“I have thought of that.  If I could only get ’the leader of the opposition’ interested to go in with me, your case would be won.”

“You never can.  He’ll have to see somebody making a success of it before he will think of it for a minute.  There’s nothing anybody can do before spring, I suppose.”

“There’s considerable to be done in winter, I understand.  And the spring work begins so early it’s practically winter then.”

“You can’t think how I want to stay here this winter!” sighed Sally.

“You really mean it?  Snow-drifts and isolation, empty rooms and cold winds, and all?”

“The Ferrys don’t think it isolated.  When they came, they expected to go back to rooms in town for the winter, but they’ve fallen so in love with their cottage they’re going to stay.  This isn’t the country; it’s only the suburbs, eight minutes’ walk from the electrics.”

“True enough.  It depends upon one’s point of view, doesn’t it?  There’s a lot of fun made of the commuters, but they’re not by any means to be placed all in the same class.  To people who genuinely love the country it’s a delight to get out here, no matter how many minutes it takes to make the run.  And it really takes only about twenty-five minutes to get into the heart of the city.  So you honestly want to stay here, do you, Sally Lunn?  From this hour I’m committed to the task of trying to bring that thing about.”

“Jarvis!  That’s lovely of you!  You did bring about my getting out here in the tent.  Yes, I’ve heard the whole story from Jo—­I know what a strategist you were.  You’re such a good friend, to take so much trouble.”

“Am I?  There’s nobody I’d rather take trouble for.  You know that, don’t you?”

If there were more than friendship in his eyes and voice, Sally did not perceive it.  She was so accustomed to kindness and consideration from this young man, who had grown up only a few years ahead of her, and who had been her champion so long that she had never thought of him in any other light, that no such declaration of his friendly feeling for her was likely to impress her as at all out of the ordinary.  The eyes behind the blue goggles were hidden from her, the voice to her ear had merely its usual warm ring of comradeship, and she did not note the fact that upon the smooth, dark cheek a touch of unwonted colour spoke of feeling deeper than that hinted at in the simple words.

“I know you’re my stand-by, and you know I appreciate it.  If you can possibly bring such a thing about, I’ll bless you forever.  Now help me find some books that will entertain Jo and your mother, for I must go down to them.”

He pointed out a number of quaint volumes whose contents he thought might prove interesting, and she selected several, with which she departed, taking a gay farewell of him and adjuring him not to use his eyes.

“Thank you, I’ll use my brains instead,” he answered.