There had been rain since harvest, and the ground was soft when Harding and his comrade stood beside their smoking teams on the slope of the ravine. Pale sunshine streamed down between the leafless trees, glistening upon the pools and wet wheel-ruts that marked the winding trail. The grade was steep and the torn-up surface was badly adapted for heavy loads. Harding frowned as he glanced at the double span of foul-coated horses harnessed to a wagon filled with bags of grain. They were powerful, willing animals, and it jarred on him to overdrive them, as he had been forced to do. Besides, except for the steep ascent, he could have taken his load to the elevators with a single team. "I hate to abuse good horses, but we must get up," he said when he had recovered breath. "Watch out the wagon doesn't run back when we make a start." Devine drove a birch log behind the wheels and then ran to the leaders' heads and cracked his whip, while Harding called to the pole-team. For a few moments the battering hoofs churned up the sloppy trail and the wagon groaned and shook, the horses floundering and slipping without moving it. Then with a harsh creak the high wheels began to turn and they slowly struggled up the hill. Harness rattled, chain and Running with hand upon the bridle, and splashing in the pools, he rushed the horses at the last ascent; and then threw himself down with labored breath in the grass. "This won't do," he panted after a few moments. "We'll have to put up five or six bags less, and you can figure how many extra loads that will make before we empty the bins. Then, I hate to keep a man and team standing by here when they could be hauling another load." "It's one of the things a prairie farmer runs up against," Devine remarked. "Just so. When they can't be put right, you have got to make the best of them; but this grade can be altered." "It might," Devine agreed with a doubtful air. "Do you think you can persuade the Colonel to join you?" "No; but it's my duty to try. When you have helped Frank up, you can take the extra team and haul in the cordwood. I'll be back from the railroad about dark to-morrow." "We must have the bridge here; but it isn't a job we can manage without assistance," said Kenwyne. "I don't want to be disrespectful, Lance, but I hope your father enjoyed his lunch." Lance grinned. "As a matter of fact, he did; but unfortunately he read the paper afterwards and the market report seemed to upset him. To make things worse, I rashly mentioned that it bore out Harding's prognostications. In consequence, I expect you'll need all the tact you've got." "I wish Harding had a little more," Broadwood remarked. "I can be meek, when it's for the good of the settlement, but our friend's too blunt." "If he's blunt to-day, there'll be trouble," Lance replied with a chuckle. "I imagine the Colonel's in fighting form. Here he comes!" It was in an unusually thoughtful mood that Mowbray rode toward them. The steady fall in the price of wheat was sufficient to cause him anxiety, but he had further grounds for feeling disturbed. There was an unsettling influence at work at Allenwood; plans were being mooted which he thought originated with Harding; and, worse than all, he suspected that "The days are getting colder, but it's a bracing afternoon," he said. "Now, perhaps we'd better walk over the line of the proposed trail." They took him along the side of the ravine, and Kenwyne, stopping now and then, drew his attention to a plan he carried. "We'll need about forty feet of log underpinning at this point, and you'll see that it's provided for," he said. "On the next section there's a good deal of soil to move; I have an estimate of the number of wagon loads." Farther on he stopped again. "From here to the bridge it will come to only a ton for every three or four yards." Mowbray studied the plan and some sheets of figures. "You seem to have thought the matter out very carefully," he commented. "It needed close attention," said Broadwood. Mowbray looked at the men keenly. "There's a comprehensiveness about these plans and calculations that I did not expect from you," he said They did not answer this, and Kenwyne frowned in warning as he saw Lance's amused expression. "The trail would be useful, sir," Broadwood urged. "I think so. Do you feel competent to make it? The scheme is bolder than anything of the kind we have undertaken." "We couldn't attempt it alone. Our idea is to ask for a general levy." Mowbray nodded, for when they improved the roads at Allenwood the settlers were called upon to supply labor or money according to the size of their farms. "By making an effort we might get the trail cut and the bridge built before the frost stops us," Kenwyne said. "We couldn't finish the grading, but the snow would give us a pretty good surface for hauling our wheat over. The new crossing would save us nearly three miles on the journey to the railroad, and we ought to get a good load up the easier incline without doubling the teams." Mowbray's suspicions grew. "We have not found the longer distance an insurmountable disadvantage so far. Why should it trouble you so much now?" "Some of us have bigger crops this year," Broadwood said. "Do you think this justifies your taxing your neighbors?" "No," Broadwood answered incautiously. "We expect they'll follow our example, and have as much grain as we have next season." "I see!" Mowbray frowned. "You are working "But you cannot imagine, sir, that there's any danger to the settlement in our growing better crops." "Of course not. It's the taint of commercialism I object to. However, let me look at those estimates again." They had now nearly reached the top of the hill on the opposite side and Mowbray, sitting down on a birch log, opened the papers. The others looked at one another dubiously as they heard a beat of hoofs and a rattle of wheels. "I notice no allowance for unexpected difficulties, which are bound to crop up," Mowbray presently remarked. "The work will, as usually happens, prove harder than it looks. I do not see how you can finish it before the frost comes." "We expect to get it done, sir," Kenwyne replied. "In fact, we ventured to ask Mr. Harding, who has helped us to work the scheme out, to meet you here. He will be able to give you any information." "Ah!" Looking up, Mowbray saw Harding coming down the trail, and the loaded wagon and the fine Clydesdale horses standing among the trees. The sight angered him. Harding had not been ruined by his rash experiment, as Mowbray had honestly believed would happen. On the contrary, he had prospered, and Mowbray suspected him of a wish to flaunt his success in the faces of his less fortunate neighbors. It was in a very uncompromising mood that he waited for him to speak. "If I can get the help I want from Allenwood, "I notice that you confine yourself to the monetary point of view," said Mowbray. "I think not. There are other advantages, but I won't speak of them now; I'd be glad to explain anything about the work." Mowbray's face hardened. The intruding fellow had insolently declined to talk over any but the material benefits to be expected. It looked as if he attached no importance to his opinions; and in one respect Mowbray was not mistaken. Harding had ideas of progress, mutual help, and good fellowship with which he did not expect the Colonel to sympathize. "I do not propose to ask any questions," Mowbray said, getting up and giving Kenwyne the plans. "I needn't keep you; this work will not be undertaken with my sanction." "But it can't be undertaken without it!" Broadwood protested. "I agree with you. On such matters as a general levy I have power of veto, and I must warn you that it will be used." Harding turned away, somewhat red in face, and went back up the trail. He recovered his good hu Presently a buggy appeared over a rise, and Harding felt a thrill of pleasure as he recognized the team and the driver. When Beatrice reached him she checked the horses. "You're going to the elevators with your grain?" she said. "How is it you came by the Long Bluff?" "I went round by Willow Gulch in the ravine." "Then you went to meet Kenwyne and Broadwood where the new trail is to cross? I've heard something about the matter." "I did. And I'm afraid I offended Colonel Mowbray." "So he has stopped the undertaking! I expected it." "No," said Harding, with a half-humorous air. "The trail will be made, though I won't be able to begin this season." Beatrice looked thoughtful. "I'm sorry about this," she said; "it may cause more trouble. Why can't you leave us alone?" "I'm afraid I am meddlesome. But it's hard to leave things alone when you know they ought to be done." "That sounds egotistical. Are you never mistaken?" "I don't quite understand." "It would certainly be egotistical if I bored you with my crude ideas," he answered, smiling. "Never mind that. I want to know." "Well," he said, "sometimes you look about to see how you can alter matters and what plans you can make; but when they're made they won't always work. It's different when you don't have to look." Beatrice had a dim perception of what he meant, but she would let him explain. His point of view interested her; though she knew that she ran some risk in leading him into confidential talk. "I don't think you have made it very clear yet." "I meant that there are times when you see your work ready laid out. It's there; you didn't plan it—you simply can't mistake it. Then if you go straight ahead and do the best you can, you can't go wrong." "But when you don't feel sure? When you haven't the conviction that it is your task?" "Then," he said quietly, "I think it's better to sit tight and wait. When the time to act comes, you certainly will know." Beatrice pondered this, because it seemed to apply with some force to herself. He had once urged her to take a daring course, to assert her freedom at the cost of sacrificing much that she valued. Though she had courage, she had shrunk from the venture, because she had not the firm conviction that it was justified. She felt drawn to Harding; indeed, she had met no other man whom she liked so well; but there was much against him, and nothing but deep, unquestion "After all," she said, smiling, "your responsibility ends with yourself. I don't see why you should interfere with other people. You can farm your land as you think fit, without trying to make us copy you." "That sounds all right; but when you come to think of it, you'll see that neither of us can stand alone." "We got along pretty well before you came." "I don't doubt it. The trouble is that what was best a few years ago isn't best now. I wish I could make your father realize that." "Does it follow that he's mistaken because he doesn't agree with you?" Harding laughed. "If I were singular in my way of thinking, I'd be more modest, but all over the country farmers are getting ready for the change. There's a big expansion in the air, and your people can't stand out against it." "Then I suppose we'll be crushed, and we'll deserve our fate." Beatrice smiled at him as she started the horses. "But at least it will not be from lack of advice!" |