air, so I heard their conversation distinctly. **Wall," one said, **she must be either a mil- lionaire or — or just foolish. Stone gateposts! And a curved lane, when it might have been straight ! Besides, did you ever hear the beat of taking so much good land as she has marked out here for that game of lawn tennis T That sort of thing might be all right on a rocky hillside where the land is no good for anything else ; but here I Why, my wife made forty dollars out o' Spanish onions on a patch no bigger than this !" "Still," the other said, ''they tell me over to Brown and Bartons that she pays cash for every- thing. I asked them particular. Didn't seem as though she would, what with them clothes. Spot cash it is, for everything." "Wall, maybe she can, maybe she can. But I! w> s ■I i JANET OF KOOTENAT 51 I know T oonldn't if I ran my farm like a fancy park. That's what I told Jemima, just the other day when she wants to fill in that little front yard with just flowers. She says, 'That Kirk girl is right; there's things in the woi^d besides money.* And I says, 'Maybe there is, but they don't pay very well, 'I says." My cellar is all finished. It smells so new and clean and stoney ! I go down and just walk round and round and round in it. The frame of the house is all ready to put up. Write me a big letter and tell me if as much has happened on the whole prairie in the last week «8 I have told you of in this fruit farm budget. Your old pal, Jan. ",!l A ready, April 12th. Deab Nait : Was much amused at your description of your- self in overalls driving your new tractor plow, and your regret that no handsome captain was there to cot pliment you on your appearance and pluck. I told him of your new venture and he said, "We must certainly hand it to Canadian girls. They lead the world." So I should think that the mental picture of yourself, driving your tractor plow at the head of a procession composed of all the girls of the world, should satisfy even you. Joking aside, it has done you no end of good to have the man of the house, as you called me, get out and leave you *'on your own." Had I been there this spring you would have gone ufrH on making delicious lemon pies and snowy bibouits, and it would have been Jan, not Nan, on the tractor plow. Mentioning your lemon pies has made me long for one of your Sunday suppers right to-night. Usually I am so interested in the outside-the- house affairs that I hate to settle down to fussing with the cooking. One day last week it rained, the warmest, soft- 52 JANET OF KOOTENAY 53 est April shower. I covered my gateposts and put in a day at mending and cooking. At the end of it I felt so domestic that I hated to start out again, but it does not happen that way often. The frame of my house is up and I can tell what size each room will be. I have a living-room and two bedrooms in the front, and a kitchen, pantry and bath at tlie back. When I have company, the living-room will be the dining-room; when alone, I shall have a cosy corner in the kitchen. The contractor advises me to have the house Beaver-boarded so that they may hurry. As in the case of Royalty, a suggestion from him must be treated in the nature of a command. Anyhow, as the only plasterer the valley boasted has gone to France, there is nothing elso for it. He says that they can have the inside finished in two or three weeks so that I can move in; then the shakes can be put on afterward. They started to blast on Friday and expect to be a week. We hauled the cliickens in their brooders over to the other side of a small hill in Captain Fenton's orchard, ar tht ..aocKs are very hard on them. It is rather a nuisi^nce to go over there to feed them, but Chow has be ',ome very ex- pert. Four have died and he bur.es them so mournfully. He says they got * ' too muchee eat. ' » The noise of the blasting was terrific, and pieces of stumps flew hundreds of yards. I asked C.F. at the well if it all took him back to the Mame. 54 .TANIOT OF KOOTMNAY W', IIo did not am ^rcr n word but I saw hia oyoa. Snw in that iiioim>nt that lu« loiiKs doap<»rjitoly tck Ko back into that cauldron; to a^ain "weigh in" aa ho cjills it. No vvondor tho liritish anny is 'ml vinciblo, in spito of coh)SHal blundiTS behind tho linoa! Thia niorninp, tho aprinff air waa ao tr^mpfing that I decided to wall< the three rniU's ii; to church. I h;ul not iu«iuired which of tho four churchoH be- longed to whom, ao I aoK'ctod tho ouo that looked tho leaat hkely to conlaiti Mtk CJood. Tile speaker waa a ainall num with rather a look 4)f hunger atamped on hia featuroa. Not tho usual iinnger— I expect lie lias ;• garden— but a long- ing for encouragement, aympatliy, a broader out- look and auccess. Amongst his announcements ho eddied a meet- ing of the board to discusa business matters of importance. I heard it whispered that Mio busi- ness on hand was the raising of his overdue aahuy so that ho might atteiui tho coming conf'-ence; that, if thoy could i)ay it all, ho was very xious to take hia wife along for a much needed .ange. As he made this aiinouncemeut he coloured to the roots of his hair. It was plain that it seemed to him like asking for open charity, llis text was sometliing from Job and his words had to do with patience with our snr oundings. 1 disagreed with him heartily There is far, far too much patience with existin. conditions. JANET OF KOOTKNAY 86 Hero in thifl tiny town aro four ohurohos, eaoh holding? n fi«ittore«! few, cHch hI raining to moot mounting ohli^^nlioriH, Hlraiiiin^' to nuiko tliroo or four WollarH n(» ilial it may few that tlio othor churcJi .stcpH n'vcal(. I !i! :n ' • i llavo knitted two pairs of socka this niontli. Evcninga nro not sponi giddily in A rawly. Tboro is a small forestry draft quartorod bcrc. Captain F(»n(on l)rouj:!:lil two oflicors to call oiio afternoon. I soi*vod tea on a lumber y)il(^ and llu'V both asked me to go to a e^-^ JANET OF KOOTENAY 66 doubly, trebly scandalised that a heathen Chinee lives right on the same place. Aunt Abigail has a favourite nephew— so fa- vourite that, as far as I know, he has never once been cut out of her uill-who, by virtue of some puU that aunt once had with the Foreign Secre- taiy, IS an under, under secretary in the Legation at Peking. Ill answer to her tirade against Chow I told her that I hoped that Andrew served as faithfully and lived as decently among the Chinese as Chow does m Canada. For this piece of insolence I was again "cut out," although I hardly see how 1 had had time to '*cut in" since my last offence Although it was almost eleven o'clock, the smoke of the fireplace brought other callers. A Mr. and Mrs. Perry, who live beyond Peter, came m on their way from town. Mrs. Perry is a darling. When I tell you that she thinks the thmgs that I have done are perfectly wonderful you will see why I appreciate her so highlv In return, I admired her three adorable, roly-poly brown-eyed kiddies; so with that for a basis we should be great friends. When they left, Bob, as she calls him, was in possession of my fireplace plans, and they are go- ing to have one before next winter. To-morrow she is going to send me down a loaf of her special browr bread. I mention this incident in particular because of f : m i f 66 JANET OF KOOTENAY your remark that you would rather have no neigh- bours at all that some that I have found. Elim- inating one or two, whom I intend to civilise a bit as opportunity affords, I have found the few I have already met to be a very fair average, and, according to Saundy, some fairer ones await just around the corner. When I told you that my house was to have a bathroom, the accent was all on the "room" part of it, but my dream of some day having running water is to come true very soon. Captain Fcnton took levelings of the stream from the back of his place and finds that, if a flume were run along for about two hundred yards to the place where the well is, there v/ould be fall enough to drive a hydraulic ram or water motor. We are ordering one between us and I shall have Arcady's share of the water pumped into a tank in my attic. On Albemarle there will be a big tank for the purpose of irrigating. Some one told me that the Mr. Worth from whom I bought Betsy put in his own bath fixtures and plumbing from instructions in a book. Having seen this Mr. Worth, I know that if he can plumb from a book, I can too. The plumber that once was here is fighting Germans side by side with the plasterer and stonemason, so I will carry on in his place too. I hav^ ordered a book on the subject, c ting two dollars. You shall hear how I succeed. Also, JANET OF KOOTENAY 67 by the way of buniinp my bridges behind me, I have ordered a galvanised tank for the attic. Mr. Good came to Captain Fenton to ask if they might lay pipes from the motor to their place. They have been having: an awful time getting water. They dig woUs but, after a few months, each one goes "dead" and they have to dig an- other. The dollar and a half a month he offered to pay will pay for the motor after a time— quite a time to be sure— but then there is no expense after it is once installed. The mountain water does the work. How would you like to have some ice-cold, crys- tal-clear mountain water piped along to the Three Bar Ranch? The men are ploughing the land. It is a pretty rough job the first time. Dexter and Molly are earning the four dollars a day that I get for their use. Then all the small roots must be gath- ered and burned, after which it will be plouglied the other way on, and left to the tender mercies of Chow and me. The piles of green stumps burn slowly; the smoke is profuse and it seems to be a popular season for northeast breezes. As Chow had only a few days before harrowing ;!i)d then settling to steady gardening, I got him to work on the tennis court this last week. He got it levelled and spread the cinders but it was so soft that I saw that 1 must have it rolled with m 68 JANET OF K00TP:NAY !»' a heavy roller. The hravy roller was the next problem. I bonght a piece of zinc and made it into a circular pipe sixteen inches in diameter and tliirty inches in lenj,'th. This was filled with cti- raent, with a stick throui^h the middle to fasten the handles to. Chow i)ulle(l this hack and forth for hours, finally fixing it bo that Dexter pulled it one way on a hmg rope. Captain Fenton helped with the nets and tapes, and when he had finished we had a game. Nicky, who is seldom absent now when anything of im- portance goes on, was the audience. **Well," ho said, when wo had finished a set, "I would of thought you could of beat him." I induced the child to cliange the subject as quickly as possible but I could not blame him too much for I had had the same idea. You know, I rather fancy my game, and, in this instance, I hadn't at all intended to play my hardest with an opponent who would be unable to hurrj' about the court. Well. He had no need to hurry. He made me a present of two games in the set to let me keep my self-respect, but gone is all my conceit. I said nothing of having won a Provincial championship, but wonder now how I ever managed to do it. I intend to have tea and tennis every Saturday afternoon when I become acquainted with more of the "faus"; and in this way do my bit toward JANET OF KOOTEXAY 69 encouragnJJg a community spirit among tlio neigh- bours here. \VLon Mr. McGregor asked mo, that first day, what size place I wanted, I said that it must bo at least largo enough to hold a tennis court and an asparagus bod. My twin fancies lie right next each other. Now tliat Cliow has the court rolled down ho ia digging up tho asparagus bed. li is dug to thft depth of eighteen inches with fertilizer well worked in. If Chow is expert at anything it is in getting soil into a perfect condition. Some- times I think ho is slow but he says, '*If I go elow, plants will hurry." However, there is little hurry about asparagus plants ; they take their own good time and my imp".tience to have tips to cut avails me nothing — or would not, if it were not for the kindness of my neighbours. Captain Fenton is setting in grape vines at one end of his patch and so is donating eight eight- year-old roots. I set these in in a very scientific manner, per book, and while I was trying to imagine that I eaw them gaily sprouting, I noticed that my neigh- bour, Peter Gordon, was trundling a wheel-barrow down the road. You may imagine my amazement when he turned in at the gate of Arcady. I spent the interval until he got round to the patch in summoning sufficient severity with whidi to meet one who had so misread my noble moti , cS. Please do not sniff. We, who are growing perish- mm t =i 70 JANET OF KOOTENAY ii^ ' able eatablos so that tho Allies' demand for wheat and beef may bo filled, are as proud of our "bit" as aro you of yours. Peter's pleasant smilo partially dissolved my severity, **Qood morning, Miss Kirk," he began. "I won- der if you will allow mo to contribute to the new asparagus bod. I have hoard that you aro anxious to have tips for cutting, and, as I want the ground for something else, I hope that you will find these acceptable." Peter's pleasant speech entirely dissolved my severity. lie had brought several big roots and com- mandeered my spado and set them in for me, tell- ing me how they should be treated for the first year or so. Before leaving, he asked if there was anything else he could do for me, but I answered that, as the only thing I could think of was only fit for a very young or very foolish man, I would not mention it- AVhen he had gone and I was giving just a few lingering pats to the soil. Captain Fenton's shadow fell across my work. I told him of Peter's gener- osity. He volunteered to this information tho wholly adequate "Ah!" "Mr. Gordon," I defended at once, "is merely a good-hearted neighbour like your own self." At his quizzical smile my colour rose. There is a most decided disadvantage in arguing against J A. VET OF KOOTENAY 71 Ihomcanhigs that may bo condensed in the word The next afternoon I Bpont in town, buying seeds for Arcndy, cveryll,i«g from clove; to arti choke. After that I p„id two or three belated Fa „"„"', ""'"■".''t'"""" ^"""'' »''"•" »'" "•>=l"»k- \Z T T'^ } '"" ''"'* ^"'h 'he fact that Arcady somehow ooked diffM.ut, but it was not down to he reason. The t,p top was gone from my fourth codar. I thanked Chow for lu\< pleasant surpnso Not mo - he said in a i„.. tha, dlscL-dned any more of such foohshne.. o.i ais i.art. -Mr. Gor- don, I guess." "Who tohl Mr. Gordon I wanted it offl" ''Dono, Mr. Saundy,anayhe. They both Scosh." J.ater w hen Saundy came to milk 1 asked him who had told Peter about tlie tree. He, too, was vague. ' "I soe the chink over to Peter's sometimes, and there is a small boy that finds out a lot of things one way or another. ' ' I >va8 still puzzling over the matter when Cap- am Fenton called from the well to ask who had lam his enemy low. "Your enemy?" I asked. "The tip of that tree. It has mocked me as an incompetent, night and day: has rubbed it in that 1 am unablo to do even so small a favour i ;i i It 72 JANET OF KOOTENAY as that for a neighbour. "Who was th» victor?" *'It seems to have been Petor." * ' Peter : The infernal scoundrel ! " ''The wliatV **The infernal scoundrel. To steal a march on a cripple like that." Two pleasant facts stand oat from this inci- dent : whatever the motives or promptings in the matter were, the long-wantcd-off tree-top is off, and also, for once, Captain Fenton neglected to say "Ah!" My fruit trees arrived this week. We put them in a trench till the land is ready. There seem to be millions of them. Getting them planted promises to be a prodigious job. I have engaged Saundy to help. It seems that the trees must be planted certain distances apart and correct to a hair's breadth, so that, no matter from what angle one looks at an ( • 'ard, tho trees are straight lines into the distance. Saundy is official tree planter for the whole dis- trict. The few exceptions to this rule are all crooked, to hear him. Nicky has arrived and is gathering shingles and chips, so I know he wants a little fire in the fire- place — ^just to watch it dance, he says. He has a decided eye for beauty although it would be hard to say where he gets it. Their little flower plot is entirely his doings, and his face, as he pores over my flower seed books, is a study. He S'.i ! '- JANET OF KOOTENAY 73 is doing •rrands for me so as to earn money to buy some wonderful things for his little plot Ho thinks it great that I don't agree with most folks that things to make money ^\ith are better than flowers. He brought his mother to call one day. His cer- tainty that we would naturally take to each other was touching: we did it to please him. She is a pleasant little woman, but unimaginative. She had never even heard of a house without a dining room b-^fore. Re the fireplace, she said: "Some folks think you so clever, but I dunno. Any woman oould do it if she hadn't a man to ham- per her.** Do yoTi suppose she thinks that, or was she consoling me? As ever, Your Ja2^. ttmm ii< I i^ |i I: ) [■ ' I! I r "1. 3 •ll" Arcady, May the first. Deab Nan: Your last letter received and contents noted. As there is no allusion to the political situation, I am mad at you again. It has rained all week ; not temperamental April showers, but steady, steady downpour. The pop- lars and paper birches about the spring and up the creek are a beautiful young green. Also, alas, the fruit trees in the trenches show signs of want- ing to burst their green. They should be planted immediately ; but they can't. The ground cannot bo ploughed in the rain. The man asked for an- other week on his contract, in return for which he vrill assist Saundy with the planting. The "Captain and Peter" roots in the aspara- gus bed take kindly to their new home. The rain has started them growing and I cut quite a lot of tips yesterday. There was a pound and a half. Multiplying that space by the size of the whole patch and reckoning at twenty cents a pound — I won't trouble your brain with the arithmetic of it— I find that I should have four to five dollars a cutting when the plants have reached maturity. If the sun shines warmly and there are frequent rains — a combination by no means certain — there 74 JANET OF KOOTENAY 75 should be a cutting every other day till strawberry time. In that case, I will be able to exist past this trying season in future years, even if the price of chicken food is the same, per weight, as rubies and diamonds. You have heard of counting chickens before they were hatched. Did you know that it is sometimes done with turkeys as well? My two settings, that were to have blossomed into such magnificent Christmas dinners, did not hatch. Saundy says the blasting killed them, of course, and was sur- prised that I didn't know that it would. My grief is divided between this matter and the fact that the mountain rats have been stealing my dear wee baby chicks. When the brooders were built, I had them set about a foot off the ground to prevent skunks and such things from taking shelter beneath them, and I had the corners bound with tin at the bottom to keep out the kinds of rats that I knew. As I become acquainted with the mountain rat, I find that none of these things discommode him in the very least. He has no desire to take shelter beneath the house, and his mode of entry is to find, or make, an opening under the '-oof. When, after many h 3sh starts, I finally got my brood counted I found that there were only nine hundred thirty-seven. Allowing for the four that died of their own accord, that leaves fifty-nine that have been taken by rats. Isn't it sickening! 76 JANET OF KOOTENAY li - MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 I.I 150 2.8 3.2 1^ 140 2.5 2.2 2£ 1.8 ^ /APPLIED INA^GE Inc :^r. 1653 East Main Street S« Rochester, Ne» York 14609 USA ^— (716) 482 - 0300 - Ptione ^S (716) 288 - 5989 - Fox 84 JANET OF KOOTENAY ^M tii "It's the truth," Betty went on; "and oh, how this family does hate that ! You'll find, however, Miss Kirk, that they will not leave this place until they have been invited over to play." "I cannot tell you," I answered, "how pleased I shall be to have all or any of you come to play, any time you can." "Thanks so much. There then, I've fixed that, as I told them I should." (Chorus of *' Betty!") "I've wanted so much to tear up our currant patch and put a court there, but my stony-hearted mother would not hear of it." "But this is not the only court here?" I asked. "Practically. Out this way at least. In town, the Y.M.C.A. did have a good one but mother didn't know the Y. or the M. or the C or the A. so she would not let us go. Our place touches yours at the back east comer. We'll put a stile at the fence and use the short cut down. And now. Mother dear, don't you think I have re- strained my curiosity about Peter long enough? How on earth. Miss Kirk, did you subdue him so quickly? I've quizzed Clay, but one doesn't get a word out of him." ' * Betty 1 Don 't be impossible ! ' ' "With practice, the family has come to say this in perfect unison, but I noticed that their faces did not depict any great aversion to hearing what I had to say about Peter. "Is Peter subdued?" I asked. JANET OF KOOTENAY 85 "He topped your cedar for you, did he not?" "Yes, but I've really only spoken to him once." "Quick work. All the valley is on the qui vive to know how you do it. Get Maude to tell you about the time she went for plums. ' ' "We will, rather, talk of something interest- ing," was Maude's rejoinder. "Then I'll tell you myself," Botty went on. "We wanted some Damson plums for jam and there was none to be had but what Peter— yes, mother dear, I do mean Mr. Gordon— had. So Mother asked us to go for them. We had heard that he had objected strenuously to the fancied advances of one or two young women, and none of us were very keen about going. We finally settled it by drawing lots and Maude lost. "That is all, except that we heard afterward that he had said, when some one jokingly asked if it was to be an P^ssington next, that, at least, they paid him the compliment of sending the pretty one. That was a year ago but Maude can go into a rage about it even yet." Before leaving they invited me over for Sunday dinner; the first invitation I have had here,— ex- cept Mr. Good's. They are going to leave their racquets and balls here so that they may run down for a game at any time. It never rains but it pours. Last night I had another caller— another girl. I hadn't realised • I 86 JANET OF KOOTENAY how lonesome I was getting for you, or some girl to talk to, till all these came. The last one was Miss Att wood— first name. Rose— who teaches in the little school half a mile from here. She came with the strange request that I allow her to board with me. "But," I said, *'l couldn't take a boarder. Why, I not only have meatless days— some of them are almost eatless. To-day, for instance, I had an eggnog of three raw eggs in milk— cream, I might say— for breakfast. Then, I had nothing more till five o'clock, when I had a tin of beans, soda crackers, peanuts and tea. How would you like to live like that?" I asked conclusively. '*0h, my goodness," she said, "you need me more than I need you. I am an elegant cook. Really. If you will just let me into a big apron after school I will soon have you ten pounds heavier." "Heaven forbid I" "But you will take me on, won't youT" "Why are you leaving Worth's?" I asked, true to my canny self in a bargain. "They don't want Glossy; that's my pony. You have lots of pasture so if I pay you thirty a month would you take us in? You may ride her whenever I am not doing so. I will buy her oats. Do say you will." So she is coming to-morrow. I wonder. til -- ^fct: JANET OF KOOTENAY 87 A girl companion; a horse to ride in perfect thirty dollars a month! Why am I always suspicious of what should be a good bargain? "uxu ue Rose would, I think, be only a year or so younger than I, but she has retained everv cu o L"ne ? ; 'TT ^^'1' ^ ^'-^^^ ^«"^ «^^ «h-l mine, if, indeed, I ever had any. .J!!l\f'''''T 'A""^' ^^"^ ^^^"^^ f«^ «ie to sit on the porch while writing you. Saundy saw me trom his cabm and strolled over "What's this I hear about Miss *Attwood com- mg to stay with you?" he asked. '' Trust you to smell it in the air, Saundy. Yes mL^" What do you think o'f the a^^raS.' ''Personally, I will find it most convenient." 'And why so?" ''Well, it's coming on summer now. I must set Z r^ "f f '^'^ "^^^^ ^^^' '^'^ I go up to the lookout station on the momitain wtn fire season comes so I would not be able to stay on my job so well." ^ ''You mean the cow? I can't expect Miss Attwood ^ -uilk Betsy." "No, I uon't mean the cow." /''^^''''l^^^^y-don^t be* a stick. What do you mean?" 88 JANET OF KOOTENAY (< 'Just that it will be convenient for mo that you two girls can chaperone each other." He smoked in silence to let this sink in ; which it did, albeit slowly. Slowly it came to me that every time that Captain Fenton had been in my company for more than fifteon minutes, Saundy had strolled round and had stayed there too. I felt a momentary resentment. Xot for my- self; I am not sensitive as to what people think of actions that I know to be right. Saundy seemed to read my mind. "It's not that, Miss Janet. I, too, know an honourable gentleman when I meet him. But there are times when a young man thinks too little and an auld woman a great deal too much. So I thought that it might help everything to come right in the end if I stayed round a bit." "You are a friend wo. .h having," J said ; "but, Saundy, tell me this: Why doesn't the wonderful bigness of all this get into people's natures more? Eight in the shadow of these gigantic hills, with the roar of that mighty canyon over there always in their ears, with the generosity of nature all about and the bigness of the work thoy are doing, how can they go about with their vision narrowed down to whore ihey question the acts and motives of every other human being? " "I don't know that, girl, but I've wondered about it oft, especially when I'm up yonder on the hill. You must come away up with me some JANET OF KOOTENAY 89 days. You would get visions up there too. That is the only kind of person I ever take up to my station.'* So I am going some day, up to the mountain top to meditate. In the meantime, I am expecting flome political news by return mail. Hopefully yours, Janet Kjkk, t I- Arcadr, May the eighth. Dear Nan: There ^va8 no letter from you in yosterday's mail but I got one from Lester Owen. I was greatly perturbed by his mention of having seen M.P. Devereaux go to the Three Bar Eanch twico last week. What is in the air, Nan? Is that old fox trying to buy or persuade you from entering the contest against himf Stick to your guns, Nan, and don't listen to him. A man who employs crookedness in his campaign is not apt to reform suddenly on being elected. Of course, Ihis is all mere conjecture, but, be- tween Lester's news and the fear expressed in the Bulletin that you would not stand, I feel decidedly non'ous. I do want you to uphold the standard of the Feminist Cause. I will be there when the House is opened, cheering your every word, even if I have to leave Arcady to the mercy of the gophers and mountain rats. My boarder has been here almost a week. She is quite as handy as she had promised to be, get- ting her own breakfast, and helping with the night dinner. She takes her noon lunch to school, and usually rides Glossy back and fortli. While she 90 JANET OF KOOTENAY 91 wW^'t T ^\??"'^ '^ '^^^^"^ «^^'^"^ ^ i«k« just S T M r^^'^i T' ""'• ^"^^ «f "°i«"' wasn't itT— I thmk wo shall pull very well Ono monim^, as she was putting up her lunch, t^aptam Fonton rode by on .Ari.lniglit. The Cap- tain ricles magnificently, arul the horse is no small part of the picture. Ti.oy make a pair that one would watch till out of si-ht. "Oh Janet," said Rose, gathering up her books, -how about it? Is it to be 'hands otf the Captain' for me?" ''TF7m^^"Iasked. "I mean, is Captain Fenton your special pro- serve?" ^ "He is not. I am in this place to run a farm, and not to hunt a husband. Captain Fenton or any her man is free as air as far as I am con- cerned, since you have put your case so plainly " .She was going out the door as I said this and leaned back to laugh with a mischievous air that she has carefully preserved. " 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much ' " she quoted and was gone. I am afraid I was tempted, in the next few minutes, to get out her trunk, hitch Glossy to it and start her off at a gallop. However, just here my eye fell on that excellent text that I illumi- nated and framed for myself once— * Be a Sport, Janet," and my sense of humour was again in its zone. 92 JANET OF KOOTENAY I All week tho men have plougbed and burned. The breezes being mainly southwestern, the smoko has blown back onto Essingtons a great deal. They retaliate by coming over for tennis every fine afternoon. For some reason, they are not crazy about Rose, an., passed without notice her hint at her dialiko of eating Sunday night dinner alone. I am going there to-night, you know. My chickens are growing beautifully and tho down is being rt-place toa. lor a while ho ran.le up his mind. i soli you two pigs," ho said. "How much?" "Seven dollars one, ton dollars two " Aeod ess to say I did not noglocr a bar^-ain of lour. Saundy 5,ajd I got a good bargain In tho afternoon, tho Indian was back a-iin hi. "Why these?" I inquired. "You seo rod one?" "Yes." See bS'rc';^ "" ""^ ^"" ">^ ^'-° <^»"«- "Yes." "I trade him you for :)ne colt." * * No indeedy, y cu will not. " He pondered for some time, then- 94 JANET OF KOOTKyAY "I sell red one for five dollars. Trade black ono for colt" (( Xo. 1$ I went into the bouse and wrote a check for thirty dollars. "This for the two," I told him. Ho studied it with the deliberation of a Morgan; or is a Morgan deliberate? "I \'ant colt." •'Not for sale. I want him myself." So ho took the money and departed, and, will you believe it, he was back again that very evening with a young Hereford bull, an Indian pony that was so old and decrepit that I wondered that he had ever gotten it there, and a long string of fish, willing to trade them all for MoPy's cunning celt. I bought the fish and the bull, causing the ut- most hilarity among the five Kssingtons who clus- tered about. I told Lo not to come back with any more offers ay I would not sell or tra< the colt. I was afraid that he would g';t to be a habit. The poor creature did look disappointed. He had set his heart on having the colt. It might have been interesting to see what all he would have brought as offerings. I think I could have had had almost anything but I simply could not bear the thought of having the colt become an Indian's horse. Not but what thov use their — . ^ >flf JANET OF KOOTENAY Uj Lorscs well. People who live near tho roserva- As to the animals I bou-l.t from him, it docs not sound so queer when I tHI you t. ,t I have rento.1 a quarter section belon^in;? to tho Arrow nunes on Arrow Creek, and am seriously ^.oinir '■ for stock. ^ ^ ^ ' The last purchase I mado from Lo-he is a very good specimen-is to bo the head of the hord as for obvious reasons, a woman is to go in for stock, It IS best for h.r to own her own males. This IS not a delicacy of Mrs. Good's but com- mon sense of Saundy's. If you know how little the older generation of Scotch appreciate modern parlour modesty, you will know how groatlv I Wreciate Saundy. I immediately appointed him 1 rofessor of Eu^'enics in Arcady. He hasn't a nodon of what a eugenic is, I ar .sure, but he caught the drift of the idea and ac copted the commission. Yesterday he drove my stock, all but Betsy, back to the Arrow, and will go every week to leave salt count noses, take anything, new I can get and Zl *^''^^/,7^>'"^'"^ i« ^'^»- There are water and grass of the very finest there, a shed for shelter and a good fence all round, so I think they should be all right, even if they do have to look after themselves. So now I own two titles,-market gardener-to -^ .^ 96 JANET OF KOOTENAT be changed, as soon as possible to fruit farmer— and stock raiser. Years when strawberries are killed in the blossom, or the rain washes the pollen from the orchard bloom, or a drought dries up the corn and cucumbers, or a wet season rots the tomatoes, then, surely, beef and pork will be a good price, or horses at a premium. Later : Just got back from dinner at Essingtons'. I wore that blue serge that I bought on Fifth Avenue, against your true warning that I was being highway robbed, and took a little trouble with my hair. They said I looked like a different person, which surely must have been a compli- ment, either going or coming. Captain Fenton was there. It seems that he dines there every Sunday. He took his place at the head of the table quite as a matter of course. Two lieutenants of the Forestry Draft were there too. ^ Altogether they were a very jolly party. It is my ambition that, some day, I may be able to preside at a table with the ease and grace with which Mrs. Essington does. She keeps the con- versation where it interests every one, watches the progress of the meal carefully and seems to have plenty of time to spare. After dinner the two soldiers got out cigarettes and one offered his to the Captain who was hunt- ing everywhere for his pipe, upsetting Betty's ac- count books and s^ ed catalogs in the process. JANET OF KOOTENAY 97 *' Never mind your old pipe," Betty ordered gathenng up after him. ^'It was I ^^ho S np last Sunday ni^^ht, so the chances are against your ever finding it. Take a cigarette and^don ' make a disturbance." "But I've cut them out." "You have? Why-ee?" "Promised Edith to." Jiff *^«^^^«Pt«in said this with a perfectly grave face, the remark was greeted with a shout of dension, at the end of which Cynthia said: .oH^fr ! '^ '^.^"' *^^*' ^^^^' I ^^«"ld have he"' "^''"''^ '' ^''^ ^^^^ '"^ '''^ ^ day At the end of the evening, Captain Fenton wanced back with me in the dusk. He used som^ h^hJ ^ i"" T^""^ ^^' *^^^ lieutenants, both of whom stood ready to escort me, to stay where they were. ^ The Essington place fronts on the Canyon Eoad tain 'Z^r '"'' t' T'' ""^^^^ ^^'' P««t Cap- tarn Fenton 's orchards. Along this road the moist roar of the Goat River canyon comes up a draw qmte distinctly. To this was added Sie rLTf %^P^^^^ «f t^^ «Pnng frogs by the roadside. What a fragrance and peace there is about a country road on a Sunday evening in springtime! ^ Out of a soundful silence my companion spoke, lou behaved beautifully." I 98 JANET OF KOOTElsAY '* Behaved! How do you mean?" ''You remained silent while they disparaged, unintentionally of course, Canadian institutions that you hold most dear. I could see that you had a number of things you might have said." "I mean to say them yet, as auspicious occa- sions arise." Good. We English need to learn that our cus- toms are merely different— not better. And other things— clothes, for instance " Clothes ! " I interrupted. * ' From what I have heard, this neighbourhood would hardlv want to consider me a standard in that matter." "That frock might have come from the Eue da la Paix." "Good for you! It did. But I really don't in- tend to quarrel with the Essingtons over any matter. I am too glad to have found them. I love the free-masonry among you all. I love to be called by my first name the way they do." ' ' You do ! " he exclaimed ; ' ' I Ve often wondered. I dislike being called 'Captain' all the time, when I am only a plain farmer. Would you call me Claymore, as the others do?" "Well, I can try. But it will be hard, for yoi^ are a bit dignified, you know." "Thank you, Janet." Sometimes, as I sit by the fire, I am thrilled by the way he said those three words. Then again, I wonder who this horrid cigarette smoking Edith JANET OF KOOTENAY 99 lieutenants. I believe that I shall cultivate them ^^She is a Lady Edith, for the HolHns one spoke numS'r ^'^^ !^ consolation of a title and in- numerable cigarettes, she needn't mind if her cayaher amuses himself in the wilds of Canadl with any girl that is handy. ^ ^ Still. He has tones that are wonderfully sin- Yours, etc., Janet. •oBtacs^ .m^^' joa'ten,- »m ■^a Arcady, May fifteenth. My dear Nan: Surprise is a feeble word with which to describe my emotions when I read your letter. I was amazed, astounded, thunderstruck. Probaljly your other friends are also, for even Lester Owen, your nearest neighbour, had no idea that Mon- tague was getting rid of his opponent in that manner. So you think that being the wife of a public man is as near the limelight as you will ever care to get. Most women und more men will applaud those sentiments heartily. The congratulations you demanded are all sent along to M. P.— his initials are fateful, aren't they? If you haven't told him that I called him a fox— w]iat did I say, anyhow?— you may change it to lion, and convey to him my heartiest felicita- tions. As for you, I hope you will be the veiy happiest ever. And I believe you will. Getting up meals to feed the hungry friends of a prominent man will be a real joy to you. If— ahem— you want any assistance at writing speeches, lot me know. It is hard to think of you in the other political camp. We shall look to hear of great things being 100 V JANET OF KOOTENAY lOl done bj M. P. Devereaux, for he will have dose means of knomng of all the iniqnity in liis ranks, and, of course, once knowing of it, will remove it at once. I refrain from saddening this time of congratu- lations by moralising upon how the Woman's Cause 18 hindered by desertions from the ranks My trees are ahnost all planted. Saundy, the stimipmg man and Chow worked at them all week I have put m the small things myself. It was my first experience with planting. Some one toM me It would be hard work, but it really only amounts to mud-pie days grown up a bit. The only part that troubled mo in the least was getting the lines straight and the measurements exact. After that, digging the holes, dipping the roots m a bucket ox soft .mud that one carries along, setting them in and covering them quicklv is all child's play. Over in the orchard, the men were using the stoneboat to go through the same process, on a larger scale, with the trees. How I love the work! The soil, with its rich, earthy odour, the warm May sunshine, and the fragrance of Bahn of Gilead from over by the stream are mixed into a spring tonic such as I had never even imagined. And what a lot more pleasure I shall get from my sturdy rhubarb roots; from the strawberry plants and raspberry oanes; the currant and gooseberry bushes, from ^n 102 JANET OF KOOTENAY having set them where they are with my very own hands. The grapes are between the house and the road We shall build rustic arbours for them to climb on as they grow to require them. The rest of the small fruit is between the house and barn, quite close to a packing shed that will be built. You would find especially interesting the corner that is lil'ed with horse-radish roots. Another has all the perennial herbs,— mint, sage, thyme and sum- mer-savoury. All the farmers here and hereabouts are busy spraying their orchards. One day, Mr. Good, with a barrel hand pump and one accomplice, sent over with the gentle south wind, waves of such sulphur-and-other-odorous gas that I had to va- cate my front line positions. Mrs. Good may well feel scored off for the smoke and dynamite of Arcady. _ On another afternoon Dexter, Molly and I as- sisted the Essingtons to go over their orchard. We used Captain Fenton's Duplex sprayer, taking tho work in shifts, two and two about. None of them are any fonder of the odour than I am. From over farther, on one or two of the big orchards, we can hear the chug-chug of gasolene power sprayers. Saundy gave mine a good application of Bor- deaux mixture while they were still in the trench, so as to save the trouble of tramping about the' JANET OF KOOTENAY 103 orchard. If they require an aphis spray hiter, it will bo of Avhale oil soap or black leaf. Another season of fragrance! The authorities here are very par-ticulai in the matter of insect posts, fungus diseases, scab and so forth. If a barrel of apples comes in from an- other province with so much as one little scah or worm, it IS considered as suitable material for a bonfire. I have laid a stone flagging down the walk to the creek. Xow tliat the poplars are in fullleaf they interlace above this walk and keep it always shady. Besides the stones of the walk I have set roots of English violets and iris, donated by the Essingtons out of gratitude for mv assistance at the spraying. I expect that the fragrance of these m future years will compensate me a hundred- fold for any distaste I felt for the work I did. The wild clematis are in full bloom. Just back of the bam a vine has clambered up on a big fir, and its graceful tendrils, on which are suspended delicate clouds of purple, are wonderful against the green. I have moved in three wild vines to my kite-en porch. Thoy take kindly to domes- ticity and are out with the first tulips and narcissi. Saundy is going to help me to move in some of the syringa and spirea that grow here in riotous profusion all through the woods. To know that I am at last in a climate where 104 JANET OF KOOTENAY anything and everything that one can have a fancy for wiU grow fiMs mo with utter content. Did I tell you that I iiave wa^od extravagant and have ordered rhododendrons to border my drive? Won't that be gorgeous along with my 8tono gates! I thought of ordering them when I sent for the Caragana but was not nro they would weather the winter here. Since then, however 1 have seen some on one or two places so I know they will acclimatise. The Caragana for the hedge has arrived. I must get it in first thing this week. Peter calLd last evening to see whether I would sell my colt. He has a mate for it r.nd wants the team to grow up together. I promised to con- sider 1 and let him know The more other people want that colt, the more I seem to want him my! fris^ thai I have had to wire him into the back forty with Betsy, where he cannot trample on my garden. Molly joins him when she is not busy here, or busy with Dexter, helping out a neighbour who does not own a team. ^ The day I went for clematis vines, I was scram- chng over rocks where the mountain slope begins when a crackle in the brush caught my attention. A young, white-tail deer was watching some object with keen attention. After a minute's wait it 1 JANET OF KOOTENAY luo moved a few inquiring steps forward. Something else had moved too, and there, not fifty feet from the door, was Molly's colt, ears up and curious. How I wanted my camera i I could have gotten the two in easily. They stood in this way for so long that at last, to start someUiing, I whistled In a flash both had wheeled and were bounding m opposite directions, the deer clearing the rocks and logs that obstructed its way up the mountain side with almost unbelievable leaps and bounds the colt making almost as good time Molly-ward. It was then that I christened him *'Mowit:.a," the Indian name for deer. To return to Peter: I thought it only the proper <>aper to thank him for his valorous vanquishing of my cedar top. To my surprise he looked quite embarrassed, and, rather reluctantly, explained that, while he had climbed the tree with the in- tention of beheading it, when he had taken hold of the top it had simply toppled over in his hand. It had been shot through with several bullets at a point about two feet from the top. "The holes wore in a neat row," he said, '*and another shot a few inches up would have brought it dOA\Tl." "But who V "The bullets came from Fenton's direction. How it must have amused him to see me ud there." ^ 106 JANET OF KOOTKNAY ''He didn't SCO you,»' I was able to console him. xle asked mo who had done it." "I am glad to know that," he said as ho rose to go. "I'll come again when you have decided about the colt." "I can phone you," I told him, thinking it best not to leave the impression that I was delaving decision to bring him br.ck. The Essingtons have plans in progress for a very wonderful picnic on Empire Day. They have had them before at the same place, making It a sort of annual affair. We are to go on horse- back, via ihe Kootenay flats, to the Reclamation l;^arm— no, I don't know what a Reclamation Farm is, but the information will be forthcoming later. We are to take our lunch for two meals and spend the day fishing and exploring. I be- lieve there is usually a ball game where the girls cover themselves with glory. I am quite excited over the prospect. I have ordered a Minton cup and saucer for your engagi^ment present, this not being a season- able time for a gardener to embroider the usual towels. Mrs. Montague Pearson Devereaux, eh I I hope she intends to begin right She has given up a glorious future so that a man may pos- sess both it and her. For tL^t I think she should be treated with extra-spocial consideration; should receive a wedding present that bespeaks •»■ ..;-= JANET OF KOOTENAY 107 unheard-of generosity— say the fastest oar afloat, or a new stono house. For those little hints no extra charge is made. Do send me mor(> particulars. Your loving Janet Kibk. Aroady, Maj the twonty-eeoond. DiAR Nan: Shall I ever, over get straight lines ont of my head agauiT It began with planting the hedge. Saundy and Captain Fcnton both thought I should engage a man to do this, because, unless it was put m a straight line, it would always bo un- sighUy. They urged that, at least, I put Chow * helping me. This, when I had gotten the idea tiiut I could do anything on the place as \.ell as any man. Of course, after that there was nothing for me to do but plant that hedge and plant it st^-aight. Cynthia Essington helped me an afternoon or so, which relieved the tedium somewhat. In the end I had enough plants left for her to put a sparse row round her turkey yard so she was very glad to have "stuck along," as she put it. The airagana plants are very small as vet ana do verv little toward covering the wire fencing. The bri-ht idea came to me that if I planted giant sunflowi rs just inside the hedge, they would serve the purpose for this year and would also save dollars in chicken feed. Accordingly I commissioned Nicky to go to town for these sunflower seed.. I asked him to 108 'm-'pj-wj^./'m ■•'^s^.m-^^'^. JANET OP KOOTENAY I0i> jet a pound. Did you over bpp a ponnl of «nn- flowor socdfl, NanT Did you know that it takoi a goneroufl sized hnj? to hold thorn t Chow'8 eyes stuck out like a frog't when bo saw thera. '•AVliat for you got so many?" Lo enquirod. "To put insiiK; my fence." For tho fi!8t time I heard Chow laugh. I had not thought he i)oasi.«s(.d such a thing as a sense of humour. And I am not sure hut that I pre- ferred him thai way. "You no need hira half," ho said, when ho could explain himself. Well. I planted them all— except ahout a cup- ful that I gave to Nicky. These gladdened his heart as well as preventing mo from having a sun- flo./er seed collapse. I planted them across the front. I planted thorn down each line fence. I planted them across tho back. Straight linos all tho while, you must remember. I hope never to see a straight lino or a sunflower seed agai-i as long as I live. The chicken house is -urrounded with linos of them, where they will bo useful jr shade for tho chickens when hot weaiher arrives. Perhaps you may imagine with what joy I turned from all this straight-lining to the laying out of my rose garden. This plot is tho space that IS bounded by the drive, the stream and the stone flagged walk. It is of quite generous size— the •wasteful creature !— and will be bounded— some '1tFf 'xi' ^^iw^^mt^w^r'-. ^1 110 JANET OF KOOTENAY day— with Hlacs, sjr'mga and spirea. These are all m their places. There will be— some day soon —a si-all pergola over which my Lady Gav pink ramblers may disport themselves, and under it a rustic seat where one may sit to refresh one's soul with the Arcadian odours that will abound in this spot; with the music of birds and stream all about. There will be a rustic gateway into this garden, arched for the convenience of crimson ramblers. There will be a small grass plot in the centre round which spring bulbs will nestle, and back of these, Canterbury bells and hollvhocks, foxglove and daisies, peonies and bleeding heart, —and roses !— Jacqueminots, tea roses of every colour, the Dean Hole and Madame Eavary, be- side a group of my favourite moss roses. All of these are hardy and will bloom, not only in June, but practically all season. Do you wonder that it disturbs me to have to turn from this work to decide whether Chow is to put potatoes or beets first and where? Nicky, who has helped the rose garden along during every minute that his mother would spare him says : ' Tell him to go on. That don 't matter. ' ' But Chow says:—" That do any time. You come see what / do." And I go, for Chow is an autocrat, and an auto- crat with right on his side has never, so far as I know, been unseated. JANET OP KOOTENAY 111 I go, and ponder on the weighty matter of whether I will have six lands put down with clover, or only four. A land, my dear Nan of the wheat fields, IS tho space between two rows of trees running north and south. And it seems that a crop of clover every so often is a necessity to the sod. Many have to put clover before they can get anything to grow, but Saundy thinks mine is rich enough soil not to require that. Captain Fenton says I should have at least ten lands of clover. ''Ten!" I exclaim; **why, I wouldn't have any garden left !'» "Heaps of it. Why, girl, you're trying to kUl yourself." I cannot put his tone into the letter but it was worth even the sunflowers. Mr. Perry came down one afternoon with his potato planter and lo! like magic the potatoes were planted. I bought my seed potatoes from him already dipped in formaldehyde. Potatoes are very little further bother here for there are no potato bugs in British Columbia. Think of that the next time you are tempted to rub it in about the mountain rats. In return for Mr. Perry's kindness I was able to offer him the use of Dexter to replace a horse of his that has gone quite lame. That is, we be- gun by loaning Dexter; later we had to recall him and send Molly, who was much too skittish and -^•.>?ij.: I '%. 112 JANET OF KOOTENAY imaginative for work on the seed drill here at home. Chow has planted one land with carrots and beets, one with turnips and mangolds and one with corn, with pumpkins and squash among the rows. And every time he thinks of it, he harrows the soil that the early corn, celery and tomatoes will be planted in. The small garden stuff, peas, beans, chard, peppers, Brussels sprouts and all that will go in in another week. The grape vines are not big enough to require all the space allotted to them, so I put citron among them. I did intend putting the cucumber vines ridit next these for .;: onvenience in watering with the hose but Nicky intervened in time. "Didn't you know better 'n that, really?" he asked in wonder. "I don't yet." "Gee! Why, everybody knows that bees mix cucumber and citron blossoms if they're close to- gether. The cues wouldn't be cues,' nor the cit- rons wouldn't be citrons." "What would they be, Nicky?" With dancing eyes he sized me up to see if I showed signs of being a real sport. "You could just try them this once; then we'd know. Will you?" "How much lid your father make out of his cucumber patcii last year?" ' * Seventy-five dollars. It 's in a book at home. * ' .-.^^i- it d h 3. e U h 11 e 1 r <( JANET OF KOOTENAY Then don't you think 113 . - -> knowledge would be too expensive?" Before Nicky loft I saw him thoughtfully pick up a few seeds that I had dropped. One or two wore cucumbers, one or two wore citron and I know by tho care with which they were stowed in his pocket that the question will bo docidod some- where on the Worth farm this summer. Plans for the picnic progress apace. _ Beside the general arrangements that are be- ing completed by the Essingtons, Rose has .ome ^^ide hne plans of her own. Her hand is on the table now, the cards face up. Li aid of her scheme that Captain Fenton be her especial at- tendant on that day she told him that she wished to see if Glossy couldn't beat Midnight on the ride there. She also asked me to suggest to the Essingtons mat it would be much cozier to take the lunch in baskets for two, each girl to provide one fc- iier- self and escort. She even went so far as to tell hun that -they" were adopting the plan and asked him what he would like in their basket. He asked her to consult with me about it, by which I imagined that he had sent a S. 0. S. call • yj^^^'^t Rose's request, I mentioned the sub- ject to the Essingtons, they thought the idea too ^i^w^^nr till: lU JANET OF KOOTENAY silly for words, just as I had thought they would. We shall lunch ''en party." Kose also sounded C. F. as to my working cos- tume. "Do you care for girls who wear masculine clothes?" she asked him, supposing herself out- side my hearing. ''That depends a bit on the girl, too." "Oh, of course. But do you approve of the idea in general?" "Can't say. But I've approved of it in r>ar- ticular once or twice." The matter was settled. A wire order for a riding habit of the same colour as mine was sent to Spokane at once, and, in the meantime, she is busy making a tailored waist for it, copying mine exactly. This trivial incident has happened be- fore. For one thing, she has changed her style of hairdressing to that which I affect. I am not sure whether I resent this because oi the ten dollars I paid that Frenchman to tell me how to build my hair to suit "ze contour of ze countenance of madame, ' ' or whether it is because the style becomes her better than it does me. Be that as it may, I fully realise that I did not half appreciate your originality. You cannot imagine how much better I feel when I have grumbled to you of my small troubles. So much so, usually, that I wish I hadn't done it. The water motor was installed last week. It am JANET OF KOOTENAY ii; does its work efficiently but looks unsightly and commercial in our romantic well-bov^cr. Another of the jobs awaiting a slack season is the building of a rustic well house to cover it. Rose is enthusi- astic over this and means to help "every minute." The plumbing instructions arrived and I have taken the plunge and ordered the necessary pipes, fixtures, taps, wrenches and a gasolene torch. Even if I cannot manage it will bo all right as I have been the nicest ever to Mr. "Worth lately. You should see the way the things in the hotbod grow these days. We can hardly keep ahead of tlicm. Also the asparagus. There is enough for a meal every other day. I am so thankful that Kose likes these as well as I. I try to make the money that I get from the creamery for Betsy's cream buy the groceries. If Betsy can, with the aid of the garden, feed herself and me, then she was a very good buy. I hear that Mrs. Good resents my neighbourly friendship with Peter much more than she does that with C. F. It seems it was a sister of hers that gave Peter the terrible idea of every woman as endowed with faculties of relentless pursuit. I told Peter, one day, that we were to have tea and tennis on Saturday afternoons, and asked him to come. He denied either drinking tea or play- ing tennis, so I was amazed when, yesterday after- noon, just as we were settling to our tea and oat- meal cookies, I saw him coming across lots. .^.J^ IIG JANET OF KOOTENAY I^'1!: Betty saw him at the t;ame instant. "Oh, girls," she exclaimed slangily, "look who's here! Janet is certainly getting: him civil- ised when he will walk right into the enemy in this fashion. We should really do our bit. Come on, let's beat it. That's the way Janet began." Eleanor objected. Asked them not to be -,illy. * ' Very well then, Eleanor. I was only thinking of your comfort. It will be so much easier to come along with the crowd than to stay behind and explain that we are paying for plums." "But what of Janet," she objected. "It's not fair to ask her to explain such a thing." "I sha'n't," I said, "I hate to lose you, but it may do good." Peter was quite frank in remarking on their hasty leave. "Yes," I said innocently; "for some reason they did leave suddenly." I gave 'lim tea and consolation, facilitated by Rose, who took C. F. to see whether a stone could have gotten into Glossy 's foot. ^ You shall hear whether the picnic is a success. You did not say how you and M. P. are going to celebrate the holiday. Neither did you tell me what your ring is like, nor whether you have written any speeches as yet. But anyhow, Love From Janet K. :^$i:.^Jaiu»iMSWT£^!^^ .^k' *j,^a!&^,'^'s^tsf9s^nsmss^BBPsSBiimm Arcady, May the twenty-ninth. Dearest Friend: The orchards, Nan. The orchards! Across for miles they are like drifts of white and pink, and all the air is heavy with their fragrance. Last week, here and there one saw a cherry or crab (iressed in white— heralds of the solid regi- ments that were to follow. Every place along this road, excepting mine, is a seasoned orchard, so mine is rather a break in the fragrant blanket of white. How wonderful when mine has grown up like the others ; when I can stroll about, beneath my trees, with the soft June breezes raining petals on my head. A few of my cherry trees had little pink buds, but at Saundy's advise I snipped them off, though sadly indeed. At my home in Ontario, there was a huge cherry tree by the woodshed that was almost' snowed under with bloom each year, but it did not seem one half so wonderful as the straight little trees with their one brave little cluster of buds. I never before understood why Mother loved this tree so. It was the first thing they planted on the place, when they moved there, bride and 117 "^s^rnjstsssT M^y^ 118 JANET OF KOOTENAY I! groom, and, after Father was gone, it was the cherry tree that brought his memory back the clearest. My strawberries, at least, have bloomed pro- fusely. They seem grateful for the digging and fertili'-ing we have been doing lately. Saundy saw to it that all the blossoms were picked from my new plants. I hadn't intended mentioning them, for I do so want to see what kind of fruit they intend giving me, but he just picked them off without arguing about the matter at all. I know you want to hear about the picnic. I meant to write you that night when everything was fresh ii^. my mind and seemed worth telling about, but I spent the time, instead, in alcohol- rubbing and dosing Rose— but I am ahead of my tale. For the ride to the picnic, I ordered a mount from the livery bam, asking for the best chey had. The best proved to be none too good. When the Captain saw the big, rangy beast standing by the porch, he came over. ** Going to put on a cow-girl exhibition?" he asked. * ' Why ? " I enquired, startled. "I notice you have ordered John Collins. He is used chiefly for this purpose. " "Oh, heavens! I merely ordered a horse. Asked for the best they had." "You must have caught them with only one left, JANET OF KOOTENAY 119 then. Only then could they describe this one in that way. You will ride Midnight. I am a bit more acquainted with the moods and fancies of this beast." Rose was much put out at this. ^'But I wanted to have that race," she objected. "To run your pony against Midnight, you mean?" "Yes. I am sure she can win too. You promised to try it." "Trj- it out with Miss Kirk, instead. John and I will bo somewhere in the rear guard." After which, strangely enough, the desire to win against Midnight was held admirably in check, and Glossy was allowed to fall back with the slower horseb. Once she got a nasty bite from the amiable John Collins, who, aware that the tricks he had in stock for inexperienced riders would not "go," had to give vent to his disposition in some manner. The official chaperones for the day were neigh- bours who live next Goods and opposite Captain Fenton— people that both he and the Essingtons knew in England— a Mr. and IMrs. Wilmont Mor- timor-Dcane. I had not met them before. Both these might have ridden straight out of Park Row. There may be points of absurdity about Mortimer-Deane's farming; his riding out- fit is flawless. Mrs. M. D. was the only woman who rode side-saddle. Iler habit, top-hat, gloves and Hi if a- ^-0 JANET 0x1 KOOTENAY all wore from the very best London shops. With these she wore her inevitable feather ruff She Bees the humorous side of every situation, which. Cynthia says, is a faculty she very much needs in their present situation. The ride across the wide, level flats was rather toTr"; f f u 7^ ^ ''""^^^ ^^' "^«r i" time to turn and watch the others come up. The R-^o- lamation Farm is reached from there by means of a ferry, which is an affair that :3 wound across by hand. As is usual with such public ferries, the thmg was swaying gently 'neath the interlacing cottonwoods at the other side of the Kootenay The canoe that was there for the convenience of those wishing to cross to bring it over was a tipsy-looking bark affair that showed that the ferry was used chiefly by Indians. In the discussion as to who should cross for it It was noticeable that while many of the men said do let me go," none of them got in and went. J wore was plenty of river current to make one think a bit. ^ Finally Betty hit on the excellent idea of draw- ing Jots for tlio honour-among the men, that is. The favour fell to Captain Fenton. Without a word he swung himself to Midnight's back and would have plunged him headlong into the river to swim for it had not Mortimer-Deane caught the bndle m time. "Not for you, Fenton. I nursed you through ^m^: mtjsm WO^HWi^WM^M^'i^^t^lB^i^^* JANET OP KOOTENAY 121 trench rheumatism oLce, but I've no time to do it again. Who caiiie next, Betty T " Captain Fenton said nothing, but, as Midnight gladly backed from the river's edge, I saw that his face was grim. "It seems to me," Mrs. Mortiraer-Doane said, examining the canoe, "that the man to take this out should be chosen on his swimming record." Then the soldiers, who had joined us on the way, made a show of intending to take off their coats and swim in competition for her favour, and to decid? who should paddle for the ferry. How the matter would have been decided it is hard to say, but at this moment two Indians drove up ard tied their team. With a scornful glance over our party they slid the canoe out, took their places and swung off. Paddling only a little, they let the stream carry them down, then came back up in the quiet water under the trees on the other side. "Well!" the twinkling-eyed Irish sergeant ex- claimed. "Who would have knew that it was as easy as that?" Just as we were embarking, the remainder of the party, who had been asked to moot us at the ferry, came up. These last were two Miss Miltons, known as the "Goose Girls" from a goose farm that they run, and a civil engineer, short, bald and full of information. The two girls I took to naturally, as they are 122 JANET OF KOOTENAY from Ontario — graduates of MacDonald in Onelph — and thoy know a lot of people that I know, not to mention having piuyed the same games, hated the same school inspector and had the same young ambition— namely, to get out West. I find that, however much one may admire the English, the Irish, the Scotch or the Americans, one never feels at homo with them to the same degree that one does with Canadians from one's own Province. The engineer with them I took to artificially, for I saw that the history and mystery of the great undertaking that we were there to explore was as an open book to him. Grateful for an audience, he showed me over the island, which is practically what the farm is, and explained that the high oanks of the river had been dikes, many years ago, built by the Government to demonstrate that the spring floods of the Kootenay — floods that rise almost over- night, when the snows of the mountair«.. t'«. t bor- der the river for a hundred miles back to its source melt with the first summer sun — ^might be controlled, and that the fertile soil of the vast areas of the river's flats might be used for agri- culture, instead of lying under water for two months and idle the remainder of the time, as they had done — and do still. He took Betty and me through the big bam, cobwebby and musty from years of disuse. Every known variety of farm implement was there, JANET OP KOOTENAY 123 ruited and coated with the same white river sedi- ment that, on the outer walls, reacshed a height of eight or nine feet— the }iigh water mark of the tragic flood of '92 that ended the experiment. The house, a pretentious affair, apparently built for some agricultural pet of the Government, had its windows boarded with care. It seemed to have been left, blind and deserted, when its inmates- knowing that the Kootenay would soon tumble and swirl in over its dikes— had made their es- cape. The matrimony vines over the porch had run wild, along with the orchard and the small fruit garden. "How futile it all makes us poor mortals feelt" Betty sighed. "Not at all; not at all." Our escort straightened himself to his full height. "You ladies should see the Roosevelt Dam, down our way. And the Ari- zona Desert, now that it has boen taken in hand. Why, compared to this problem " He waved his hand towards the surrounding scenery and left his sentence to finish itself. "Why," exclaimed Betty, her eyes wide with a semblance of wonder, "you must be the very man the valley has awaited all these years I " "All it needs is a big enough man. We've con- quered the Panama, you know." "You have a theory as to the solution of all i*1!rT/£a.5« h^^^^mMii^' ^^yim^Him l^ ill; ■i.i M- "■ i '.^v_^■ 124 JANET OF KOOTENAY this, of course?" Betty said, demure to dangerous- ness. "Why, that's all simple enough. One has only to understand the causes, and then to remove them. What is it that obstructs these spring floods from escaping in the river's regular channels? There the point lies, ladies. Remove this obstruc- tion: remove it- }f "But," Betty argued, "the obstruction in this case appears to be the lay of the land. The Koote- nay lake, into which this river empties a few miles farther dowm, is held in place by mountains that do not appear to be removable." "The lake has an outlet. Deepen this. We did it on the Panama." "And run the lake to some place where it isn't in the least bit welcome. Have you ever been at this outlet?" "Well, no, I haven't. It is possible that no American engineer has looked the problem over. Americans, you know " "I think my sister is calling me," Betty said in haste. "You came with the Milton girls?" I said, try- ing to keep my voice merely interested, not sur- prised. "Are you a relative of theirs?" "Not at all. But I had a letter of introduction to them when I came here from a friend of n ne— a moving picture manager who once put their ■goose-raising methods on the screen." I I \-^/t>:' 'm^ •■Vi i!V^; ' -■ ii^^ •is£^ EliSS^S^i'Mi^A^lr'T .ii^nt. JANET OF KOOTENAY 125 "Indeed! Do you mind if we hunt them up? I am more than interested in their undertaking. Much more," I added to myself. We ate our lunch under a'^i^narled and unpruned crab tree, its blossoT - just budding. The soft murmur of the ^\ .■;,,t siftM through the cotton- woods and willow^ on the ri/er's edge. My memories o. f}. ■ ^.nnch centre a great deal about a tweed-clad figure, lying full length, elbow restmg on the clover; about quizzical eyc] that sought mme for an amused instant whenever the combination of declamations of American ingenu- ity, on the one hand, and British immobility of countenance, on the pnH of the Essingtons and Mortimer-Deanes, on the other hand, became too irresistible; eyes that, in seeking mine each time, seemed to say ''only we two see the humour of this." The rest of the time, merely the consciousness of his presence, the innate strength of the man, his indifferent silence when he might easily have settled an argument with authoritative informa- tion ; all of these I found compelling, and disturb- ing. And I remember that the sky was its bluest, the hills clear-cut in the May sunshine and all the earth one's friend. Both the Irish sergeant and I had brought our poles, creels and waders, so we escaped the dishes by promising enough fish for the crowd v^w;.^ I'M m 'n i ii r- t ^> • '*-' -."■ "-J ■'T- "• ■ >-jiS .1)1 126 JANET OF KOOT^NAY for supper. The river was cold but I decided that I would be the last to come out. Besides, there had been wagers made as to who would reel in the greatest number. The afternoon's programme was under discus- sion when Betty came down the bank to rinse the dish towels. "Delmar goin' to take you round to show you the latest Reclamation idea?" the sergeant asked. "You jolly well know he's not. Enough's enough. I did try to make Maude go. She asked him." "Wliy not have him ride to the Mission with the rest of you?" *'Eve Milton and I had that all fixed. He was to have ridden John Collins. But Clay wouldn't stand for it. So it is up to some one to stay behind and listen to him." When it became patent that the fish really in- tended to bite, Eleanor, Miss Milton and Cap- tain Fenton took their cameras to a bend in the river to await a chance to catch us while reeling in, all agreeing that only then does an angler lose the look of conscious posing. It was here that Rose, taking advantage of their wait, secured an imitation pole, and, in spite of warnings, walked out on a fallen tree over a deep spot, well in the foreground of the camera's view. In her anxiety to secure a good position i illii fci^'i^*^ ,vV;#-'!'i*' 'v*0;i-:.' -'■■ '/;**■■' ;€:. i^^i, ^; w?:if Mi >^ j^ . u^^t^s:^ASLTtiMj^imL JANET OF KOOTENAY 127 8he ventured an inch too far. The tree swayed with her wei ,'ht. ^ She toppled once or twice, recovered, then lost tC^ Z T^^'^'^'- ^^''' ^«« ^ ««ream, a before"^ ^''''° ''''"'"^ "^^^ ^''™^ «^ «« I cannot remember who it was that ran out on the tree to be ready to puU her to safety. The Irish sergeant threw away an almost priceless pole and stood, his arms ready, thinking the stream would carry her straight to him. It was Captain Fenton who first divined that ?! Ti! ^^^"f?^^ «^ a branch and unable to rise. Throwing his camera up the bank, he took a long sure dive in her direction. He too was a long tmie in rising, but at last he emerged and handed Eose to waiting hands, still caught in a branch which he had had to break from the tree. I think It mus+ ' ,ve been a picture that hung in my room as :■ I that was responsible for a fancy I have ...ays had that the rescue of a maiden from drowning must be a very romantic and Zt\"'^^' This picture, of Ophelia, dead and clothed m wonderful draperies, being lifted from the water by handsome Danish gallants would foster such an hallucination However, we were so frantically glad to have Rose alive that we forgave her that, instead of being hauntmgly alluring, she was a very cold, sputtermg and hysterical girl. There was nothing m^WS^^^MM 128 JANET OF KOOTENAY ^mi I i to do for them but to build a roaring ftre and dry them. No one had extra skirts or petticoats to contribute. We wrap'ied Rose in saddle blankets till she began to steam. For a moment I was alone with the Captain. **That was wonderful, Claymore," I said. **I shuader to think what we would be doing now but for you." * ' Thanks, Janet, ' ' he said, his face alight. * ' Not for ';he compliment but for the name. It's your first time, you know. I had given you up." The afternoon's programme was resumed at last. Gaily the Irish sergeant piloted me back into those ice-cold waters, the others departed on their ride to the Indian Mission and Rose and Captain Fenton were left, cosily drying by the fire. They dried their best for three hours but Rose was still damp in spots when the return ride was besrun. Although wrapped in saddle-blankets till she looked exactly like a squaw, she was all but frozen when we reached home. As quickly as possible, I got her between hot blankets on the Davenport before a roaring fire. It worried me terribly that she did not warm up even though I gave her boiling hot beef tea and rubbed her feet and hands. At ten o'clock, the Captain called on the phone to enquire about my hospital. When I told him, I conld hardly keep my teeth from chattering my- M W JAN3T OF KOOTENAY 129 self. He came over with a dose that smelled to high heaven, which he called a whiskey sling. He said he was going home to take one for him- self, as he had not been able to get warm, either. I was sorry when he had gone that I had not asked for one for myself, but I had imagined that I would soon get to bed. The whiskey sling did what I had not been able to do— it warmed Rose up. Also it loosed her tongue. She insisted that I stay up with her as she could not sleep— and did not want to, anyhow. She chattered hysterically till after two o'clock; all about Captain Fenton. **0h, Janet. Isn't he just too wonderful? Think of the things he's done; the places he's been; in the Gorman Embassy; in the army in India— a Captain. Why, he knows half the no- bility of England, and of lots of other countries. And to think " "Has Captain Fenton been bragging?" I asked drily. I knew, of course, that he had not, but it net- tled me that she had gotten information from him that I had not. I believe that Rose saw this, for she elaborated. "He told me about his mother. She must be the sweetest thing. I hope to meet her some day. And about the snakes and the treacherous natives in India; and about how he would rather farm than live in a city in wealth and splendour. Of tTX^^^WM: W^ w^ MM 130 JANET OF KOOTENAY ^n if- ■'■ "1! if; ■i! di: course he wasn't bragging. I got most of this between the lines. I know that he must have met all sorts of wonderful girls, and to think '* **He has," I interrupted; "particularly one Lady Edith, who decides such important things as what he should smoke for him." "I'm sure he never saved her life," she said with a combination of smug coraplacency and worldly wisdom that her nurse found most ex- asperating. Then sho was off again ; telling me that I could have no idea of how interesting he waS when away from the others ; no idea of his insight into hmnan nature; no idea of how strong his arms had seemed as he had lifted her from the wa- ter Here the clock struck two and I rose abruptly. "He may be all very well and ail that," I said, "but he's not a tin god, nor a sufficient reason for an all night's rhapsody. Get some sleep if you can. I'm going to, anyhow." Instead of the answer I was expecting to this, a look of satisfaction stole over her face, and, without further words, she settled for the night. I wonder if it can* be that I am jealous. You have often heard me boast that I was bom without that faculty. In fact, you have seen it proved in that I never minded that Lester Owen would have preferred you to me at the very slight- est encouragement. And, as you know, I remained il ! IIM '■,^stJ¥KM' mmsjm mEsaK^ss'i^Kmi^a^^ ^f'^:.^.4^'i"'^:f '--.-.. :■ -«■ ::^r.; I JANET OF KOOTENAY 131 calm in the face of your capturing one of the matrimonial prizes of the West. But here it is, disturbing my equanimity to hear Rose's silly prattle about her rescue, and to think of the presence, in far-away England, of an Edith or two that I cannot find out anything about. ^o, 1 have no particulars of her as yet The day of the picnic, Mrs. Mortimer-Deane and 1 got quite chummy over the frying of the hsh for supper, and she told me that she had known Clay since childhood. J Then you have known Edith," I hazarded, as unconcernedly as possible. ''Rather. We were room-mates at school." Aot very illuminating, but all I got, there. One day when Eleanor Essington was speaking of England and Captain Fenton's home, I risked an enquiry as to the Lady Edith '' She isn 't Lady Edith. She 's Lady Harboro ' ' Losing my presence of mind, I quickly changed the conversation to subjects on which I might dis- play less ignorance. Peter, I find to my amazement, is much ag- grieved that he was not included in the picnic crowd. ^ ;'I thought that you and I were friends," he saici. ' 'And indeed we are. But it was the Essingtons mat managed the excursion." "WTiat objection can they have to me?" ri";a^.. •■ -•* T345<*J?^ 132 JANET OF KOOTENAY After a moment's hesitation I told him what they had heard. "It takes a nice girl some little time to forget that sort of thing," I said. Peter looked genuinely uncomfortable. I really believe his reform is near at hand. This seems to be all from Jan. this time. ; hi ^W- (T- I ^^^^^^^1 ^^m ^ i i ii ;; ^HH i T'-J^Sk^ m ■niU. .',-•■ ''\ ■' '^■: ':■■'■ '.^^' Arcady, June the fifth. My Dear Nak : Has it ever occnrrod to you to meditate on tlio fact that diiTerent weeks, composed of the same number of days ^nd hours, can vary so in lenj?tht I have been transphmtiiig- in tlie garden for one week; it seems like at least a month. AVc have set out the early corn, cabbage and cauliflower. I wonder if I will ever get to bo expert enough to keep up with Chow in planting. lie goes so quickly that I cannot keep anywhere near him, even when he is religiously putting the cutworm poison of bran and Farit, green about the roots, and I am slighting it, hoping that a cutworm will not find that especial plant, or deciding that, if my time is worth anything, I can replace a few plants and still be ahead. Next week, the tomatoes and cucumbers go in, and after that txio celery. Cutworms seem to have an especial fancy for tomatoes and cucum- bers. In seasons when the pc.^t is abundant they get a number of plants in spite of the poison. Other years they are scarcely noticeable and it la not worth while to trouble with preventatives. The trouble is, that foresight cannot be used, and after-knowledge is too late. 133 134 JANET OF KOOTENAI A genuine, bona-fido prophet in these parts oould rako in fees like a corporation lawyer. For who would not pay well to have the summer ao- curately foretold? Some 6uch advico as this, for instance: No cutworms this year; savo timo and poison. Alberta and Washington potatoes a bumper crop; use land for tomatoes, which will bring top prices. Very little rainfall to be expected ; get water on gardens early. Picklers and celery in special de- mand. Tork will repay for food given better than chickens. "Watch for woolly aphis on trees and cabbage aphis in gardens. Store onions and cabbage for coming high prices in the spring. But I suppose that a man who could give out prophecies of that nature n'ould be commandeered by kin,«rs ;• d things in Europe. As though ^heir business was more important than ours! I have at last discovered the flaw in Betsy. She is an offender of the worst type in the cow crimi- nal code— a fence-breaker. Up to now, there has been nothing better than our own pasture here- abouts, so she was content to stay there, but early this last week she decided to scout about a bit. She opened the gate of the pasture, walked down and, after working about the lock of the big gate with her horns, got it open, too. Eose saw her but thought it all right. Instead of going into Goods', as I would nat- urally have expected her to do, she went on a little ■'is" ■M^:.Mi-. i:: 4^ ■»;»■ '•\>. JANET OF KOOTENAV 135 farther and opened Iho ir„rtiincr-Deanc rata »!,», apparent case. Once insulo, „l,e cropTdC .W Thnr^ r * ^ ^'"^^« 8P<'ar was left ion hi ir/'T,""™ '■" ''"^T"- ^'""-» Pe": house in the VnlLl- """""' *? "''^^ ^""n- ' 'a"M,:"™ r.r'" """'^'"^ i' ri^',t oven no fault of Toura 1 ,1,1? J t^^ certainly again." -^ «'"'» simply have to plant and T™ 'TT'^ '"^ *'""' •""! he boon furions t.. ho. , I ,„ paVX^alr^tdt": ages IIo chuckled at the idea. -rH f Tf ''"''' ^^ ^" >'^^ ^^'-^n mo that asks -^rty to take anything. He ig r^rond nc t •; von knn«r „v, 7 X 1 .^ proud as Lucifer, u=^:i7rr:;;a rercv nu-- ^-^ at a Mortimor-Deane has e^r tnerr: thiMrefore, of course, he won't do it. Jnst the same, "he wont on, " I 'm sorrv about It. It will mean considerable los« ,,,,1 j ness knows, they need all they in 'mak ' out tie garden. They get a little sometimes from thl ^-Jd: 7;i 136 JANET OF KOOTENAY aunt wlio controls the Mortiincr-Dcano estates as loii^ as slio lives. This aunt seems to have re- versed tho order and is j^rowiti;,' younger instead of older. In tho meantime, farming in Canada doesn't seem to bo their forte." **"\Vill it 1)0 of any use for him to plant a^ain?" "Very little. Late corn will not help a great deal. You see, their place and Goods' is sand loam. This brinj^s tho garden crops earlier than wo can possibly get them on our soil, so they got the early orders and the prices are always high then. Later, when our stulT is just coming in force, tho heat will bo dr>ing his plants up. So, it is early or nothing for tiiem, you see." "Then, what in the world can I do?" "I would suggest that you go to Mrs. Morty," lie said. "Two women always have more sense than any other combination in matters of that kind." So I did that. At the gate an inspiration camo to me. "Mrs. Mortimcr-Deane," I said, "Betsy has sent me to say how sorry she is for her depreda- tions, and to ask if a quart of milk each day, and cream on Sundays, will recompense you for her destructlveness." "Can Betsy really mean that?" she asked. "Indeed, yes, she means it." "Then tell her she is pardoned and that the Mortimer-Deanes are her friends." ■P^Ff- JANET OF KOOTENAY 137 She told mo very frankly of how hard they found it to got alonj?; of how tij^htly the mint hold the purso strings and of iiow well she took caro of herself. All of this frankness was quite un-Canadian, as was also the species of bravery she showed— for it really was bravery. A Canadian girl, in the same situation, I was thinking, would stir about and do something to aid the family linances. She ?'«'emed to divine my thoughts. "Of course," she said, "I can't do a thing, fven if there were anything I could do. Slie'd find out about it somehow and say that Wihnont couldn't support a wife, so, therefore shouldn't have one. Like as not shcM take me from him. She is that kind, if you know what I moan. "She sent money pretty regularly till war broke out, but since then has felt t(>rri])ly dis- graced that ho is not in Franco witli t!io army. She believes nothing of what she hears of his frantic bombardment of the recruiting ofnce hero every new moon. Said slie never heard of his bad heart on the i)olo fields." "But, why," I asked, "does he not let her go hang— any Canadian man would, for that— and strike out for himself/" "Goodness, my dear! You don't know what you are saying. That would bo like a man, swim- ming to a life buoy and hardly able to make it, turning and swimming for mid-ocean, instead. 138 t 1 JANET OF KOOTENAY I'! You see, he has been born, bronght np and edu- cated with no other idea than that some day he will run that estate. Roughing it in Canada was Aunt's idea after all this was- finished. She hap- pened to read a book of Haney's. Had it been a book on discovering North Poles, we would probably be up there now. Sht doesn't know that these things cannot be done without prepara- tion and help. ** Sometimes I see your point of view and long to cut loose and tell her to go straight to, but Wilmont would never see it that way. He's in a rut of centuries. Here he is for tea at last. ' ' And that is a fittirig description of this won- derfully charming man. He is in a rut of cen- turies — and he will be there for tea at last. As a suitable conclusion of this little incident, Betsy was dehornea by Saundy, and is a less handsome but better behaved cow. I asked ]\Ir. Worth why he had neglected to mention this trait of Betsy's when he was giving her a character. He said he just forgot it for the moment, but I am certain that he never, for a moment, forgot the damages he had had to pay to two or three neighbours for little calls made by Betsy. He was jolly glad to get seventy dol- lars for a hundred-dollar cow with a two-hundred- dollar fault. As Eose did not want Glossy this afternoon, I saddled her and went for a canter. I took the JANET OF KOOTENAY 139 lower Canyon road and came out on the fork that leads to the Kootenay River, expecting to have a gallop across the flats. Instead, I came back the way I had gone. The flats are mider water— a huge, far-reaching lake. It seems incredible that only last week we rode across the bottom of ull that expanse. The tree tops of the cottonwoods that border the river are visible marking the course that it usually takes, but the willows that grow m clusters over the flats are all under. I have made a sketch to show you how the hay fields of the Kootenay valley look in June. When I returned, Rose and Captain Fenton had been walkmg. She wore her frilliest dress— has done ever since the day of the picnic, when the captain told her that the riding habits worn by all of u& did not suit her type. ^ Personally, I thought her trim and rather cute m the rig but it would be of no use to teU her so now. No. When one has such a thing as a type it is a great mistake not to give it free rein. I led Glossy up to the porch just as they sat down. I noticed that he was grave and rather tired-looking. "Have you walked Claymore to death?'* I asked, starting Glossy down to the brook for a drink. Rose only smiled coyly and, when I looked at him, he said : Jjr-.S I'.Sf 140 JANET OF KOOTENAY m\ If i. "Not at all. I'm far from dead, Miss Kirk." Miss Kirki I went on into the house, half stunned, or per- haps half frozen would be more accurate. And why? Something had happened most recently for when I had consulted him about recompensing the Mortimer-Deanes he had called me Janet two or three times, and in a way that makes me love the name. Since then I have gone through a dinner at the Essingtons '. In the general conversation no one but me noticed that Captain Fenton was unusually pre-occupied and silent. He was still so when he walked home with me — simply, I was sure, be- cause he had done so on other evenings and it might attract attention if he did not. Finally I recalled a method that had once set things right. "Captain Fenton," I said, quaking inwardly, "there is some reason for your manner this eve- ning, and this afternoon. Do you not think I have a right to ask what it ist" After a moment's thought he shook his head. "I'm sorry not to be as kind as you were when I asked that but— no, I cait't tell you." "Then how can I set it right?" "It is all right now. Please believe that I am sorry if I have let my manner bother you. It was thoughtless of me. ' ' That was all I gotr— absolutely no clue as tfl 'il;. 1 i; ■ iiii'" i U w I! ■^B«tv "•«;: JANET OF KOOTENAY 141 ^^ll^^^'^f^^^^^^^J been relegated to the status of **Miss Kirk" again. Last night the moon on the fragrant fields was a witching and wonderful thing. To-night the charm and lure of the hill and canyon, the river and lields is under a cloud. Can it really be that I, the scoffer of sentiment, am writing things like that ? Please do not apolo- T ^°;/^^P«^^^ising about M. P.'s goodness and stren.o^th. Far be it from me to scoff. I imagine that ^e two should have stayed together. In union tliere seemed to be strength pla^n^ki* ^^* ^""""^ ""^'^ against next week's trans- Ever yours, Janet K. L^g^f*?.^^-' '11 ■tii . i ! i , ! i i! (t ';■ ': M II Arcadv, June the twelfth. Dear Nan: Am writing this on a most gorgeous June day. Have just returned from driving to church with the Essingtons. Later, they and the Mortimer- Deanes are coming here to dinner — a dinner of mountain brook trout. Yesterday, I took a holiday from the garden and spent a vagabond day down there among the cool rocks, coming back in the evening with my creel full and heavy. Saundy, who brings his scientific angling lore from Highland streams, gave me some flies of his own make, showing me the kind to use where the pools are green and deep, and those that the fish rise for where the rushing waters are white. My ears ring yet with the dynamic, high-water roar where the canyon walls are narrow, partly be- cause, any time I listen, I can hear the sound at Arcady. The fishing will be easier and better in another month when the water is lower. Beside the trout at dinner, there will be aspara- gus in butter sauce and French fried potatoes> Rose very generously offered to make a Charlotte Russe and angel cake. "What do you think of that for a dinner, edited by two bachelor girls? 142 JANET OF KOOTENAY 143 The whole thing is in the nature of an experiment on mj part I wish to see if those two families can get past a Sunday without their roast beef and. Yorkshire pudding. If so, I shall imme- diately attempt to Canadianise them in other directions. I invited Captain Fenton but he had promised to take dinner in town with a visiting Major. Even when Kose took both his hands and coaxed m her very prettiest manner, he still was adamant. However, she secured a promise to drop in later for scjoe of her dessert so she does not regret her trouble. As his refusal left a vacant place in our plans I decided to ask Peter, partly also to recompense him for his disappointment over the picnic. AVhen I phoned he said he would find out and let me know. Later he called me up to say that he would be pleased to accept, as Mrs. Good had been kind enough to let him off this time. Ye gods I Wasn't that just like a man. There is no doubt but that she mil «'let him off," and no doubt in the wide world but that she will add that up in her score against me. This is merely another of the circumstances that seem to be bent on demonstrating that it is my inten- tion to antagonise her. Why she thinks any one would be senseless enough to do that, I cannot see. My friendship with the Mortimer-Deanes an- noys her. ''Birds of a feather flock together," '■"""Iff"" 144 JANET OF KOOTENAT 'li-; .;):! '■''.;i; 111! iii III liiii^ lii^ Mi^hjii-i! she says. "When I asked Captain Fenton what her objection to the harmless Morthner-Deanes could possibly be, he said : "Nothing could be simpler. You must have noticed yourself that Mrs. Morty sometimes hangs her wash out on Fridays. On another week it will be Tuesday, or even Saturday. It has been known to flaunt itself brazenly all day Sunday. Surely that is sufficient ground for reproach. What more could one want?" More of the dinner later. The weather this Week has been ideal for trans- planting,— moist and cloudy, with a great deal of rain. I cannot think of a greater delight than setting out plants in the rain; than seeing them lift up their thirsty heads and begin to grow, almost before one has one's hands off them. The rain on my clothes— I use an old raincoat made into an absurd smock— does not bother me nearly so much as does the sun on the back of my neck. The tiredness I felt last week, the feeling that I would never get straightened up again, does not bother me now. I am garden-broke. Saundy had sympathised with me by humorously prophe-^ sying that the first six months would be the worst. I have lowered that record to the first six days. Contact with Mother Earth, even in the form where it may be described as mud, has a wonder- ful effect on the nerves. In fact, it seems to eliminate them altogether. Also it seems incred- JANET OF KOOTENAY 145 ibie that there ever was a time when I could not sleep, or, stranger still, when I hated to rise in the morning. At six at night I tumble from my muddy clothes into a Japanese kimono, read garden magazines for an hour or two after sup- per, then crawl into bed with a relish never felt before. From that instant I sleep soundly till the Canyon Mills whistle tells me it is six o'clock, when, incredible as it may seem to you, I am ready to get up, shake the soil from my garden clothes and get back to my work again. Farming has already done me so much good that I long to pass its benefits along to others in need of them— Aunt Abigail for instance. I am sure she could not spend a week in a garden in the spring, with possibly one day off for fishing in a mountain stream, without getting a set of new and wholesome ideas; without having **the proprieties," as she describes whatever it is that she worships, shrink till they assume proper pro- portions. Also Lily Hawtree. Nothing better than coun- try life could be prescribea for her case. The year she shared an apartment with me, when we were on the Bulletin together, she was nothing but a bundle of tight-drawn, discordant nerves. Back agarin among the elemental things of life, she would not require a bromide to stop her brain machinery at night, nor strong coffee to start it again in the morning. 146 JANET OF KOOTENAY 'ii'i li' \M-M 1: : • 1- ■nil 1 {III And often when, even across Peter's place, I hear the merry shouts of the Perry "Kewps," as I call them, I wish that every mother, worried and weary with the necessity of keeping her children dressed up to city requirements, could taste the freedom of putting them into overalls and turning them loose onto a few acres of God's earth some- where, ^t is hard to say whether mothers or chil- dren would receive the greater benefit. I must not neglect to mention that I am becom- ing really expert with my twenty-two. Exter- mination of the gopher pest is both the cause and the result of this. Sometimes I have hardly turned my back after setting in a plant, when I see a gopher sneaking up to nibble at it. Yester- day I got five of them with five shells : the record remains to be beaten. As Saundy prophesied, I can see no more reason for letting them get my plants on Sunday than on any other day. There is a bud on my Margaret Die' on rose. I warned Saundy to leave it there on peril of his life. If it blooms in time I intend to wear it to the farewell dance to the soldiers — if I go. I think I told you that two officers had asked me to go, but I find that, as the Board of Trade is giving them a dinner the same night and they will have to parade from there to the hall, neither will be able to come for me. Unless some other invita- tion turns up in the meantime, Margaret Dickson and I will remain quietly at home. JANET OF KOOTENAY 147 Lo has been to visit me again. When I came from feeding the chickens one evening, he was in the yard admiring the colt. ♦'What you call him?" he asked. "Mowitza." "Huh," he nodded with his amiable grin. ♦ * Good name. Guess you keep him ? ' ' "Yes, I think so." "You buy two calves?" "Heap cheap?" "Sure. I sell you cheap all time. You good pay. Sometime maybe you sell me colt." Did you ever in your life see such persistency? I am not at all certain but that he will get the colt from me yet. I went to the gate and in- spected the calves in his waggon and ended by adding them to my herd. The next day Saundy and I drove them, along with Betsy's William, back to the Arrow. I rode Molly, who hates a saddle to begin with, and who shook her head and switched her tail ' ' ' -'olence at the indignity of being compellcvi to follow squirming, contrary-minded calves from side to side of the road, not to mention diving' into the woods for them ever and anon. I resolved that any further purchases would be f.o.b. Arrow sec- tion. Mr. Worth is pasturing two with mine while the flats are under water and Peter is going to drive some back, so that will help to pay my rent. f-T j Ih .:i ^ :II;L Plii (IMilri;: ii:! ■I, Ji 148 JANET OF KOOTENAY While on the subject of stock, let me say that I am becoming more and more enamoured of the kind of stock that Eleanor Essington goes in for— if one would put bees under the heading of stock. Eleanor began, four years ago, with five hives and has expanded the business until now she has fifty hives on a slope behind the house and fifty more five miles back, quite near the Arrow, where the wild flowers are simply crying for bees to turn their sweetness into honey. While the home bees are busy through the sea- son on the orchards rou.id about, visiting in their turn, the blossoms of the cherries, peaches, apples and plums, as well as the raspberries, currants, cucumbers and so forth of the garden, and the alsike clover and alfalfa of the fields, the wild flower bees, as they call those in the colonics back in the hills, will go through just as abundant a season among the willows, the n^ ar-laden Kanickinic, dandelions, wild spirea an' »nally the fireweed that grows densely on whate\ r wild land that has been visited by bush fires. The wonderful part of it all is that while the bees are benefiting the fruit blossoms and the fruit blossoms ar^ benefiting the bees, this amiable reciprocity costs the owTier nothing, and he gets the ultii te benefit both going and coming. Another point worth noting is that, even when one cannot supply them from one's own place» they are perfectly welcome to board on the farms ■■ m M \ JANET OF KOOTENAY 149 of the neighbours — a distinct advantage they en- joy over Betsy, the pigs or my snow white chicks. I think I have my hands full enough for this summer, but next year, if I am still alive, bees it is. After the planting, there will be a lull in the garden till strawberry time, although there is al- ways hoeing and more hoeing to be done. But if Chow can handle it for a time I hope to get some plumbing done. I have the duckiest blue and white linoleum to I)ut on the floor of tliu bath and sanitary blue and white oilcloth for the walls. Once this is on I am sure it will be quite simple to set the furniture in place. Of course it must bo connected up. When I get any qualms about that I think of how well the fireplace draws. I think I shall begin with the kitchen sink. It looks as simple as any. I have a water tank standing beside the kitchen stove, looking ever so wise; the cess-pool that Chow has been digging in the evenings, time and a half pay, is also ready for the venture — adven- ture would be better. Later: Our dinner was an unqualified success. Saundy came in the afternoon with a small pail full of mushrooms. He has been experimenting with the spawn for three years — never with any suc- cess till now. He was pleased as a child with his achievement. When I asked him to stay to 150 .lAXCT OF KOOTENAY ^■ir dinner with t I accepted gladly, not eceraing to mind that if v:>s an eleventh hour invitation. Ho fried the " ; ' rooms as I could never have done. "\Vo put 111 i iicL' ri table, one from Rose's room and the rea Vw~: fa )le in line, coniorwise of the livinij^-roora. 01 o/wrse I liad to wash silvor and dishes bctw' cij rcur r>'3 1 . lat only inado more fun. Morti ^ r ! •- . utation of an English butler as ho vait. i • i •» i' e was too funny for words. My ''ngli .sts professed absolute satisfaction r ith a li^-h dinner. Rose and I felt more than gratified at tiuir praise. When thoy took leave Peter escorted the Essing- tons, in spite of firm protestations from every one of them. "Really, please don't," Eleanor remonstrated. "We'd heaps rather not trouble you." Quito unheeding of their protestations, he de- terminedly took Eleanor's knitting bag and went with them. I hope he is not ovor-sonsitive, for Betty is apt to consider this a suitable occasion for an application of "the truth." Captain Fenton came soon after they had gone and Rose fed him bountifully with some of the dessert that she had cached for the purpose. She was in high spirits and took the entertainment of our guest into her hands, insisting on lighting his cigarettes and playing and singing her pretti- est songs for him. JANET OF KOOTENAY 151 Althoncfh he smoked in silence he Rocraod con- tented with it all, but when it pot to where she called him a i?reat, bijf, wonderful num, I had had enoujj:li. I saiil I had letters to write and would they mind bein,:jj ehaperon»'d from the next room. RoHe ('\[)lained my cas(». "She's disconsolate, poor dear, because Peter ft'lt that ho ouglit to take the Esses homo." "Peter! lie was here?" 'M)i" I'ourse," she lau?j:lH'd. : "Peter's stock is away above par hereal)outs. You and I may have to take to the road for a chance to talk soon." At this I left. The Captain stood while I gathered my writinj^ things and magazines. His eyes seemed intensely inquiring as he said g'uod- night. I feel like niT aged and lonely aunt as I listen to h'T endless chatter, which gets tangled up in my letter so tliat I cannot think what I wanted to write and might as well stop. Am mailing you six pounds of asparagus and a few of my special radishes. Tell mo if you do not think thrm better than those, "so iikee wood," Chow says, that w^e got in Fort Weyne. Also, I think there will be a pair of chickens big enough for a fry by the time your birthday ar- rives, so I shall send them along. The chickens are growing rapidly and I shall soon have to turn over a part of the stable for sleeping accommodji- tions as I do not want to build any more space I I 152 JANET OF KOOTENAY for them. Next year I shall not have so many, unless feed is cheaper. A very important-looking man came the other day and said he had been told that I was the most extensive aviculturist in the district. I kept my head and did not deny this, and it finally dawned on me that he was alluding to my keeping chickens. He gave me an order for five dozen a week to begin the minute they are ready for shipping; wants them for use on the lake boats. I feel glad to have such a ready market, and the price — twenty cents, live weight, crated f.o.b. siding — is good, considering that I shall escape the tedium of dressing them. Your devoted Janet — aviculturist. mr Arcady, June the nineteenth. Dear Nan: The strawberry season is imminent in the Kootenay valley. Every one is preparing for the rush of work and securing pickers wherever pos- sible. Later, for the raspberry crop, this is an easier matter, for the high school students from the neighbouring towns are available then. Now they are all cramming for exams. In seasons when the crop is heavy and help scarce, it is neces- sary to resort to Indian pickers, but this is avoidad if possible, a ad, in any case, is never advertised. As my crop will be ve: / light, compared with the others, I am farming Chow out to neighbours in need. He is to assist Captain Fenton's Chinaman in the morning and go to the Mortimer-Deanes ' in the afternoon throughout the season. On an afternoon of this last week, when I had gotten my courage up to boring a hole in the kitchen floor preparatory to setting in the trap of the sink, I heard, from far up the road, a weird noise — a sort of roar, increasing in rapid cre- scendo. I hurried to my front porch and saw that all the neighbours were on theirs. The equipages that pass to and fro on this road are usually quiet and orderly and uninteresting. 153 1. * I * ■ T ! •^^ '' 'J i (1' P , '4 lil!:,ii: I; 11 ■! lii! > 154 JANET OF KOOTENAY What I saw resolved itself into a motorcycle, fol- lowed by a cloud of dust. Up over a small hill it sped and dipped out of sight again. When it re- appeared I made out two riders, clothed like pic- tures of military dispatch riders or something terribly important. As you may imagine, it gave me a start when, with a wide swing, they entered the open gate of Arcady, rounded the drive and, not deigning to notice that I stood on the porch steps, swept by me, stopping the machine finally by the simple device of running it into my small but symmetrical hay-stack. You may be sure that, as I followed this appari- tion to the barn, I wondered what I was in for. However, it turned out to be nothing more formi- dable than Eve Milton that took off goggles that would have been a credit to a deep-sea diver and mopped a moist brow. Her sister, Mary, after extricating the jaunty red motorcycle from the hay, followed suit, complaining. "Why didn't you stop by the porch. Eve. This informality borders on familiarity when this is a first call." * * But I forgot how to stop it. That curve in the drive tangled me. You never even mention how well I did that. How do you do. Miss Kirk! I suppose we should apologise for startling you in this manner, but as you are responsible for the whole thing " JANET OF KOOTENAY 155 "I am glad to see you," I said, "but as to being responsible for the noise that you made " "No. It shouldn't roar like that. It is al- lowed so much racket, which is enough, goodness knows. I must look in the book again. The mix- ture may not be right." * * Isn 't that spraying that you are speaking of ? " Mary asked mildly. "No, I am not. But as I said. Miss Kirk, you are responsible for the undertaking on our part. We have wanted a motorcycle for two years, but not until we saw your working uniform did we get the courage to get one, together with suita'^le clothes to ride in. How do you like us?" "Immensely," I said as they turned about, ex- hibiting suits that looked like dust-coloured avia- tion rigs. "You look to be equipped for the high air, the deep sea or anything that goes be- tween." " 'Anything that goes* is good," Eve said. "We got up to fifty twice coming here. Mary threatened to shriek her head off if I didn't go slow till I had learned to steer. * * Oh, how heavenly ! " she went on. " You have a tennis court. We are spoiling for a game. ♦And just think. It only takes us thirteen minutes to get here. I timed it, and I think I could get it down t' ten if I could shake Mary." "We'll have a game," I said, loading the way into the house, * * after we have had tea. Rose will 156 JANET OF KOOTENAY r . m I'll ■■I 1 ilidli i i :ri ii'i ii I Ml lili! be home then. And you must come again on StHurday. We are making up partners for a tournament then. Would you care to bring your iriend, Mr. Delmar?" After a moment's hesitation Eve, usually the spokesman, said, "If it's all the same to you, we'd love not to." "Indeed!" I exclaimed. *'I thought he was supposed to be — er — fond of geese." "He seems to be. After he has proposed to me once more, the odds will be e^on ; twice each. But I am sure that he doesn't play tennis " ' ' Why, Eve ! ' ' Mary exclaimed. ' * You know he said that back in " " — this time, I was going to say, Mary." Before they left tbey inspected my chickens, ad- mired my home-made hoppers and the general yard arrangements. I told them of the visitor who had pronounced me an "extensive avicul- turist." "Aw well, say," remonstrated Mary in a funny little mournful manner she has. " That 's not fair. Here our birds weigh five times what yours do and we've twice as many, and all we ever get is 'goose girls.' " Before they left the Essingtons came down for tennis so it was six o'clock by the time the nine of us bent our energies and ignorance to the task of making that obstinate red motor run. But at last they were off, with great sputtering and roar- Hlil JANET OF KOOTENAY 157 ing and waved a farewell through their sunset- tinted cloud of dust. Betty commented on the fact that their uniform seemed to suit their type and said she had heard of several other girls who were going to adopt one somewhat similar. She said that when they saw how smart my other clothes were they thought that the working suit must, perforce, he smart also. Personally, I think that they all see what a splendid protection the leggings or puttees will he against the mosquitoes, and once they have discarded skirts for outdoor work I am sure they will never consent to wear them again. Rose, who was the only one in the group in frills, said that Mrs. Good had asked her what the womanhood of the country was coming to. "The most of us are coming to work," said Betty, "and we cheerfully admit the disgraceful- ness of that." Two invitations I have received that I look for- ward to with keen pleasure. One is to spend an afternoon with the Goose Girls on their place; the other is to spend next Sunday wi:h Saundy up at the station. The latter I look on as an adven- ture. Mountain climbing has always held a sort of charm for me. Goat Mountain cannot be climbed all the way from the back of my place, but there is a trail that leads from the back of Essingtons' and winds to the top in a spiral Il hI'H III i! .1 mmmi 158 JANET OF KOOTENAY course. I shall take that. I hope the day will be fine. Much as I am interested in Arcady, I find it hard to stay at work these days, the call of the wild is so insistent. The syringa and spirea that grow wild in great profusion all about are com- ing white on all the hills, and mixed wdth them are sweet wild roses everywhere. These, climb- ing over rocks and filling glades, are bravely chal- lenging the stereotyped beauty of the orchards. Yesterday we had some splendid games and ar- ranged partners for the summer's tournament. Mortimer-Deane is my partner in the mixed doubles and Cynthia Essington in ladies' doubles. Norine Essington and Mary Milton elected to be partners, saying that they stood a good chance at the prize, both being musical. Rose then asked Maude Essington to go in with her, as their com- bination of good looks should be irresistible. At this Betty exclaimed: * ' Come on, Mrs. Morty ; you and I. As we are by all means the best players, I don't see why we shouldn't stand a show." "Well, you will see," the Captain said, *'when I get the handicaps fixed up." "This club is a democracy," Betty objected. "There should be no handicaps." I played into Rose 's hand and saw to it that she was cast to play with Captain Fenton. She did not at all suspect me of deep-dyed villainy in this, JANET OF KOOTENAY 159 and my conscience was easy when I remembered her motto: that old one that tells wherein all is fair. Last night, after they had gone and I had cleared up after the tea, Peter came to inquire again about Mowitza. Rose came from her room at once, made him feel at home, then said : "I am going to phone for Captain Fenton and we'll have a game of bridge." This, in spite of the fact that she knows that I loathe bridge. Not content with this, she utilised the time we spent in waiting for the Captain in making arrangements for me to teach Peter the pleasant game of tennis. Thoughtful soul, isn't shef With a perfectly grave face, C. F. professed ig- norance of any game but penny-ante and pinochle, and let Rose proceed to teach him. She did this with great sweetness and patience and was so intent on her job that she did not notice when he set her right on two or three points of the instruc- tion. Then, when the game was finished, he gathered in the cards and showed us tricks that make me gasp yet; things I had not thought a magician could do. He explained how, during his army life in India, there had been times— days at a stretch — when there was nothing to do but play cards. In these times of monotony they would hire a native Magi and take turns at offering him gold to dis- I II Ifiili' 160 JANET OF KOOTENAY close his tricks. He promised to show us other magic on some evening, even to the extent of charming a cobra, if we could procure one for him. Then Rose made cocoa, calling Captain Fenton to help her to butter bread. Once, on entering, I heard her ask him if he didn't think it was getting serious when I was going to teach Peter tennis. Rose has been working on a pink mull frock for the dance. It is very sweet. She asked me this morning what I should wear. I told her that as I was not even sure of going I had not worried about clothes for it. Her- eyes hardly bore out her spoken hopes that I would be there. I rather think the Captain has asked her to go with him, as there seems to be no other reason for the air of elated satisfaction she carries about. I have canned ten pints of asparagus against the frosts of winter. Strawberry jam will be the next on the summer's canning programme. Yours much the same as ever, Janet K. Later: Captain Fenton phoned to say that he will call for us with a car on the night of the dance, so I shall be going af'cT all. J. Arcady, June twenty-six. Dear Nan : Knowing that you are anxious for particulars of our dance, I am mailing you the local paper. This goes into detail in a manner that I could not approach. The "sussiety" editor has excelled himself — note the descriptions of the costumes. Wherever Mrs. So and So is described as looking handsome in black and white, know that she wore a dark skirt and white waist. People here very sensibly go and have a good time in what they have. Some of the costumes of the older women had been made for Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee. By a virtue of sheer elaborateness they held their own, in spite of the abundant evidence that was present that since that time skirts had been both very long and very short, very wide and very nar- row. Mrs. Mortimer-Deane's gown of black sequins hf^d a train that proclaimed it as grandeur of a rosier era. As for me, I unearthed that gold net over cloth- of-gold that I got at Yvette's and wore once in Winnipeg. Rose threw her pink into a comer when she saw it and declared she would not go a 161 162 JANET OF KOOTENAY step. Why had I not told her I should wear a London model that would put hers in the shade T If she had known that I would play such a trick on her, she wouldn't have let the Captain ask me to go at all. This statement did not terrorise me, for I knew that she had told him that the Lieuten- ant was coming for me and that he had found out the reverse for himself. However, I pacified her with the loan of my silver slippers and stockings, and the silver Su- muroon girdle from India. She looked very youth- ful and nice. Beside her simplicity the gold looked a bit sophisticated. However. Captain Fcnton did not dance, of course, but he kept soldiers and others about so that Rose and I were busy. He looked, if possible, more gorgeous in a dress suit than he does on horseback. He told me that I was the only bit of New York present, but that, from an Englishman, is not at all certain to be a compliment. In fact any tendency he has felt towards complimenting me of late has been held in admirable restraint. At twelve o'clock they varied the programme by a number of speeches of farewell and Godspeed to the departing men. Mrs. Essington, naturally a good speaker, made much the best one. Her words came straight from the heart of a mother of fighting men. After this there were tableaux on the stage of the hall, — tableaux lepresenting the different ele- JANET OP KOOTENAY 163 ments of the army, posed by soldiers and others and exhibited in spot-light from the moving pi©- tnre machine at the back of the hall. Two or three English regiments were reprt> sented in their red coats of their dress parade regalia. These were very colourful and effective. Peter was a very splendid Highlander in full Gor- don tartans. C. F. was an Indian officer in the sun hat and uniform of that climate. All the various Canadian elements, even to a cavalry- man on his horso, were given an enthusiastic re- ception. For the final picture of these the curtain said: * ' Here *s tc the new recruit. ' * Then slowly the new recruit was revealed, stand- ing at awkward salute. If. was Johnny Good. The house rocked with applause. The soldiers gave three cheers and thre.^ again, the civilians joining them heartily. The enthusiasm was carried into the last scene, where, from the imitation prows of two battle- ships, a British tar and an American sailor joined hands under their respective flags while we sang, in honour of America's entrance into the war, the two national anthems and every nautical song we knew. Rose endeavoured to get Peter to join us at supper but he ensconsed his "hieland" finery among the Essingtons and did not even look our way. 164 JANET OF KOOTENAY The Irish sergeant rode home with us so as to tuko the car back to town. From him I learned that Johnny Good's cleverness in picking out the psychological moment in volunteering was some- what due to his friends, most of whom were in uniform. They had it properly figured out that after an ovation of that kind he would naturally wish to sign on, and for that reason asked him to help them out by impersonating a new recruit as they were short-handed. "Why," 1 said, "I think you are perfectly ter- rible." "Merely kind," he corrected. "Did you notice how much happier he looked than he has for months? We simply caught him away from his mother. No, it wasn't coercion at all. He him- self suggested signing on. But of course it is only decent not to let this out. lie will march away covered with honour, and I know,** he added generously, "that he will march back in. the same way." When, on the following day, the trainload of soldier boys pulled out, pulling so many heart- strings, Johnny Good's seat was piled as high as any with gifts and many of the cheers that went up from the crowd were all for him. As the train moved off there was a light in his eyes that I shall never forget. I hate to sadden this tale by telling yon that Mrs. Good was so furious that she could not keep n 10 mcvcLC '7ia'i. ,*:'<> Hiti'W JANET OF KOOTENAY 165 quiet about this episode, bo she diramed the glory of her son's dopurturo by just that much. And she pctually blainos me for the whole thing. ♦*0f course," she said, "she was at the bottom of it. 1 had not talked to her for ten minutes when sho asked me why lie did not enlist." "Ah, weel," as Saundy savs. I got six cups from the sir. i wherry patch yes- terday. We have had them with heaps of Betsy's cream twice daily all week. Yes i crday, when I got all of six, Rose oxclaimtd ; "Oh, do lot mo mak.^ a pic i >r tia ]>oor Cap- tain!" adding brightly, "aid "^'1! mnko one for you to give to Peter and you iic 1 WLVcr tell him that I made it." "Or," I suggested soberly, **you make one fop Peter and lot me give Captain Fentou one and not say who made it" Needless to say, her plan was the one she adopted. Then she was astonished that I refused to carry a pie to Peter, and when, after she had declared her intention of being my messenger, I ate a piece out of it, she was too furious for words. She took C. F.'s pie into her room for fear I should bo moved to sample it and did not even vouchsafe a smile at my peals of merriment over the matter. I hope, Nan, that you have made M. P. pass tho most rigorous tests of his sense of humour. Living with one who is without this fao- 16« JANET OF KOOTENAI f i:t" I nlty makes one sympathise with General Sherman in a famous definition he made. During this last week I had an inspiration and followed it up by going to the fruit growers and offering to take my team and waggon and collect the berries from this road and the Canyon road and ship them at the station. I have practically none of my own and it seemed to me an economic waste, when every one is so pressed for time, for every farmer to take his time and his team's time for that period every day when one might do it. The train is due at the siding at twelve thirty, which meant that every man left home at the awkward hour of twelve. This would not be so bad if the train was sure to come at that hour, but it is as apt as not to be one or two hours late, due to waiting at the landing for the Kootenay lake boat. This boat, in berry sea» .ii. is obliged to call at the ranches along the shores of the lake whenever they float a white flag, so it is a pretty safe bet that it will be late. So, you see, it is not possible to be home again before two. They are all delighted with my idea and I find myself quite popular. I said that each might pay me what he thought it worth, and, as many seemed to hesitate to offer me money, I have ao- quired a varied assortment. The Essingtons' donation was a hive of bees. Now I am an apiarist also, if you please. The Mortimer-Deanes contributed a gorgeous silk rimt^tm;^^,fm^'w»^i'MKB.t JANET OF KOOTENAY 167 Union Jack that I had coveted. It flies from a flag-pole, announcing Arcady's patriotism this very minute. Mr. Good, who is quite a carpenter, IS making me a buitter-mixer like the one I saw at the Agricultural College. I gave him the plans and he is going to make oae for Mrs. Good also. I doubt its success at working butter over there. Peter has given me a pig. Was not that ro- mantic of him? However, I could truthfully tell him that it w s exactly what I wanted. TheMao- Allisters down the Canyon road have a calf that I can have if I want it but it looks to me as though it has ringworm. If so, I would never dare to drive it back among my beauties at the Arrow. CaJ)tain Fenton sent over a wonderful black bearskin that I had especially admired the day I had tea there. The skin is of a bear he himself shot on the place in earlier days and the head IS mounted— its expression most ferocious. It re- poses on my cedar chest making it a thing of beauty. And Mr. Worth, who, glory be I had never heard of a book on plimibing but worked at it all his life before coming here, is going to connect up my bath and kitchen fixtures with the water motor and cesspool the minute the berries are over. I had thought of asking him for Nicky but this is really better. So M. P. is going to buy you a Chummy Road- ster for a wedding present. Good for him. Good f:'swiBimBismiti!^frm^^ssism}i^^ ^'J^-MiM^^:i^i. !;fe 168 JANET OF KOOTENAY for you. Good for me. What about the house ? That place of his is unhandy to work in and cold in winter. I feel that I can leave the matter in your hands now. Yours as ever, Jaitei Kibe. 1 i 1 1 1 lis '11 Arcady, July the third. Deab Nan : It is raining to-day. Playful but thorough- going showers are chasing each other from hill to hill. Away across, the wide waters of the flats are mottled with their shadows. At one spot a grey shower almost blurs the view, while just be- hind it shafts of sunlight stir the greens and blues of the water and bring the colourful surface into high relief. Tuesday it rained all day. Showers are not so welcome in strawberry season for when ripe ber- ries have been rained on they are unfit for ship- ping. Most people make jam of these as they are all right if used at once. The next day was fine again but there was almost no shipping to be done. As Peter wanted to meet the train anyhow, he offered to take my team and collect the cream cans, so I seized the chance of a day off to make my promise "" visit to Saundy. Making an early start to avoid the heat, I set out with a few magazines and some home-made candy for Saundy 's sweet tooth slung in a knap- sack on ray back. What a trip it was ! The old trail is almost overgrown in many places with the 169 170 JANET OF KOOTENAY syringa and roses. Fancy fighting one's way through drifts of summer fragrance I Thf;n, higher up, the trail winds among dense growths of Jack pine, the summer sun stirring its pungent and resinous odour. 1 was soon around the cnrve of the hill and shut off from all signs of the habitations of men, where only an occa- sional sound of wild life disturbed the monu- mental silence all about and where hill after hill sent back a friendly echo to my calL I tried to realise that I was treading in the paths of dead romance. I tried to imagine what hopes had led the early prospectors to build those little bridges over the mountain streamways, to blast the little trails round the curved rock sur- faces of the mountain side ; tried to visualise the pack-trains of laden mules that had wound upward to the silver lead prospects where many men had been lured to spend their best years. Often I have wondered why I was not bom earlier and placed in this country in the days of real pioneering : before the flavour and savour of civilisation had encroached even into the mountain fastnesses. I am thrilled and spellbound when Saundy tells of days when, with a mirror, he used the sun's rays and the telegraphic code to flash messages to a friend on another hillside prospect ten miles away: when two fires instead of one on Friday night indicated whether or not they '■''*li', JANET OF KOOTENAY 171 would be down for a glass and a game at Bob's Place. I reached Saundy's cabin in time to have noon- day dinner with him. His surprise was too funny for words. "And it's not every day you can surprise Saundy with your doings, either," he said. "I was just about to telephone to see whether or no you were ill, seein' as Peter has your route the day." "Saundy I How on earth do you know Peter has my job to-day?" "I'll be telling you that when you tell me what was in that parcel the good-looking expressman gave you yesterday.'* "Those deUcious McWhill's chocolates are none of your business, even if I did save a few to bring Tip to you, but how ?" "And it was a great laugh I had at the bunch of girls that could not start a new-faixgled bicycle." "I know," I said. ''It's your telescope. It must be a good one. I want to look the minute 1 ve eaten. As to the present, I dM not break- tast against a long mountain climb, so I am starv- ing. Give me a real, old-time prospector's meal. " This he did. Ham and eggs and flapjacks, with the second course the same, and coffee that was ambrosia m spite of condensed cream. And while we ate, two white tail deer that he feeds every day came and looked in at the window, crowding i: rsiri* i'l'ii! *H 172 JANET OF KOOTENAY each other good-naturedly. I almost wept that my camera was down on the bookcase in Arcady. Saundy thinks a great deal of his pets and can hardly remain calm when he thinks that they are likely to be shot as a reward for their trusting him, as soon as the season opens and untrust- worthy men with guns come up on the hills. I wondered that he did not bring his dog up for company but he explained that neither dogs nor cats can tolerate the rare atmosphere of the hilltops. Before they get used to it they take a fit and have to be shot. When my nose had bled the second time I inquired with some concern whether he thought he would have to do the same with me. Then I looked through his powerful telescope and found out how he knows so much of the val- ley's business. I could see Eose playing with the children in the noon hour, and Mrs. McAllister spanked her Bobby right in plain sight. I was q.ule surprised to hear no noise about it. I could even see a tiny speck, probably a motor boat, mov- ing on the Kootenay where it crosses the border into the state of Idaho. And how it worried Saundy and me that we could not make out who it was that had the widow MacNee out in a canoe on the flats ! A telephone connects Saundy 's station with the office of the fire warden so it is possible to have men on the way to a fire a few minutes after it has JANET OF KOOTENAY 173 started. The amount of money saved to the Gov- ernment and mill owners through this station IS mestimable Also, beside locating the fire, baundy often has a pretty good idea of what campers or other persons are responsible for its ongm. **But you would need - witness," I said "in order to indict any one." * "Saundy's word has never needed a witness in this valley," he answered with some pride baundy walked down Avith me as far as his "7'^ ,.l ^^"^^ see by his eyes that it is the love ot his hfe at present; I wondered if he had ever had any other. He took me into his tunnel, which tascmated me as nothing else had done on that day of fascination. We would have gone down m the shaft but that it wa s half full of water He explained the mining laws about working claims. ±ie has done what is necessary to hold his claim, and added enough to know that he has a good vein of ore that he tried to show me was of excel- lent quality. "And when will you make your fortune?" I asked. "After tho big mines have run out I guess " he answered. "You see, it takes capital to develop a mme after the ore is found. One or two com- panies have looked the prospects over with a view to buying the hill. Thoy will, some day-the ore IS here— but it will not be in my time." •;! i ^?« 'M.M^.i 174 JANET OF KOOTENAY "But think," I said, "of the surprise of your Scottish heirs at the wealth that Saundy has left them." ' ' I have no heirs, ' ' he answered sadly. ' * There were three bonny nephews, all anxious to come to me in Canada, but the war came first. One, a sailor, wont down when Lord Kitchener did. The other two will not come back from France." Sudilenly realising that I could not speak, I gave him my hand, which he gripped in silence, and left him there, a sad but valiant figure, the last of a valiant line, thousands of miles from his native highlands. The picture seemed more pa- thetic in that the rewards of his best years would come at last— to some one for whom he cared nothing. When, at a bend in the trail, I looked back, he waved his hat as he started back to his lonesome hilltop vigil and I knew that he under- stood, even though I had not been able to thank him for his hospitality. It was after six when, at last, my weary feet got me back to Arcady. Eose had taken puiiis to cook me a good dinner but I was so tired that I did not dare to eat. I told Chow to wash the dishes when he had milked, dumped myself into the hammock on the porch and was soon fast asleep. I was awakened at eight o'clock by Captam Fenton 's step on the porch. Rose has trained him to stretch his length along the wide porch-rail JANET OF KOOTENAY 175 while she swings in the hammock, so I imagined that he thought it her this time. ♦♦Shall I call Rose!" I asked. "No. Sit still. I want to smoke in peace." I slid down and almost went to sleep again. ♦'I didn't mean it quite so literally," he said. '•Tell mo about Saundy." So I gave him Saundy's messages and told him of my dinner, the deer and the views per tele- scope. "If I could," I said, "I'd try to tell you of the beauty of that mountain trail. It will haunt me always. It made me aknost intoxicated with de- light and sad and depressed both at one time." "I know. I've felt that too," he said. "Why is it?" "I thought it because I had no one with which to share it all. With an understanding soul a walk like that would be heaven. Alone, it is all the more lonely for its beauty." "Yes," he said at length. "I dare say -bat might be the reason. I have a small share in a claim up there and used the trail a great deal be- fore I went away. Somehow I always returned dissatisfied and unsettled. Probably I was, as you say, mourning for my kindred soul." Here his eyes became quizzical, "You know, I brought from India a native belief that she was some- where, waiting for me to come and find her." \ti" 176 JANET OF KOOTENAY "Then, afterward, you found herT** I wondered at my own daring. "If I did, it was too late." I waited but got no more. His eyes had gone from quizzical to sombre. How I longed to tear aside the curtain of his roticcnce and ask ques- tion after question about this Miss Edith, Lady Harboro. But something told me that the conver- sation had better take a lighter vein. "Remembering that Saundy particularly asked me to tell you how glad he would be to see you, I suggest that we take next Sunday dinner there. Perhaps we might console each other for these kindred spirits that elude us so diligently in the mountains. The flowers will be out yet next week. Shall we?" It was long before he answered. "Saundy should know," he said, "that I can- not climb hills any more, and you should know that, for much the same reason, I cannot aspire to be either a companion of dreams or a consola- tion for their absence." Here Eose came out, expressed regret at not knowing the Captain was waiting, scolded him for waking me and bewailed the fact that she was two half days out on her yearly reports. "I'll just bring them into the fresh air," she said. " It may clear my head. " "Then," Captain Fenton said, "we'll go over M JANET OF KOOTENAY 177 to Morty*8 so as not to disturb you. Are you too tired to walk it?" This to mo. "First, I'll need the suppen Rose so kindly left for me." I think that Rose would have come too, reports or 110, but that* the Captain said farewell in a jokingly final manner. Slie withdrew to her two half days a little wonderingly. I wondered too. lie had not expressed a desire for my exclusive, company for some weeks. His thoughts must have followed mine to Rose for, havin,^ lighted his pipe, he threw the match at a late gopher and said: "Do you never get tired of constant and con- tinual chatter?" "Chatter? You mean Rose^ I thought it all amused vou. You've seemed appreciative." "Am 4sedf Well, perhaps, sometimes. But amusement is not all one demands in a living com- panion, is it?" "A living compaiiion! For me, you mean?" "Certainly," ho snapped. Here I decided that, even if I have none of the mid-Victorian virtues, I need have none of its vices. Anyhow, I suddenly felt light-hearted enough to be generous to any one. "Rose is congenial in heaps of ways," I said warmly. ''Few girls would have troubled to have the warm meal ready for mo that she did to- night/" >> ,1-,' MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No 2) 1.0 ■Is |£ 112 i. ^ 1^ ill ^'^ I.I 1.8 1.25 ^ /IPPLIED IfVHGE Inc ^^ 1653 Eost Moin Street r.S Rochester, Ne« York U609 USA i^S (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone ^SS (716) 288 - 5989 - Fox 178 JANET OF KOOTENAY |a5 mi He smoked in silence for a time. We were away past the Mortimer-Deane gate. "You are a great deal more generous* than she would be," he said at length. That set me wondering. What had the little puss been saying? My thoughts wandered back to the time when he had called me "Miss Kirk" so stiffly after having talked to her. What had she told him 1 Only once- had I given her even a straw to build on. She must have used it to the fullest advantage. "Look here," I said, sitting on the rail of a little culvert on the Canyon road. "Tell me this. Supposing that it was two o'clock in the morning, you were dead tired and longing to get to sleep after having rubbed a patient from chill to warmth ; supposing this patient insisted on extol- ling to heaven the wonders of the man who had saved her life — I almost said 'and made this bother necessary' — ^wouldn't you say that that man might be all very well but he wasn't a tin god, so go to sleep? Wouldn't you?" "I should never put it as mild as that," he said. "But neither should I say he thought he was." "She didn't put it that way." <( I see now," he went on, "that I should have paid no attention to such remarks. They came so fast that I soon learned. We will forget it all, that is, if you will accept my apologies for any seeming rudeness on my part. I would not have ,.^gE^:■.. JANET OF KOOTENAY 179 felt that it was right or necessary to mention that she has misconstrued facts, to me and to others, except that it may influence you about her stay- ing on.'* ''Staying on — ^how do you meant" "She hasn't mentioned doing so?" "Not as yet." "It is odd that she should have mentioned it to me first. But here is your gate. I will say good-night as you are tired." Tired I may have been as I went up my Ar- cadian driveway, but I noticed that the moon was bright again on all the hills and fields; that its beams were stirred together with the faint after- glow that lingers among the hiljs, long after the red of the setting sun has died away. Friday evening, after school. Rose broached the subject of remaining M-ith me through the holi- days ; said she had nowhere she especially wanted to go and that the work at her own home was very tiresome. I had said nothing of what the Captain had told me, thinking that as we were going to part so soon we might as well do so in peace. But this was different. "You know," she said, "I've always tried to make myself useful. ' ' "Yes indeed, you've really done more than you ought." "I should love to work on a farm for the sum- mer. >» 180 JANET OF KOOTENAY "I fear," I said, "that this work would not suit your type." **I know, but it's so patriotic I had a letter from a girl in Toronto and she says it is all the thing to do — going out on farms, you know." **"Why not try Mrs. Good? She needs another berry hand. I have really no more than Chow and I can manage." No, she wouldn't like Mrs. Good. Then Mrs. Mortimer-Deane. Heavens, no ! Not her. In fact she didn't want to stay anjrwhere but just where she was and wasn't I flattered at that? "Then," I said, "put it this way. If you have always and at all times been absolutely square with me, you may stay." "Square? "Why, what do you mean?'* I did not answer but waited for my meaning to dawn on her. When it did, she got up and went to her room at the door of which she turned with this four-year- old remark : "If that is what he is like, you can have him." She packed up noisily and emphatically and took my original advice about going to Goods'. Later in the evening I saw her, in a borrowed apron and sunbonnet, out in the berry patch with Mrs. Good. The fact that my ears were not burn- ing shows that all signs fail at times. I must stop now and get the hose going in the JANET OF KOOTENAY 181 little irrigation system I have in the cucumber patch. As soon as Nicky sees me there he will be over for he thinks it all great sport. The other day, he asked: "Why is it that you seem to be playing when you are gardening, when every one else thinks they are working so hard?" "Because I like it all so well, I suppose, Nicky." "Well, your garden looks as well as any, 'n better too, / think. W^hy doesn't every one play?" I am wondering how to either face or sidestep his enquiry as to why Rose is at Mrs. Goods'. I rather think I may hint that he get her version of the move. As I said: the cucumber patch. Yours as ever, Jan. Arcady, July the tenth. Deab Nan : Remembering that you were pleased to sooff at my statement that Arcady fronts on the National Automobile Highway, let me say that a man passed here yesterday on his way from Halifax to Vancouver. He had backed his machine into the Atlantic be- fore starting and means to run it right down into English Bay when he reaches the Pacific. He had Halifax air still in one of his tires. I am sure that, had you been here, you would have asked for a whiff. I askea if he had any from Ontario, but he said that the other tires all contained Southern Alberta atmosphere, caagbt in a state of great wildness. I gave him fresh buttermilk to drink, in return for which he promised to mention me kindly in a book he is writing of the experiences of a motor tramp. I made him promise to look up Aunt Abigail, who is, at present, in Vane uver, and to tell her about my place. If he happens to men- tion the costume he saw me in he will be more than repaid for his trouble — that is, if he has any sense of humour. The strawberries are almost over but early JANET OF KOOTENAY 183 raspberries keep the shipping about the same. On the heaviest strawberry days I liad upwards of three hundred crates. We kept the train stand- ing thirty or thirty-five minutes. People from the Pullman would stroll down to know why in thunder the train stood so long without a station to stand by, or something equally sensible. Once there, they usually remained to stare at the ef- forts of the expressman and myself at getting the shipments off; and to comment on my clothes. Yesterday, I heard a Johnny in an eyeglass tell a woman that I was some sort of Government in- spector or some such thing, don't you know, and that the uniform was jolly becomin', bajove. The breath of the entire valley has been almost taken away by most unlooked for actions on the part of Peter. It all began on Thursday when, at about four o'clock, he phoned to know if I was alone, as he wanted to see me most particularly. The Mowitza excuse for coming over had been worn till of no further use so I know tliere must be something new in the air and waited in a state of expectancy. When he came, he was dressed as I had never seen him before. Instead of his usual tweeds or khaki overalls, he wore a suit- new, I'm sure, of pin stripe serge. "We are good friends, are we not. Miss Janet?" he began. "Why, I hope we are.'* 'Then," he said, looking embarrassed but very ((I 184 JANET OF KOOTENAY determined, "will you be good enough to act in my sister's place and tell me if these clothes are all right. Just go ahead and criticise as she would.'* "But I don't know your sister, or how she would do it.'* "She is a very thorough woman, and always saw to it that I was dressed right when she was around. But somehow, I don't seem to get the hang of company clothes. Is it asking too much of you?" "Not at all. But — for what do you want to be correct? There is a difference, you know, be- tween a morning wedding and a polo game." lie was too Scotch and too much in earnest to joke about it. "For instance, if I was invited somewhere for Sunday dinner." "Um-m," I answered. "Well, would you — could you part with that Strathcona?" "This hat? Why, it's— surely I can " "With your leveryday clothes it is just the thing, but get a dark one, conventional shape for this suit — and wear it straight on your head." "And what else?" "Personally, I prefer black boots, but that, of course " "Black boots. What about the tie?" " It is splendid. And with a more military trim to your moustache and that watch chain hidden I JANET OF KOOTENAY 185 think you would be extraordinarily presentable." "Do you really think soT" He was pleased as a child. "But about the watch chain,— why should I hide it? It is solid gold and was my father's." "Never mind. That was just a notion of mine. And no- ', are you going to tell me why all this!" "You will be the first one I shall tell, as soon as there is anything to tell. And many thanks." He left me more mystified than I had been be- fore he came. However, keeping an eye to the weather, as it were, I noticed that he went back to town and made the changes I had suggested. I also noticed that, thus arrayed, he presented him- self at the Essingtons* later in the evening. But even then, I almost had to support myself when, later on, he came round to announce that Eleanor had consented to be his wife. I collected myself and congratulated him heartily, after which I sent him over to tell the news to Mrs. Good. I had noticed that she put her light out so as to see w^iether he came in or not, so I thought that, as she had that much, she might as well have his reasons too. Eleanor seems wonderfully happy and does not in the least mind the banter of the others over her conquest. She smiled serenely whtn I pre- tended to weep that I had accepted the asparagus, and thus, capitulating too easily, had lost his interest. 186 JANET OF KOOTENAY Words fail me when I attempt to toll you how much the chicjkens and I appreciate the shipment of cull wheat from the Three Bar. Two of the unfortunate chickens that have grown the fastest will leave here to-morrow, bound for Fort Weyno. They convey our gratitude. I hope you will be able to get a bountiful birthday dinner from them — for you and M. P. and his mother, whom you said you were having. I have asked Captain Fen- ton for dinner on the same evening; it is his birth- day. Friday is bad enovgh; you may bo glad that it is not the thirteenth ad well. What a pity we could not join the two diiiuers and have a party all in one! I will not havo anything like a mother-to-be to chaperone mine but I have asked my self-elected chaperone to come. Saundy sel- dom makes the descent from the station ; says he is too old. He can phone his orders down easily and the man who tends his place takes his things up every Saturday. But thi^ time he will waive custom and forget age in order to help me to give the Captain a pleasant birthday. A crate of strawberries will be shipped with the chickens. They are to be your birthday pres- ent. I am proud to have something from my place to send, and do not apolo^-ise that the gift is not greater as I am economising so as to buy a friend a dear wedding present — that does not look right : **a dear friend a wedding present" is better. Your statement that Mrs. Devereaux, Senior, is JANET OF KOOTENAY 187 going to decorate the Devoreaux homo before you arrive "to save you the trouble" filled mo with the utmost alarm, espoclally as you said that, to k^op peace, you hud better let her do it. Why do you cry "pcaco" when there will he no peace—when you are surrounded with the decora- tions that 8he will devise? I have been in the good woman's own house. The wall-paper vraa abundantly beflowered; the carpet mai^niifict'utly bescrolled; then when, in the face of that, her chairs should have kept pilence, she had chintzed every available piece in the room. Peace with your immediate surroundings will be much more important than peace with some one that you will see only once in a great while, if it comes to that decision— which I do net believe it will. Just you weep a little on Mortimer's shoulder and say that it really doesn't matter a bit, but you had counted on the pleasure of doing the house yourself. He will then make it right with Mrs. Senior and you will continue to be a prime favourite with both. This advice is good but use it now. It is not guaranteed to obtain the same effects after a year or two. I shall send a full account of my dinner party. Do you the same. Ever yours, Janet K. Arcady, July the gnvcnteenth. Dear Nan : Outside of shipping berries, tendinj:^ cliic'ken:4, hillin/? celery and pickinpf peas, my dinner ]>arty has filled my week pretty fully. You will gather from this that the preparations were, for me, quite elaborate. Many a time I longed for your able assistance. I should even have been glad of Rose, when it came to making the dessert. I was of a mind, at first, to have strawberry short- cake, but while mine, at times, aspiro to groat heights of flulliness, they are by no means of the uniform and certain monotony of goodness that yours are, and I did not want to insuU fried chick- en with a heavy finis, such as some shortcakes I have made would be. After momentous deliberation the final choice fell on ice-cream with a chocolate sauce. You re- member dear old Mrs. Brice's saying tha; -'f she had some cream and a freezer, she ivoulrl make some ice-cream, if she only had some ice. Well, I was better off than that. I had the cream and a freezer, * * if I only had some ice. ' ' Nicky had once mentioned that they had an ice-house, so, thinking that probably an ice-house would contain ice, I rode over intending to bring some home on Molly's broad back. 188 JANET DF KOOTENAY 189 The ico was thoro, all right, but Mr. Worth was away and Mrs. Worth had lost her key and for- gotten the combination. I looked at tiio flimsy shack and knew that I couM easily onou^di have gotten into it had she not beer! there, but there is something about her mild prespuc that dis- courages violence. So I was up against it, dis- couraged but not defeated, for, once an idea get' firm lodgement in my mind— as ou know . Just here I remembered that I had seen ico at the butcher 'o. In a minute Molly's w -villing head was turned to\vn-ward. In a few liuiules more it came on rain— drenching, soaking rain. Xo. the butcher had no ice for sale, ilo had instructions not to sell any on any account. 1 asked him if there were any direct instructions against trading a pi -co for a basket of fresh green peas and a couple of early cauliflowers. I knew I had him there. He is a married man who has just arrived, too late f > begin a garden. "No," he said, as he dived into the rear room for the ice, "I've never heard of any objection to that particular deal.'* He put a huge piece into a double sack, saying that the piece must be big and that I must hurry as ice would not last long in a summer rain. I tried to convey this idea to Molly but she objected strenuously to being asked to hurry with a sack of ice bumping about on her back. 190 JANET OF KOOTENAY I endeavoured to hold it out so that the sack would not touch her, but this almost pulled my arm out by the roots, beside which she stopped dead to turn and look at it each time. Finally I got down, tied the ice to the end of a rope and secured a stout switch, after which we made good time, even if the ice was bounding about at the rope's end in an alarming manner. I washed the mud from the much diminished piece and hurried it into the freezer. The ice- cream was scrumptious, which, somehow, was more than I had expected. Just as I finished it the phone rang. It was the man on the MacPhaill place with a message from Saundy, to say that, as it had rained so hard, he thought it best not to come down the hill this week-end, and would I send him some of the asthma tablets we had spoken of. I sat down to puzzle this out. As far as I could remember, Saundy had never even mentioned the word asthma to me. Then I began to see. The message was really to tell me that he could not come to my party, and the tablets were thrown in as a blind for Mrs. Good, who, ever faithful on her job on the party telephone (especially when one long two shorts is wanted), would not be able to tell that anything unusual was in the air. I read in this his approval of my going ahead with the dinner, even if he could not be present. By the time it was evening, the rain and chill JANET OF KOOTENAY 191 had made a small blaze in the fireplace permis- sible, so I set the table by it, with my first sweet peas to furnish fragrance, and wore ray heliotrope organdy to complete the colour schorae. And when, after my guest had shed his raincoat and stood before the fire, he pronounced it all "a glimpse of heaven," I felt very happy, although I knew that many of his birthday parties must have been much more heavenly. All rules of the food controller were off for the day, and my conscience did not trouble me that I had made this dinner to a returned hero some- thing of a feast. Of course most of my dishes would come under the classification of perish- able eatables, and one does not need to consider the matter of economy when on a farm. Figure out what it would cost you in Fort "Weyne to serve a dinner such as this, every item of which I had patriotically produced my own self — even to the equivalent of the ice. We began with giant straw- berries, picturesque in thpir hulls, and followed this with friec" chicken a la Maryland and new potatoes in cream sauce — to get these potatoes I had scratched round under with my frjing fork, so as not to disturb the hen, as it were, and cream sauce is cr^am sauce in Arcady. For vegetables I had young chard with mushro( m sauce and water cress from the Essingtons' brook. And I men- tioned the ice-cream, did I not? For the birthday toast I felt warranted in open- 192 JANET OF KOOTENAY ing the champagne that had been Pierre Eibot's gift when he left to take his place with the French Reservists. You remember how he told us to treasure it on account of its venerable age, and said that if it cheered for us an "auspicious occa- sion," it would surely cheer him to the same ex- tent, even if, by that time, he was filling a shallow French grave. Poor Pierre! I wonder where the cheer he believed in would find him. When Captain Fenton took the bottle from the pail of ice and poured two glasses, I told him of Pierre Eibot's request that whenever or wher- ever the champagne was opened the first toast should be * * France. ' ' - **And he is right," my companion said. "It is perfectly fitting that even an Englishman, should put it so. To the valiant army and people across the water! To the Republic of France!" Then I noticed that, having barely tasted the champagne, he set it to one side in apparent dis- taste. "Is it not all right?" I asked. "As champagne it is superb, but it takes me back all too vividly to the last toast I drank. I even remember that the wine is the same vintage. ' ' "That was in France?" I asked. He nodded. "In a little village on the Aisne. The mayor had invited our officers into a cellar — the only place where there were four walls and a ceiling — and had opened some treasured cham- JAXET OF KOOTENAY 193 pagne to show his gratitude to the British who had driven out the invading enemy." After a silence, in which he divided the Mary- land chicken, he asked: "Did you ever have a real friend, so much so that whether together or on opposite sides of the earth, you felt the same companionship?" "I have one," I answered. I was thinking of you. ''Then you can better understand the regard I had for a chap from South Africa, who went through Cambridge with me. After that, we were cubs together in the German Embassy, where he was valuable on account of the fluent German he spoke. I knew nothing of his people— not even their nationality. One could tell, from his man- ner, that they w^ere of the best, and as he did not mention them, I did not. *'Once, he came all the way to India to see me, and I think I averaged a letter a week from him, both there and here. And, down in that French cellar, it enhanced my joy in our victoiy to know that he was there and that we had come through together, nnscratched. "Just after our toast to the downfall of the Kaiser, he left the room. When next I saw him, it was between guards. He had been caught send- ing flash signals to the enemy. "The evidence was incontestable. At daybreak 194 JANET OF KOOTENAY there was a squad. He looked into my eyes at the very last minute, bogging me to understand. That was what was in the taste of the champagne. It made me see the eyes of that friend." **But," I said, "he only got his deserts. A German spy, partaking of French hospitality while he betrayed the British army," "His deserts! Oh, yes, I know. If there had only been ho and I left in the world, I'd have shot him — ^but there it is. A man of rare qualities and a fine mind — see what war had made of him. ' ' Captain Fenton insisted on helping me to wash up the dishes. It was so cosy, having him there, asking how one ever got cut glass dry, hunting where to put the cups and, finally, sweeping the crumbs from the hearth, that I was glad I had been persuaded from my original intention of leaving them for Chow. Then ho wheeled the davenport to the fire and, after he had held my wool while I wound it, he smoked in silence and watched me while I knit- ted. To my questions as to his life in India he replied in monosyllables, or merely with a sleepy nod. Once, when he had not answered me and I glanced up to see the reason, I saw that he was regarding me through half closed lids. He shrugged contentedly and said : "Don't wake me up. I am dreaming." So I afbandoned myself to the content of the JANET OF KOOTENAY 195 crackle of the fire, the sleepy yawns and grunts of Bingo and the soft sound of the rain on the roof. Perhaps I did a little dreaming of my own. When my little clock chimed ten, he sliook him- self out of his bilence and got his cane, preparing to go. He took the sweet peas from the table then took my hand to say good-night. ''As I said," he said, •* you've given me a glimpse of heaven, but I won't pretend that I think it has been good for one who is debarred." "How do you mean, debarred?" "I think you know." "Then how, not good for him?" "Thin ice, Janet," he said and was gone into the rain-washed dark. With mental apologies to Pierre, I took the "bottled cheer" out to the back porch, where I dropped it into a bucket, wondering if the cheer had not, indeed, all flown back to him when re- leased. Then, not being sleepy, I sat before the fire to ponder on the obtuseness of a certain titled cigarette fiend, and on the tragedy of a war that has deprived so many of their cherished dreams. However, with the morning came the sun again, and in the work of the day there seemed no place for thoughts of tragedy. Almost the first thing I noticed was that that fool. Bingo, with a whole 196 JANET OF KOOTENAY il: ill brookful of water from which to quench his thirst, had actually lapped up from the bucket enough champagne to make him feel like sitting on his haunches and howling in a most dismal manner. Furthermore, he was not content with doing this at home but must needs place himself in front of Mrs. Good's doorstep, lured there, no doubt, by inebriated memories of a white cat ho loved to chase. Soon, as I quite expected, the phone rang, and, for the first time in my life, I listened in on a party line. Mrs. Good wanted the police station. She wanted a man sent at once to destroy a mad dog that was performing on her door-step. She wanted them to make haste as she was afraid to move lest the beast jump through a window. Very well, madam, they would attend to the matter at once. Hardly had I hung up when there came three shorts, Mrs. Good's call. It was Captain Fen- ton explaining to her that the dog was not mad but acting foohshly on account of his having care- lessly left some alcohol where he could get it. He promised to come for the dog and to keep him till he felt sensible again. She was none too pleased vith this turn of events. "But what of the way he chases my cat?" she &sked. "The oat is safe for the present," he said. JANET OF KOOTENAY 197 **Tho dog is in no condition to successfully chaso anything. I will tell them at tho station." So that is all as to my dinner. As to yours, I hope it was very jolly and that you will have many, many more like it. Ever ycur Janet K. I i li 1 ife: Arcady, July tweirty-fotirth. Dear Nan : Another strenuous week has winged its way into history. Excepting, perhaps, Mie first week of transplanting, it has been the hardest week's work I have done in Arcady. I allude to the pruning of some two thousand tomato plants. There has been an unusually heavy rainfall this summer and, while it has made the raspberry crop tremendous and brought on the com, cu- cumbers and all that wonderfully, tho tomato plants do not seem to know what to do with so much moisture, so have made the mistake of grow- ing most prodigious plants. I was enjoying this till I noticed that my neigh- bours were all busy reducing the size of theirs and then Captain Fenton told me to get Chow at work on mine. When I went to find Chow he was al- ready there ; had made a good beginning, in fact. He got some pruning shears for mo and showed me what leaves and shoots should come off and what should be left to bear the tomatoes and nourish the plant. Then they were tied to stakes and left to the sunshine which is gorgeous and all-pervading again. As soon as Nicky had finished with the irk- ids I JANET OF KOOTENAY 199 some task of helping with this work at home, he came ovor to h.ivo the fun of assisting with ours. ily head was almost di/zy with the heat on the day that ho came, so I said : ''Surely, Nicky, you've l,ul enough of this. Don't bo foolish enough to do it when you don't have to." "Shucks. I'm not a bit tired. If you'll play German while we do it, I'll help all week. No, I've nothing to do at home, honest." "In that case, I will play German gladly, and what is more, I will take you with me the next time I go up to Saundy's station." "Oh well, then!" he said, and foil to work with such enthusiasm that he almost forget that he was dealing with my future income. Nicky and I are both in despair oi' ever be- coming as adept at pruning as is Chow. Ho has about half of the rank growth cut away and the plant tied to its stake before I have decided where to begin on mine, \\licn I tell you that almost the entire patch of two thousand plants has been pruned, you will see that some one has been hurry- ing during the week. I think we should have finished but that I took a vagrant notion and absconded on Captain Fen- ton's ^fidnight for a whole afternoon. It was all the fault of the horse ; he thought of the idea first. I had just finished my lunch, and, distasteful as was the thought of going back to that sticky, dis- I ■ V \ ' i: 200 JANET OF KOOTENAY agreeable job, had valiantly grasped my pruning scissors and started forth. Midnight had crossed the little biiui^o and was standing by my porch. As .soon as ho saw me, he reached his glossy head and whispered in my ear: "Pruning is an awful bore. Let us go for a M run. Without stopping to think of the indelicacy of Midnight's proposal, or to find out whether ho was wanted for the afternoon, I Mi row my sad- dle into p ice and was soon away, rltiing as easily and smoothly as though I were ilying. I turned him in the direction of the Arrow, not having been tliore for some time. We ar- rived in time to see young William give a few final kicks before expiring on the grass just in- side the wire gate. I was too terrified for words and somehow expected to see the other animals follow suit. I hurried to the rearest telephone and summoned Peter, who is the standard au- thority ().'. the reasons why animals are unpa- triotic enough to die mthout regard for the pres- ent scarcity of beef. Peter rode right out and pronounced Wil- liam's indiscretion to be the fatal one of eating twigs off the trees and shrubs. He said that he had lost one or two valuable milch cows in the same way. There are compensations on a prairie cattle farm after all, to wit, there are no twigs. JANET OF KOOTENAY 201 William was buried by Peter, who also exam- ined the rest of the herd for sipis of the unprofit- able habit. Had there been any there would bo nothing one could do about it except to take them home and put them in the stable, for once they be- gin eating twigs, they eat and cat, rather than stretch their lazy heads down to ..*e gooil grass. I threatened to take them all home and put thera on the clover, garden or no garden, but Peter said they might get up early some morning after a rain, eat wet clover and die in the very same manner. Peter helped me to fill a pail of wild raspber- ries, red and black, and we ::pfnt a very com- panionable afternoon, talkiiig mostly of Eleanor. He confided that they were going to be married very soon, spend a month at the coast, going there by way of Banff, at the end of wJiich time he is going overseas to join a Highland regiment. "But what of your place?" I asked. ** Eleanor will keep my place for me. She will see that the fruit is harvested and will probably move her bees there when the winter comes." "And does she not mind your going?" "She is glad that I am to go. Isn't she won- derful?" "They all are. Why, I'm not glad myself. I can only think of how much I shall miss such a good neighbor." And I shall too, Nan. He is really a tower of t*' tSJi'-*'; 1 1 *gi li m 202 JANET OF KOOTENAY etrongth and I am sorry that I ever thought mean thoughtg of him. Kight then and there I bought two young cows from him uh well as IiIh nuite for Mowitza. Eleanor does not want to be bothered with tho stock, except his riding horse, which alio will keep for him. Itiding home, as we passed Captain Fenton's gate he "emarked: *'I know now what Johrny Good meant when ho said, after he had enlisted, that it felt good to be ' le to look Fenton square in the eye when ho me* him." Instead of Chow's stooped figure in its faded blue smock over in the tomato patch as I had left him and expected to find him, Midnight almost stmubled over him, kneeling beside the stone- flagged walk. "What arc you doing, Chow?" I demanded as my eye took in a small trench that ran from the house down to the bridge at the brook. "i) 1 ? a 3. e )t ;o ;o IS ir flesh should be greatly increased, and temptingly delicious as well. If I find that it is not too terribly much troublo, I may advertise that grade of bird and put quite a number of them off m that manner. Sixty of the h Tt'sl puilc+s have been selected and set aside f( i- Vrcady': laying flock, and I I'.avo all sorts of i ':ins in nn head for fancy-pack- ing the eggs for special trude. Then, when Feb- ruary comes, I shall buy the largest AVhite Wyan- dotte cockerel in the world and get outrageous prices for my sets of hatching eggs. For this a foreign market will have to be worked up, as I have been told that most of the local chicken raisers expect to trade a dozen eggs, laid by a dozen different kinds of mongrel hens, for the same number of pure-strain eggs. If I see {'.iiy such people approaching Arcady, I want to be able to hang a "sold out" sign in the window. I really wanted to set aside one hundred pul- lets for the egg business, but with grain prices out of sight, as they are, I have decided to be satis- fied with five dozen eggs each day. Did I hear anybody smile? The mention of chicken food brings me to thoughts of my sunflower hedge. IIow I wish you might see it. The line of yellow is visible for miles — and it is straight ! Not a single flower is out of alignment. The way in which the hedge singles Arcady out from among the other farms j.ls^jJ^i,'.- ^-.m-. 220 JANET OF KOOTENAY • 1 . AC- makes mo feel compensated for the poor showing we made in apple-blossom time. Your mention that your hay is all under canvas fills me with envy for we are only thinldng of be- ginning ours, but of course you do not have to wait till spring floods have left your fields before the hay can grow. Cynthia Essington and I have formed a Maud Muller partnership. Not that wo shall look the part of that demure maiden or that a judge is liable to venture our way— but at least we shall be making hay. C}^lthia is the stock-raising Essington. In her menagerie, as she calls it; she has two horses^ two cows, ten pigs and almost one hundred tur- keys. It was really her entimsiasm that got mo into the venture. She says it means a tremen- dous difference, not having to buy hay during the winter. In the partnership, I supply the mower and team, while she furnishes a rake and the tent and supplies for our camp. We shall come homo week-ends for a fresh grub-stake. Thursday we took the tent down and set it up, making every- thing ready to begin to-morrow morning. We "claimed" a spot on the edge of the flats where the water covers the ground for only a short time. We are earlier than any one else, for the hay on the lower areas is not yet mature. It is only along the edge that one can gather it at this .1 ■ M . t -, '^..i . A^V^^^^^ JANET OF KOOTENAY 221 time, but wo thought it best not to run haying and Septem' >r gardening together. Anyhow, most of the best spots near the river's edge are claims of such long standing that I doubt if even tho Goven>:nt>nt itself would dare dispute them. When we h;id set the tent and all in place, we decided, as it was still early, to avail ourselves of the kind invitation of Eve and Mary Milton to visit their goose farm. We did not make tho trip in motorcycle time by any mcnP-S and as Molly and Dexter ambled along in tho hot sun we waxed eloquent over the advantages of travel by motor. _ The farm on which the JMilton sisters *'do their bit," not to mention making a tidy income, slopes from east to west down to a brook that enters the Kootenay farlhcr along. In order that tho geese may have a pond tho girls have built a dam, with a gate that allov- " running out the water every day or so so as . t with a clean slate again. The place was lascinating in its orderliness. Thoy have long sheds for housing tho birds, from which yards ran down to the water, across it and up again among the trees of a peach orchard on the other side. The first yard we entered con- tamed Toulouse geese. The girls explained that most of tho young were incubator birds as they had not found the Toulouse mothers very dili- gent or successful. Cynthia mentioned having ^J ^ .rJi)^,^tJb£AA '^ 222 JANET OF KOOTENAY heard that the goose eggs were difficult of hatch- ing by artificial incubation. "They really are," Eve said. "Last year we had terribly poor luck— only p venty-five hatching from three hundred eggs. But we were not dis- couraged. This year we enlarged the incubator house "md put in four hundred eggs. We had ov';r three hundred and fifty birds." "What was the difference I" I asked. "We are not sure. Last year the eggs seemed not to DC fertile so wc preserved twenty males for the sixty layers. Also, we liept the eggs at higher temperature and much more moist while incu- bating, so that we cannot tell why wc have more this year. Probably a little of both reasons." "Do you never hatch by setting?" I asked her. "Almost entirely, among the Embdens here." We were now in a yard where half grown and full grown v.'hite geese were everj-where. "They make wonderful sitters and mothers. Also, we started quite a number with a week in the incubator and finished them under hens. We were the cause of a famine in sitting hens here- abouts. This method is very successful in get- ting them hatched but the goslings are verj- affec- c'onate and do better with a mother of their very cwn. In the next division were Chinese birds, also white. They explained the preponderance of white by saying that the feathers are softer and ^SM^MVSi' ^KHrT^tM* £iiJ-:. .,i-.tir iv^ 1* a'^ucv JANET OF KOOTENAY 227 thirty miles from a city. Will you have more tea?" "How fortunate that you have a brother," I remarhoJ. "Did you think he was here?" she asked. •'Why, 1)0. The minute war came he shoved the place onto our hands and was off. He said we had l)Con sent by JVovidence to keep the farm running so that ho could go." They gave us feathers enough for two gor- geous pillows to take to lOleanor and promised to give some to us as soon as we could show just cause why they should. As a farewell to tennis before we went to the flats I decided to have another party yesterday. I ma> (( Please take it coolly. Everything is as fine JANET OF KOOTENAY 237 as possible. You sound like the night when you raved so much." "Did I rave of the garden!'* "Garden and chickens, with, once in a while, hay and geese and a person named Edith mixed in for variety." **0h, heavens/' I thought. Aloud I said calmly: * * How funny. What did I say of her t " "I didn't jot it down, and you weren't any too coherent. I simply gathered that she stood in the way of your peace of mind in some way." "Not so as to bother me in my sane moments," I said. "But I've always disliked the name, some- how." * * How odd. It is one of my favourites, owing to the fact that it belongs to an only sister who is very dear. She married Sir Edward Harboro after I went to India, so I have seen little of her since then. She was at war work in Salon iki when I was discharged, and, as I was asked to assist with recruiting in Canada, I came away without seeing her then. She would admire you tremendously, and I am sure you would like her.'* "I am sure of it," I answered. "She would probably redeem the name for me." Since then the doctor has marvelled at the quick recovery I have made. The next day I made Mrs. Good let me up as far as the davenport, upon which she produced a Mrs. Bidder who could do 238 JANET OF KOOTENAY m 1 the work of the house, and was glad to get back to her tomatoes. She had been here just a week, for which she asked thirty dollars. I made it thirty-five for good measure, and I am in hopes that the week will have dissolved her hostility to some extent at least. I am anxious to see how we meet as civilians. I soon began to feel so good that I wanted to gather the vegetables, feed the hens and all that, and Mrs. Bidder earned her pay mostly by re- minding me of what the doctor had said. The day I told her that I felt well enough to do with- out her. Captain Fenton, who heard me say it, calmly contradicted the verdict and ordered her to stay another week. I thought my raised eyebrows would provoke something from him, but no — he paid not the slightest attention to them. And I — Janet Kirk — have come to be of the opinion that it must be wonderful to have some one to order one 's goings and comings. My mind goes back over the times I have urged you to start right. I still hope you have done so, but I am certain now that the right start is in selecting a man who could, and would, be the head of the house, who might consult one deliciously over small trifles, but who would decide big mat- ters for himself, relieving one of unnecessary re- sponsibility. JANET OF KOOTENAY 239 Perhaps, when I am strong again and do not have to be careful of a shoulder and collar-bone that a hay-rake ran over, I shall again revel in my independence and long to order my own ex- istence, but I don't a bit right now. At this point I was interrupted by none other than Mr. Delmar. He entered at my invitation, and, after sitting down sententiously, came right to his point. **I have come," he said, "to buy your place." "To what I" "To — ah — make you an offer for this farm." "But Arcady is not for sale." "Just a moment It is not for myself that I speak. I represent almost unlimited American capital." He said this with the utmost rever- ence. "The fact is that my former chief has written asking me to secure a farm for his son, who has been ordered, for reasons of health, to resort to country life. He requested an artistic place in healthful and beautiful surroundings. Your place here fills the bill, so I have come to open up the deal and I have his authority to close it. At what do you va. 'e your property?" "I value it at twelve thousand dollars, partly, perhaps, because it is, as you say, artistic and beautiful. These things have a money value to me. But it is not for sale." "Twelve thousand is reasonable," he said. "First, because, as I said, money is no object 24a JANET OF KOOTENAY to my client; and secondly, because, as you say, artistic surroundings have a money value to the discriminating. Of course, twelve thousand cash does not come into the hands of a young woman every day." **I said I valued the property at that. I did not say I would sell for that." **Um-m. The orchard is young, you know. Still, I mig] ' make it fifteen thousand if you in- sist. Buying on commission, you know, I can afford not to be niggardly. Shall we say fifteen thousand?" "But I am not thinking of selling at all.'* At last he began to wonder if it could be that I was not merely bargaining with him. He re- doubled his efforts and arguments. Clearly I saw how Eve and Mary had had such diflBculty in persuading him of the singleness of their inten- tions. Finally, however, he was convinced and his dis- appointment was touching. In the light ol" lay- ing refused him I did not feel justified in asking him to go to Mr. Good, Mr. Worth and the others who had thought ray farming ideas ridiculous, and tell them of his appraisal of the value of Arcady, as I would really have loved to have done. Not only my hand but my knees also are shak- ing so this must be farewell for now. Very much love from Janet. Arcady, September the fifth. Deab Nan : Only a few days left until I must needs address you as Madame. I quite expect that, instead of being out on Norvell, enjoying your few days of freedom to go and come as pleases you, you are endeavouring, even into the "wee sma' hours" to have a certain number of pillow cases and luncheon sets embroidered, not to mention the precise number of roses sewed on the exact number of boudoir caps. I am afraid I should be a terrible outlaw when it came to this business of preparation. "Away with boudoir caps and luncheon sets," I should say. On the level prairie they may be essentials, but here in the divine hills they are anything but. Instead — a sudden notion, a wild ride, a tent in the mountains — perhaps even a c~' ""^zt part couldn't matter — but just the music of a moun- tain stream, the new acquaintance vdth a chiv- alry as old as the ages, the wonders of ihe choicest of Nature's realms mingled with the ^vonders of the growing knowledge of a mind in tune with one's own, with a philosophy and humour as varying as the tints of the mountains them- selves. 241 L^ :{m^Kz':^ 242 JANET OF KOOTENAY There I would say, "Take me to-day, This is your realm and mine." Eleanor Essington is going to some city, Cal- gary or Spokane, to gather her trousseau next week, and they want me to go along. Nerdlcsp to say, the sentiments to which I have just fcdven vent have not been aired in their presence. Mrs. Essington says I need to be off the place for a time as I cannot refrain from pa' king when Chow has so much to do. The early corn is in full swing. We, that is, he, packed ten crates to-day. They run about five dozen to the crate. We also got seven crates of cucumbers. So there is quite a bit of crating, even after things are gathered and sorted. Mrs. Essington and the girls have volunteered to superintend packing and shipping if only I will superintend Eleanor's selection of clothes. Never before has she bec„ known to take an in- terest in what she is to wear, and the whole m- ily are anxious that her concession shall be ken advantage of, and that she shall look hanasome for this time, even if she is to be a war bride. Their faith that I will be able to accompLish this is inspiring. So, I think I shall go, if she decides on Calgary. I have a scheme of my own that I want to work out. And it will be such fun, dressing Eleanor. Blue Janet of kootenay 243 I have decided on, about two shades duller than her eyes and with grey squirrel trimming. Chin- chilla would bo adorable but*! wouldn't dare to mention it. A lecture on Red Cross, Victory Londs and so forth would bo certain to follow. Eleanor has twenty-one hundred dollars that she has made from her bees and the honey. I could scarcely believe her. Needless to say, she has not wasted much on clothes, and she felt sure that one hundred would be ample for garments for her trip and for use here when she settles to the task of running Peter's farm. I Jim trying to tell her that we are not on our way to England five years ago, and I shall take along sufficient so as to be able to make loans. The rest I am leaving to the attractions of the shops. Since my last letter, I have had a visit and re- quest from Mrs. Good. She came one morning and asked if I remembered saying that if a time came when I could be of service to her, I would be glad to repay her for helping me out in my ill- ness. I remembered. "Then," she said, **I want you to come out with me to-day and join our War Work Club." This club handles the Red Cross work that is done here, sending the proceeds in through an- other society. I have turned in my socl:s and other work and paid Mrs. Essington a weekly do- 1^^ . 244 JANET OF KOOTENAY I'^i m. if Iflii 1. ^ i;:!: i , r r 1 '■ nation for supplie , ),\ii have not become a mem- ber. Seeing no reason for refusing and no way of doing so, I consei '^ I at her sudden Um-i^ way there my < t rio-^i that she is the vi. o-itr go, although I wondered • have me join. On the was satisfied. It seems s dent of the club, and that the president, A^ .^^. I't i^res^ is absent. Mrs. DeForest favours riii'^^Iii^ ^n : ~ ds by means of raffling and has ! 'uc jntly. Mrs. Good frowns on the pra ^ticv- . "^ . ' ed to have a mo- tion passed doing" iwa^ .^ it while she was in charge. And hero was f, who have engineered raffles to the extent of three hundred dollars for purposes of war relief, meekly driving out to vote against i'lo Kitchener War Work Club's doing anything of the sort. Mrs. Good handled the meeting very much as I had seen her handle a patient; expecting, and getting, very little back-talk. The question of raffling came marching up and after a motion was made that we — I was a mem- ber by this time — confine ourselves to other methods of raising funds, discussion was called for. One woman inquired at length how we could be assisting our men at the front by teaching those who remained at home to gamble. Many other reasons, most of which I forget, were ad- vanced for dispensing with the pernicious prao- JANET OF KOOTENAY 245 tioe. Then Mi*8. Good asked if there were any final words before the question was put. "Mrs. Ksaington," she Huid, "you, like me, hope to have your boys with you again. D(s you not think the country should be kept pure against their home-coming t" Mrs. Essington rose quietly. There was a stir of e-vpectancy. A woman near me whispered: "AVhen she talks, she says something." Here are her words, verbatim. "Ladies: I am perfectly willing to admit that, in ordinary times, there is nothing to be said in favour of raffling. "Also, we know that, if, in ordinary times, a man took a gun and went out with the deliberate intention of killing his fellowmen, he would be violating the very fundamental laws of God and man. "But these are not ordinary times. The safety of small nations, of women and children, of the weak of this and all future generations is at the mercy of a strong nation gone mad. To meet this foe, to protect the weak, our men at arms have been forced by grim and terrible necessity to per- form acts that must be quite as odious to them, quite as foreign to their general principles as could be the raffling of a sofa pillow to the mem- bers of this club. "When we think of the way in which our enemies have devastated Belgium, and of how ??a.'i 246 JANET OF KOOTENAY N jj; } "I 'I !i 'I {I 1^1 li i4 gladly they would Lave devastated Canada, yes, and this lovely valley, in the same way, we can indeed be glad that our men were able to lay aside their personal prejudices in favour of a larger patriotism— even if Ave at home are not big enough to do the same. "Our means of raising funds are excellent — so far as they go — ^but if the blessing of God rests on the brave efforts of our men, and who is there that does not believe so, surely it will also rest on fifty dollars or so extra sent once in a while to help alleviate their sufferings. "When the men who have gone from here to fight for us hear— and hear they will, be very sure of that— that while, in cold and danger they fight our battles with whatever means are avail- able — though no one imagines they approve of the methods— we, at home in comfort and safety, are standing back and with imagined piety are saying that we will help them only with such means as we can approve of, what, we may very well wonder, are they going to think about it?" When the vote was taken, Mrs. Good did not give the count. She merely said ,'hat the ma- jority wished to continue rafSing amorg the means of raising war funds. The trepidation with which I began the ride home was gradually dispelled by the silence and the September evening peace. It was not until we neared her gate that she asked : JANET OF KOOTENAY 247 "Did yon vote against raflBing?" "No," I said. "I did not." "Then I wonder who did cast that vote against it It must have been Caroline Towers. She al- ways was more or less bigoted in her notions." As I opened the gate for her, she said : "Be thankful you haven't a man to raise his eyebrows because you have changed your mind." As she called me up this morning to ask me to come to see a new photograph of Johnny that had just come, I imagine that, througli circuitous means, I have finally found a place in her regard. I have always felt that, once this happened, wo might get on famously. There was great excitement in the camp of the Mortimer-Deanes yes* >rday, when the English mail brought a letter irom the aunt. I think I told you once of a co isin of theirs coming down to enquire about the news of her. It seems that the aunt had asked this cousin to find out their attitude to the news of her illness, which had not been very real, and also to find out why Wilmont did not enlist. When the cousin, who, by the way, had every- thing to gain and nothing to lose by sending bad news, reported only concern as to her condition and a seeming indifference to the fortune, as well as mention of going on to Australia, she changed her front at once. The letter spoke of being lonely and of hoping till Hi; f: If i 248 JANET OF KOOTENAY they would come home as soon as possible, and enclosed a check for five hundred pounds. Part of this they invested in Victory Bonds and they are using the rest to go into dairying quite ex- tensively, insisting that the cousin join them fifty-fifty in the venture. They have cabled an urgent invitation to the aunt to spend the next year in the mountains of British Columbia. I do hope she accepts, as a character such as she would lend colour to life anywhere. We are off for Calgary to-morrow. ; From your devoted Jan. Later: Saundy came down to-day and came round to know what could be up. He had noticed, per telescope, unusual activity round the place and wanted it accounted for. When I told him of our plans and whispered to him of my private scheme, he exclaimed, **Goodforyou!" He gave me twenty-five dollars with which to buy something useful for Eleanor, and another twenty-five with which to buy something foolish for himself. He said he had not spent a cent foolishly for at least ten years and that he just naturally had to burst out now. He gave me carte blanche in the matter. I do not know how I shall make out in this odd trust. The only foolish purchase I can remember ^^^siju''^*'>>ibl1».:,' ,: JANET OF KOOTENAY 249 dress, having made for myself was a chiffon which would hardly help me any here. Something useful for Eleanor will be a much easier matter. Y. T. J. R^^^toiit'i;^' I J i" -^i; T|l Calgary, September tenth. Dear Madame it is : I have just sent off a wire which you will doubt- less get before you leave on your journey, and I must snatch a few moments from the whirl of shopping hero to tell you that I have shipped my wedding present to your hotel in the city. It is an Oriental rug, a Princess Bokhara, to be used as the coter for your living-room table. I am sending it to you there so that you can tuck it under your arm when you go shopping and buy everything to match soma one of its wonderful shades. Just lot me know if this does not put Mrs. Senior out of conceit with her chintzes. Congratulations re the election. M. P.'s ma- jority was a source of satisfaction to me that I would never have believed possible, considering how much in the wrong I know him to have been at all other elections. Such are party politics. Eleanor and I are having the time of our lives. Instead of urging Eleanor to buy, I— even I— am preaching economy to her. I am talking Red Cross and Victory Bonds— to unheeding ears. There was a dream of a beaded blouse, such a shade of blue but such a price! I attempted to draw her away but no : "That was made for my suit," she said and counted out the money. 260 JANET OF KOOTENAY 251 "That would go a long way in the Red Cross," I murmured. "Go find one somewhere and give them this," she said, counting out another eighteen dollars. •'And there are Victory Bonds," I said se- verely. "If I am to send my husband," she said, blush- ing like a rose, "you can buy the Victory Bonds." We got a very satisfactory blue suit with grey fur collar and a hat that harmonises. The blue blouse truly was made to go with these. This and a smart and serviceable blue serge frock and a handsome green driving coat and toque were the main purchases. She spent a great deal of time in the lingerie section, but would have none of the adorable pink silk that was everywhere. I felt so sorry to see it slighted that I bought quite a lot of it myself. A motor coat and a driving hat of suede were my only other purchases. Then, while I left Eleanor to the handkerchief and glove finishing touches, I slipped out and bought my car. Yes. Just like that. I saw it first on the street with a "Demonstra- tion" card on it and I followed it home. Not be- cause it ran beautifully or otherwise— although it does; not because I knew its engines or its merits, but because, if you please, of its beautiful shade of brown— body, whaels, upholstering, car- pets and all— just the shade of my eyes. A rea- 252 JANET OF KOOTENAY sonable reason for buying a piece of machinery, what! . 1 V • With a few tears for their almost barbaric beauty, I took back the crimson coat and hat I had bought and exchanged them for brown as near the shade of the car as possible. Two cosy brown plaid rugs were added to the equipage and, thus arrayed, I drove slowly up and down Eighth look- ing for Eleanor. The car runs almost the same as Lester Owen's machine, so I was able to manage it and to stop it when I saw her coming from a The surprise in her face was wo-th the price of the whole outfit. * * Janet ! " she cried in amazement. * ' Is it yours I Did you really fcw2/ it?" •*Do you like it!" I demanded. ' ♦ I couldn 't tell you how much. The whole thing is a colour poem." She deposited her bundles in the back and we drove about to test it out a bit , <«Tf ' ' But why so grand ?' ' she asked at length. It is wonderful, I know, but I think you could have put on sufficient swank in the Kootenay with any kind of a car." '*Do you suppose the paint on this cost more because it is all of the same colour 1" I asked. "Well, yes I do. And you mentioned once that yon wanted one to ship crates with. Wouldn't something cheaper have answered?" JANET OF KOOTENAY 253 *'Look here, Miss Beaded Blouse," I said, "you have lost the right to preach economy to me. I think this car will yet turn out to bo tho wisest buy I ever made. Enough said for tho present." We shipped the car to Golden that afternoon and shall follow it to-morrow. From there we shall drive the two hundred and fifty miles home. My solo reason for not telling any one except Saundy of my plan was that I know Mrs. Essing- ton and Peter would have positively forbidden Eleanor to risk going that distance with a woman driver. Tbis settled, I had nothing left but Saundy 's commissions. A dinner service for Eleanor was the final choice. Of course it was not Coalport or "Wedgewood, but the design and shape were good and she had especially admired it. After this we put our two heads together over Saundy 's wish for something foolish. **As he is Scotch," I said, "he simply means something pleasant. But what? What is he fond of?" "Country life, Scotch collies and Scotch musio is all I can think of." "Is there an idea there? He has two collies, and abundance of country life. How about music? Oh, Eleanor! How much do bagpipes cost? He told me once that there was the music of heaven for one.'" "Saundy already has all kinds of bagpipes," :2.i^- Ij". I ti) 254 JANET OF KOOTENAY she said, ''but, havirg asthma, he cannot play tbem." , ., _ ,„„^ ♦♦Well, then," I said, "you decide. I have bought three wedding presents in this plac^ and I don't pretend to have a single idea left. "I have it," she cried. " The very thing. Did you notice that gramophone in the window of a curiosity shop or whatever it is you call onel "A second hand store!" "Yes It was marked at twenty-four dollars. It was in a box, you know,-didn't have a horn Saundy will not worry that it is not a cabmet grand." ' i v * * We fairly flew to the shop and in the shortest possible time the machine and eight records were ours. I am sure we might as well as not have had a dozen records but for our haste to close the bargain. Then we each added a bit and cleared a dealer or two of their Scotch selections We sent all this along to Golden too and will take it home in the car. . . • -, j ^, If the engine stalls on a mountain-side road or a tire blows out we shall cheer each other as we wait for assistance with "The Keel Bow or "Ye Banks and Braes." Eleanor joins me in wishir,^ you a life of hap- piness and prosperity. Ever your friend, Janet I. 11^: Arcady, September fourteenth. Deab Nan : Home again. How dear the guardian poplars, the lazy brook, my little homo and all seemed as we came between the stone gateposts. The chick- ens scratching industriously at their supper and Chow, nailing crates in the shed, seemed to say that all was running well. The trip home has been most wonderful. If you and M. P. want a real honeymoon, drive from Golden to Cranbrook through the enchanted Windermere Valley — two hundred miles of roads such as you never even dreamed of and a moving panorama of landscapes that one could never for- get. I was anxious to take a day at Banff, but as Peter and Eleanor are going there together, she would not. She did not want to see a thing first, and looked out of the opposite window as we passed. We left Golden in the early morning. The sun rose above the gorgeous hills, battling with and finally vanquishing a fragrant September ground mist. The air was intoxicating and the car in a singularly good humour. It took the hills as 255 Il' ii 256 JANET OF KOOTENAY though it had no idea that wo were tackling a twelve per cent grade. We reached Invermere, the half-way stopping place, that evening, our only mishap having heen a minor puncture. Wo jacked up the machino and put en the spare tire ourselves, so did not find it necessary to resort to ''Ye Banks and Braes." As our heads seemed still to swing with the con- stant windings of the long drive, we decided to take a day in which to rest. We began our "rest" early with a game of golf on the links above the lake. These are at the disposal of the guests of the summer hotel, as are the tennis courts and boats. Below us, beautiful Lake Windermere was peaceful and ir- idescent in the morning light. After this, accompanied by two charming women whose acquaintance we had just made, we made the run to the Sinclair Hot Springs, twelve miles into the mountains on the new Banff-Win- dermere road, which will be, when completed, one of the costliest and most wonderful roads in the world. ,. , , We had a dip in the pool of the radium hot- springs. The water is of a queer, greenish hue that makes one look like the figures of the rising dead in Lord Leighton's masterpiece in the Tate Gallery. I revelled in the heat of the water, and, as I swam about and watched the others climb out to wait for the **weak feeling" to pass off, I felt JANET OF KOOTENAY 257 compensated for the many times I have had to sit on a bank, shivering as I tested with my toes cold water that other people seemed able to enjoy. The luncheon that wo ate would have been a credit to a wood-chopper. After this, to sort of balance our trip into the Rockies where the hot- KI)riiigs are, we drove up into tlio Selkirks to the west of the lake, — up and up around the winding hillsides, with Toby Creek running, like a silver ribbon, hundreds of yards below, till we reached Paradise Mine — the highest point to be reached by motor in Canada. Truly this is a land of superlatives. It seemed in keeping with the graudenr all about thai, the horses that haul the ore to where it is loaded on to tractors for the rest of the journey down were as big as elephants. The Chinese cook came out and inquired, * ' Take some teat" to willing ears. The next morning wo were on our way again. At the top of Thunder Hill we paused to wonder at the gorgeous view that was spread below: the placid silver lake — from which the hills rose straight, sending their peaks far up into the fleecy clouds. "Oh, dear," I exclaimed. "If only I had my sketch book here." "Janet," said Eleanor, patiently. "That is eltrhteen times you have said that since I began WW^ nil" !:^ 111' 258 JANET OF KOOTENAY counting. If it were not for the variety of the scenery, the monotony of your remarks— "Nevertheless," I said, "I am coming hero sometime with plenty of colours ,and severa blocks, and I am going to sketch and sketch and sketch. I am warning you and if jou fear the monotony of it you need not come." "You had best bring Clay," she said. He would make a duet of your raptures and ho sketches rather well, you know." . , ,^. , "I shall think about it," I said, lettmg her think her idea perfectly original. We passed the spot where those waters that are to be the mighty chain of Columbia rivers and lakes have their source and start northward. A few yards further along, turning southward, is the beginning of the mighty chain of rivers and lakes that is the Kootenay. At various pomts on our southward way we caught further glimpses of the Kootenay, grown bigger each time. Its green- ish waters made us think of the Eeclamation Farm, the hay-fields and home. And now we are home. The Essingtons have all been over to admire the car and profess to be delighted with Eleanor's clothes. While they were here, we set Saundy's music box before the telephone, got his attention and played him "Scots Wha Hae." He was beside himself with delight at our purchase and intends taking it up FmmsKi W9S'':>ff!mmw \ w. jwi. u» -«b '.i'. yr^Sc ibokd JANET OF KOOTENAY 239 to the station even though ho has only two weeks more to put in there. Johnny Good is home for a few clays' furlough before going overseas. He looks very fit and sol- dierly, lie came with his mother and Rose to see my now purchase. I am to take thrm driving to-morrow. Rose and Johnny are walking up and down the Goods' drive arm and ann this minute. So that is settled. Johnny is no match for the cleverness of Rose, but he will be happy, which is the main thing. After the others had gotio, < apialn Frnton came, welcomed me home and a 'nircd the car, but all very gravely. "You don't really like it?" I ask^u, suquised. "Like it! Why, it's a beauty." "You didn't look enthusiastic." "You have heard of sour grapes." "Yes. But not t/oi*." "And why not me?" "You couldn't be so small. Besides, you could have one if you wanted it. ' ' "Perhaps. But I couldn't drive it if I had it. ' ' "Oh! Why is it that you keep reminding me of something that I would otherwise never think of?" "You are mistaken. It is you who remind me of it. Not with intent of course, but — I must go now. Some day you must take me for a spin. 'mm !il M' 260 JANET OF KOOTENAY I will redeem myself by praising your car ex- travagantly." So I am alone with a restless feeling of dissatis- faction with my home-coming. This is, possibly, because those steel grey eyes, that had said so many exquisite things when I was ill, are now only grave and preoccupied. However. I shall probably recover and die of something else. If not, then ever yours, ) Jan. l^ ,11'' 1" Jii{ !■;'. hf r Axcadjj September twenty-first. DeabNan: As you mentioned expecting to be again in Fort Weyne by this time, I am sending you a crate of my tomatoes to show you what can be grown in the Kooten-'T' Valley, I cannot tell you how proud I am of this part of my garden crop. The com has been good, also the different varieties of cucumbers, but the tomatoes are par excellence, both as to colour and size and shape. I sent some to the Spokane fair and anxiously await the ver- dict. They are just about over for this year and we are getting in the last of the cucumbers and pick- lers. Cabbages, carrots, turnips and beets come next. My second crop of cauliflower is much bet- ter than the first, a huge success, in fact. I have my garden all planned for next year.'^ This year there were ninety crates of tomatoes. Next year, as the soil shows such partiality for them, I hope to have five times as many. I shall have a special paper label for my crates and expect to take a trip through the prairie cities making known the virtues of Arcady's products. Asparagus, strawberries, raspberries and any- thing that is of finest quality will be sold under 261 ir ^;^^-- fl ■■ 1 i| --— ^ ■ 11 « II 262 JANET OF KOOTENAY the same name and label. It will probably be necessary for me to allow my neighbours to use the name of Arcady for their best products, for only so shall I be able to fill the droves of orders that I shall receive. Some imagination, did I hear you sayt Never mind. You may some day find my garden truck as famous as Sunkist oranges. Mrs. Essington has just gotten word that Jack, her second son, is wounded and missing. The two boys have been round about the front lines over there for so long that the family had sort of given up looking for the envelope marked O.H. M.S. and franked from the militia department. It came when Mrs. Essington was spending the afternoon at a neighbour's. I was there helping to pack Eleanor's things. Not that I was needed among them all, but they wanted me there so that none of them would feel "in the dumps" as Betty put it, about parting with the effects of the reliable member of the family. It was a very jolly party into which a neighbour's boy brought the wire. At once their whole thought was for the mother. * ' We must phone at once, ' ' Eleanor said. ' ' She would not want to be left a moment after this came." . _ '♦Phone for Clay first," Cynthia oned. I want him here when she comes." He said he would be over at once. Their relief was great when I said that I would JANET OF KOOTENAY 263 phone the mother. I tried to keep my tones natural when I said that the girls would like her to come home, but I believe she read it in my voice. "I will come," was all she said. The captain went to meet her, down the walk between the rose bushes. "Which one is it?" she asked him quickly. "It's Jack." "He's killed?" * * Wounded — and missing. ' ' "Not a prisoner?" "We cannot know that till particulars arrive." She turned on the porch and seemed to be look- ing away across, right to the fields of Flanders. "Wounded," she said at last, with broken quiet- ness. "My son. And I cannot go to him. lean- not know. They may not have found him. He may be cold, or a prisoner. And he wants his mother. Oh, girls — ^your brother ! ' ' "Don't, mother dear," said Eleanor. "Jack may be all right. His wound may be slight. He is probably not blind, like Arthur Wills." "Arthur Wills is at least cared for," the mother said. * * But my boy is— m * ssing. ' ' "A wire came to-day for Mrs. Hailing. Her boy was killed in the same battle," the captain told her. " I congratulate her. He is at rest." Then she fell into a silence that was more heart- 264 JANET OF KOOTENAY )t ".»■'■''.' rending than her words had been. When Cynthia saw me slip on my coat and take quiet leave she came along. "I can't make it any harder for Mother," she said, with a sort of grimness, **so I am coming down to your house to cry my heart out. Jack was my twin, you know. If he has gone, the bottom has aropped from everything. Oh, if Mother and I could only go to him! Fighting in a trench is an easy thing compared with this. I am so glad Clay is there. He has the sort of strength she needs." -^ The whole valley seems to feel the same thing. Two or three times he has been asked to break news of the last casualty lists, which have been long. The tensity in the valley has been such that no one was amused that little Mrs. Allenby, whose husband went with the Fifty-fourth, went into hysterics when she saw him turn in at her gate, although he only wanted to ask her to ac- company a duet at a musicale. Do you remember our visit in Vancouver the September after war broke out, how our confi- dence in the guns at Point Gray and the Inlet made us feel so secure that the Germans could not hurt us, how the picturesque Kiltie squads, as they swung round the curves of Stanley Park Drive to the skirl of the bag-pipes, thrilled and exalted us? And we thought that that was war I ■ !i.'i JANET OF KOOTENAY 265 Later, the first contingent left Fort Weyne. The eyes of the men were bright. They were on a great adventure. They feared that the war would be over before they could finish their train- ing, and that they would return un-covered with glory. When they had gone, how empty the place seemed! Several of the finest boys had gone — the best tennis player — a number of our dancing partners. We were lonely. And we thought that that was war I But now we know that thrilling music and cheer- ing crowds do not spell battle. It is the mother who looks away across and wonders of her son; the wife who knows that her mate will never again watch the cunning tricks of the baby boy so like him; the thousands of children who will never know "daddy" except by his picture in uniform; the tens of thousands of girls whose home-makers, who did not want to die, are dead — these, we now know, are what is meant by the grim and terrible word that thrilled us once. As I cannot get Mrs. Essington's eyes from my mind, I will close for the present. Janet. As I did not get this p'osted, I will add to it Mrs. Essington has received further word that Jack is in a base hospital seriously wounded. He was found beside a shell hole ahnost covered with earth. While still anxious about him, she is tremendously relieved to know where he is. Cynthia has at last gotten permission to go overseas in the V. A. D. and is beside herself with ioy. Her one thcight is to get to see JaJ. With the reception of this better news, Eleanor decided to be married on the date she had first planned. The four weeks that remrun before Peter's departure will be little enough for him to remember over there, she said. , , - ., A car from town and mine conveyed the family to the church and afterwards to the train. There W-: no rice or frivolity but the happiness that shone in the faces of the newly wedded pair buoyed up the others until the train had carried them away. , ., We drove home in the empty and rather melan- choly atmosphere that follows the departure of a bride and groom. I did not expect the Essmg- tons to feel very jovial, but the captain, who should have helped things along, was the most morose of all. 266 JANET OF KOOTENAY 267 I suggested a run down the Idaho road, glorious in the yellows of autumn, but Mrs. Essington asked me to take them home instead. After I had dropped them, I still had Captain Fenton in the car. "What are you going to do nowT" I asked. "I don't know yet," he said. "But it has got to be something and that very soon." At his tone I refrained from again suggesi>g the Idaho road. "Do tell me what is wrong," I said as I stopped at his gate. "We were good friends. Are we not now!" "No. We're not. That is — yes, of course. I'll say good-bye now. No, no tea, thanks. It's this confounded wedding, I guess. Something like my raptures over your car. Sour grapes." "But again " "Good-bye, Janet." Slowly I drove into the gate of Arcady, wonder- ing at the tone of finality in his words. This kept coming into my thoughts during the next day or two, so that I was tremendously relieved to hear the A-A signal on the second evening. It was my first summons over this wire since my trip. "Are you alone!" he asked. "Yea." "May I come for a few moments?" I utilised the interval in donning something to accord with my plans — an azure blue affair that f'l I" 268 JANET OF KOOTENAY I had not yet worn here. Once he had mentioned particular partiality to blue on women. Just as I finished, he stood at my door-4n hts uniform. , ._ While I Btared at his unexpected appearance m army clothes-and he is gorgeous in them, Nan- he stared at my azure frock. Then he a.ked, almost roughly: "Why do you wear that?" -Because you told me once that you were fond of blue. Why do you wear that^' ^^ *«I am going away. I came to tell you. **Back to the army?" * ' No ; to California. I am being sent to inspect the completing of a big macliine gun order m San Francisco." ^ . , Did I ever tell you that he has mvented several improvements in the British machine guns, and from that source derives a good mcomet ' ' When are you leaving ? " I asked. "To-morrow— the next day at latest. As soon as Saundy and I can get things arranged.'' I dropped onto the davenport facmg the txic and, with a diffidence quite foreign to his usual ease, he followed suit, -i am sorry," I said. -Fancy this vaBey with ^'^ThaTis good of you," he said. "I missed a neighbour terribly myself, quite recently. ^ But, of course, the two cases cannot be the same. m JANET OF KOOTENAY 269 _»» "Whynott*' "Because they're not." "Why are they nott" "Because they — you don't- "I do not what! How do you know?" He wheeled and gave me a startled look. ''Do you?" "You shouldn't force my hand, you know," I said, "when you're not willing to show your own." And ther. I waited. I knew, in that wonderful moment, that all his love was mine ; it was in the air, surrounding me. For a moment I had the most exquisite fedling that his arms must steal around me. Then— he rose and leaned on the mantel, staring deep into the fire, his arms folded tight. I waited on in a paralysing tenseness — I do not know how long. Then, almost without disturbing the silence, the door opened and closed again and I was alone. I buried my face in that beautiful shirred satin puff you gave me and cried myself to sleep. I was still there, cold and aching, when morning came. I longed to cover myself with my motor rug and repeat the performance — would have done so but for Bingo, who objected almost fran- tically to my attitude of woe. The concern in his homely face seemed to say : ■ftr^ofmuk* lifS' 270 JANET OF KOOTENAY - Cheer np. The world may be a dismal place and th?rea» endless, but there is no nse m gettmg indigestion, even over that. However, this is from a very dismal ^^^^ Arcady, September twenty-fifth. Deab Nan : Did I paso on Bingo's statement that the world is a dismal place and that the years are endless T Well. Doubtless no harm has been done, for you know that the world is not dismal, and you hope the years are endless. The morning after Captain Fenton was here I saw Saundy go to Albemarle, presumably to assist in making the place ready to leave. He proceeded out about the barn and, later, I saw him lead Midnight out and over to my stable. I again had recourse to the shirred satin puff. My heart lightened i little that he did not leave for the train that day. Next morning, early, Saundy was there again. Mortimer-Deane was with him this time. I won- dered at this and wanted to phone, but I had said that last word and I felt that the next, if there was to be any, must come from him. But when, the next morning, the doctor came with Mortimer-Deane, I was beside myself with the delay of the few minutes till they had gone. I had called on our wire almost before they were at the gate. I hardly knew the voice that an- swered me. 271 M'^mi^^is^^siMrjM'i MJCBOCOI>Y RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 150 1 2.8 3.2 1^ 1 4.0 21 2.2 12.0 1.8 ^ >1PPLIED IIVMGE Inc :^r- '653 East Main Street S^S Rochester, New York 14609 USA ^— (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone ^S (716) 288 - 5989 - Fax 1,.l 272 JANET OF KOOTENAT "Something is the matter," I said. "Are yor ill? Whatisit!" "Please do not be alarmed," he said. "I— well, I walked about all the night after I left yoa and it seems not to have been good for me." "You walked about— all night!" "Yes. Your shade was not drawn and I coul( see you there. I thought I would go mad. : wanted to rush back in to you. I ahnost did so- a dozen times. But I won out— which is well When Gertnan gas has left a man so that he can not stand a mental battle on a misty night with out the attending results of quinsy and rheuma tism, there is nothing but a thorough retreat f o him. You can see that." I had been thinking very fast indeed, while h talked. "Then you cannot go for a day or so?" I askec "I hope to get away Thursday. That gives m four days yet. I should be around by that time. "Will you come in the evening before yo leave ? " I asked. * ' There is something you can d for me in California." "But certainly. I shall be most happy to d anything possible for you. But, as for comii over — ^my behaviour last time " * * Never mind that. I have forgotten it. Can do anything for you now?" "Thanks, no. Morty is coming again. He is capital nurse." (( I— Can I JANET OF KOOTENAY 273 In the days that have gone since then I have been busy. There was a slight frost over by the nver, so as it usually goes there first as a warn- mg we began to get the remainder of the garden under cover Chow got two other ChinamfranS they got m the potatoes and other vegetables. Yesterday I crated and sent off the remaining four dozen chickens that were for sale. This leaves me with five dozen choice ones for my flock Last night I made up the books m my f^f T f '.^.^ ""^''^ *^'y ^^^« balanced, I found hat I had fifty-eight dollars and my sixjy pullets to show for my summer's work. If the original cost had not been so great-but it was. If I had not lost so many, and food had not been so ex- pensive-but I did and it was. However, I have gained useful experience, and next year shall grow my own chicks and make quite a fortune. iietsy IS almost dry, so Saundy is to take her bade to the Arrow with the others. Her cream and cream money, abetted by the garden, is all that has kept me alive this summer. So that I have re^y boarded for the original outlay of seventy doUars-and I have secured a cow for nothing. Yes, I remember that my book-keeping always amused you. I sold my pigs to the butcher at a profit of twenty.four doUars and seventy cents. Molly and Dexter are rented to Mr Good at three dol- iars a day for the rest of the season, for Govern- 274 JANET OF KOOTENAY ment road work. They, too, have been a good in- vestment, and I have their winter hay put up. As to my garden, I should like to say that the truck sales had more than paid Chow's wages, but as it was only fifteen dollars over, I gave that to him for special efficiency and for the purpose of having a sort of lien on him for the next season. Next year I shall not need him so early, but I mean to garden more strenuously than ever then. By all accounts the necessity for production will be ever so mucl^ more urgent then than now. i hope you are planning to fill every inch of your place with wheat and more wheat. And when you ask what the special profit of my venture has been I will refer you to the visit of Mr. Delmar who cheerfully placed Arcady's value at five thousand above the actual cash out- lay in getting it to where it was then. I think his estimate was quite moderate, too. And after five years— well, the Perrys will easily make three thousand off an eighty acre or- chard, not to mention any of their side lines. So, you see, I am on my way. Both to-day and yesterday I saw Captaiii Fen- ton going to Mortimer-Deane's for dinner, so I knew that he was improving. Just as I was writ- ing this he called on the phone to say that he leaves to-morrow and will be over soon to get his com- mission. Saundy, who was here when the mes- sage came, has just gone, not seeming to feel i1 JANET OF KOOTENAY 275 his duty to stay and chaperone us. He and I have a secret— the dear, trustworthy old soul. Later : He came. The stage was set as before, in colours of azure blue. After only a few sentences he asked what it was that he might do for me in California. "I will not trouble you about it," I said, as I arranged myself comfortably on the davenport— an act which he did not copy— "because I can do it myself I am going to California too. ' ' "You are going to California," he repeated, like an automaton. **When?" "To-morrow. It is to-morrow we go, is it not?" "But— Why, Janet, that is impossible. Your neighbours' opinions may have changed about you once, but they could easily change again. Be- sides " **I am going to California \7ith you to-morrow, as your wife," I stated distinctly, as I rvose and stood with him by the fire. "Janet, don't joke. I can not stand it." "I'm not joking. Claymore, look at me. You k. / I'm not. If you go away and leave me, I'll die. I'll " I got no further, for I was seized hungrily, and with his strong arms far about me I knew that I had done exactly and precisely right. Then he 276 JANET OF KOOTENAY sat me on the davenport and sat there with me, staring moodily into the fire for many seconds. *«What is it now!" I asked patiently, at last. "I am just getting my senses again," he said. ♦'Janet, I can't do this.'* "Do whatt" *'Let you make this sacrifice. It is wonderful of you, but I must not let you. ' * "Personally, I cannot see how yon are going to escape," I laughed. "But if you know of any just and sufficient reason why these two " "It's my knee, of course. And my general state as exhibited this last week.'* "Then you need " "Listen, Janet, till I've finished. I don't know what you will think of me, but I've got to be honest. I am not at all sure— Suppose that you were ten years my senior— that you were maimed— rheumatic, perhaps, and all that. I am not all sure that I would be the wonderful soul that you are. I want you now with every breath I draw, but then I might not want " "Nonsense," I laughed, relieved. "I don't m the least care whether you would or not. A woman is different." "Is she?" he asked, with an eager longing to catch at a straw. ' * I wish I could be sure. ' ' "Claymore," I said. ''There are three words I would like to hear you say. Anything more thai I have to say comes after that" JANET OF KOOTENAY 277 He said them; over and over — in my ear— on my lips **Is that enough, or shall I repeat *' "No. Wait a minute. Saundy has a license and has arranged for everything to be ready in the church to-morrow at ten. I will wear your seal ring till we get to Spokane. We can pick the others together there." So it is settled that way, Nan dearest. We are going to drive to California in my brown car, leaving at ten to-morrow. Won't it be heaven T The drive through the Walla Walla and Cceur d'Alene in October days! A gypsy jaunt right down into the perpetual summer of the lower coast, where we shall be waiting for you and Montague. I must pack suitable clothes for my trip. Will finish this the very last minute before I go. The last morning of Janet Kirk. This sounds like an obituary, but it isn't. Not a bit of it. We are all packed. A camping outfit, double de luxe, fills the tonneau of the car. It fill? me with joy that Captain Fenton— I mean Claymore — has never once objected that I am to furnish and dri" i the car for our honeymoon. That should augur well for our future together. Early this morning came Nicky, very dressed up and business-like. He inquired with dignity 278 JANET OP KOOTENAY f I for Captain Fenton. I directed him to the oar in the rear. "Captain Fenton," I heard him say. "Has Miss Kirk any flowers t" "You mean a bridal bouquet, Nicky t" "Um-hum." "Yes, Nicky. She made a special request for the big shaggy asters in my yard, so that we need not leave them all alone. Why?" * * Because. My mother has a bush covered with the loveliest white roses, and she says I can and I want to give them to Miss Kirk." "Well, Nicky," Claymore answered, "it is usually a man's privilege to furnish flowers for his bride, but it shows how much I think of you that I let you do it this time." Nicky left in highest glee and in the shortest possible time was back with a fragrant bunch of sweet, white roses and maidenhair fern, tied with white satin ribbon. Then Saundy came, with a large blue envelope that contained, he said, his wedding gift. Clay- more slipped his arm around me as I wonderingly drew out a folded document. It was a deed of the MacPhaill Mines, willed over, on the death of Saundy MacPhaill, to Clay- more Fenton to be held in trust for Saundy Fen- ton and his heirs. The import of this did not reach me for some moments. When it did, the fact that Claymore JANET OF KOOTENAY 279 took the old man's hand, looked into his eyes and thanked him from the bottom of his heart with- out a blush, put him at once among the super-men in my adoring regard. And now I think that we may go. The Essing- tons, Mortimer-Deanes, Worths, Perrvs and Goods all drove toward the little church some time ago, but I do not want to pass their horses on the way. Saundy and Nicky are to be our special body- guard, just as they are to be the guardians of Arcady and Albemarle while we are absent. They are calling me, so I must go. Good-bye, Nan dearest. I know that I can leave it to your sweet dis- position never to recall the rage of a certain young woman at the fears, attributed to a neigh- bour, that a bachelor in her vicinity was in danger. J.