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mother；〃 and then sank into a long nightmare； through which there mingled dim shapes and quiet voices； followed by dreamless sleep； and an awakening to weakness that made the lifting of his eyelids an effort and the movement of his hand a weariness。 The first object that loomed intelligible through the fog in which he seemed to move was a little plain face with great blue eyes carrying in them a cloud of maternal anxiety。 Suddenly the cloud broke and the sun burst through in a joyous riot； for in a voice that seemed to him unfamiliar and remote Larry uttered the single word； 〃Jane。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried the little girl rapturously。 〃Oh； Larry； wait。〃 She slipped from the room and returned in a moment with his mother； who quickly came to his side。
〃You are rested； dear；〃 she said； putting her hand under his head。 〃Drink this。 No； don't lift your head。 Now then； go to sleep again； darling；〃 and； stooping down； she kissed him softly。
〃Whyareyoucrying？〃 he asked faintly。 〃What's thematter？〃
〃Nothing； darling； you are better。 Just sleep。〃
〃Better？HaveIbeensick？〃
〃Yes； you have been sick；〃 said his mother。
〃Awfully sick； 〃 said Jane solemnly。 〃A whole week sick。 But you are all right now；〃 she added brightly； 〃and so is Joe； and Sam； and Rover and Rosie。 I saw them all this morning and you know we have been praying and praying and〃
〃Now he will sleep； Jane；〃 said his mother； gently touching the little girl's brown tangle of hair。
〃Yes； he will sleep； oh； I'm just awful thankful；〃 said Jane； suddenly rushing out of the room。
〃Dear little girl；〃 said the mother。 〃She has been so anxious and so helpfula wonderful little nurse。〃
But Larry was fast asleep； and before he was interested enough to make inquiry about his comrades in travel the car in charge of Joe and Sam； with Mr。 Gwynne in the caboose； was far on its way to Alberta。 After some days Jane was allowed to entertain the sick boy； as was her custom with her father； by giving an account of her day's doings。 These were happy days for them both。 Between the boy and the girl the beginnings of a great friendship sprang up。
〃Larry； I think you are queer；〃 said Jane to him gravely one day。 〃You are not a bit like you were in the car。〃
A quick flush appeared on the boy's face。 〃I guess I was queer that day； Jane；〃 he said。 〃I know I felt queer。〃
〃Yes； that's it；〃 said Jane； delighted by some sudden recollection。 〃You were queer then； and now you're just ornary。 My； you were sick and you were cross； too； awful cross that day。 I guess it was the headick。 I get awfully cross； too； when I have the headick。 I don't think you will be cross again ever； will you； Larry？〃
Larry； smiling at her； replied； 〃I'll never be cross with you； Jane； anyway； never again。〃
CHAPTER VII
THE GIRL OF THE WOOD LOT
June； and the sun flooding with a golden shimmer a land of tawny prairie； billowy hills； wooded valleys and mountain peaks white with eternal snows； touching with silver a stream which； glacier… born； hurled itself down mountain sides in fairy films of mist； rushed through canyons in a mad torrent； hurried between hills in a swollen flood； meandered along wide valleys in a full…lipped tide； lingered in a placid lake in a bit of lowland banked with poplar bluffs； and so onward past ranch…stead and homestead to the great Saskatchewan and Father Ocean； prairie and hills； valleys and mountains； river and lake； making a wonder world of light and warmth and colour and joyous life。
Two riders on rangey bronchos； followed by two Russian boarhounds； climbed the trail that went winding up among the hills towards a height which broke abruptly into a ridge of bare rock。 Upon the ridge they paused。
〃There！ Can you beat that？ If so； where？〃 The lady swept her gauntletted hand toward the scene below。 Mrs。 Waring…Gaunt was tall； strongly made； handsome with that comeliness which perfect health and out…of…doors life combine to give； her dark hair； dark flashing eyes； straight nose； wide； full…lipped curving mouth； and a chin whose chiselled firmness was softened but not weakened by a dimple； making a picture good to look upon。
〃There！〃 she cried again； 〃tell me； can you beat it？〃
〃Glorious！ Sybil； utterly and splendidly glorious！〃 said her brother； his eyes sweeping the picture below。 〃And you too； Sybil；〃 he said； turning his eyes upon her。 〃This country has done you well。 By jove； what a transformation from the white…faced； willowy〃
〃Weedy；〃 said she。
〃Well； as it's no longer true； weedywoman that faded out of London； how manyeight years ago！〃
〃Ten years； ten long； glorious； splendid years。〃
〃Ten years！ Surely not ten！〃
〃Yes； ten beautiful years。〃
〃I wish to God I had come with you then。 I might have beenwell； I should have been saved some bumps and a ghastly cropper at last。〃
〃'Cut it out；' Jack； as the boys say here。 En avant！ We never look back in this land； but ever forward。 Oh； now isn't this worth while？〃 Again she swept her hand toward the scene below her。 〃Look at that waving line in the east； that broad sweep； and here at our left； those great； majestic things。 I love them。 I love every scar in their old grey faces。 They have been good friends to me。 But for them some days might have been hard to live through； but they were always there like friends； watching； understanding。 They kept me steady。〃
〃You must have had some difficult days； old girl； in this awful land。 Yes； yes； I know it's glorious； especially on a day like this and in a light like this； but after all； you are away from the world； away from everybody； and shut off from everything； from life； arthow could you stick it？〃
〃Jack are you sympathising with me？ Let me tell you your sympathy is wasted。 I have had lonely days in this land； of course。 When Tom was off on businessOh！ that man has been perfectly splendid。 Jack！ He's beenwell； I can't tell you all he has been to me father； mother； husband； chum； he's been to me； and more。 And he's made good in the country； too。 Now look again at this view。 We always stop to look at it； Tom and I； from this point。 Tell me if you have ever seen anything quite as wonderful！〃
〃Yes； it's glorious； a little like the veldt； with； of course； the mountains extra； and they do rather finish the thing in the grand style。〃
〃Grand style； well； rather！ A great traveller who has seen most of the world's beautiful spots told me he had never looked on anything quite so splendid as the view from hereso spacious； so varied； so majestic。 Ah； I love it； and the country has been good to me！
〃I don't mean physically only； but in every wayin body； soul and mind。 And for Tom； too； the country has done much。 In England； you know； he was just loafing； filling in time with one useless thing after another； and on the way to get fat and lazy。 Here he is doing things； things worth while。 His ranch is quite a success。 Then he is always busy organising various sorts of industries in the countrydairying； lumbering and that sort of thing。 He has introduced thoroughbred stock。 He helps with the schools； the churches； the Agricultural Institutes。 In short； he is doing his part to bring this country to its best。 And this； you know； is the finest bit of all Canada！〃
Her brother laughed。 〃Pardon me；〃 he said； 〃there are so many of these 'finest bits。' In Nova Scotia； in Quebec； I have found them。 The people of Ontario are certain that the 'finest bit' is in their province； while in British Columbia they are ready to fight if one suggests anything to the contrary。〃
〃I know。 I know。 It is perfectly splendid of them。 You know we Canadians are quite foolish about our country。〃
〃WE Canadians！〃
〃Yes。 WE Canadians。 What else？ We are quite mad about the future of our country。 And that is why I wanted you to come out here； Jack。 There is so much a man like you might do with your brains and training。 Yes。 Your Oxford training is none too good for this country； and your brain none too clever for this big work of laying the foundations of a great Empire。 This is big enough for the biggest of you。 Bigger； even； than the thing you were doing at home； Jack。 Oh； I heard all about it！〃
〃You heard all about it？ I hope not。 I hope you have not heard of the awful mess I made of things。〃
〃Nonsense； Jack！ 'Forward' is the word here。 Here is an Empire in the making； another Britain； greater； finer； and without the hideous inequalities； injustices and foolish class distinctions of the old。〃
〃My God！ Sybil； you sound like Lloyd George himself！ Please don't recall that ghastly radicalism to me。〃
〃Never mind what it sounds like。 You will get it too。 We all catch it here； especially Old Country folk。 For instance； look away to the left there。 See that little clump of buildings beside the lake just through the poplars。 There is a family of Canadians typical of the best； the Gwynnes； our closest neighbours。 Good Irish stock； they are。 They came two years after we came。 Lost their little bit of money。 Suffered； my！ how they must have suffered！ though they were too proud to tell any of us。 The father is a gentleman； finely educated； but with no business ability。 The mother all gol