The man appeared dubious, and stood still a moment, then touched his hat again when he saw the crimson flame higher in the cheeks of the girl.

“Of course,” he said; “I’m going.”

Nellie Townshead laughed bitterly.  “If I had intended to shut you out I should scarcely have asked you in,” she said.

The young man came back in a few minutes, and by that time there were a few plates upon the table.  He sat down, and then stood up once more when he saw the girl standing close by with a tray.

“You must let me wait upon myself,” said he.  “During the course of my last ranching visit they set savage dogs on me, and I wouldn’t trouble you, only that I’ve ridden fifty miles, and am very hungry.”

The girl seemed to soften, for she saw he was talking at random to cover her embarrassment as well as his own.  “You are an Englishman?” she said.

“Yes,” said the stranger.  “I’m not especially proud of it just now, but, you see, a man must live.”

Townshead looked up from his chair.  “I fancy that is a slightly mistaken sentiment.  Some men are better dead, and I occasionally feel tempted to include myself in the category.”

The young man smiled a little.  “The Frenchman put it a trifle more concisely, sir,” he said.

Townshead nodded.  “Still, he was correct.  I don’t mind admitting that I looked forward to your visit with apprehension, but I now fancy you will not jar upon me so much as I expected.”

The stranger glanced at Miss Townshead, who, though she wished to, could not quite check a smile.  He was very young, and had a pleasant face.  “That was very kind of you,” he said.  “Now, I think the least that I can do is to retire to the barn or stable.  I have some blankets, and can make myself comfortable.”

He went out, knocking over a cup in his haste, and the girl sat still and laughed.  There was not a great deal of merriment in her laughter, and the tears were close behind it, but it was a relief.  Townshead, however, watched her disapprovingly.

“You should,” he said, “endeavour to preserve a becoming serenity.”

Nellie Townshead became grave again.  “I fancy it would have been better if we had not displayed so much of it and let things drift, but that is not the question now,” she said.  “How could any one willing to help us do so, father?”

Townshead made a little grimace.  “Are you not suggesting an impossibility?”

“But if there was somebody,” persisted the girl.  “What could he do on Thursday?  I want to understand everything.”

“Well,” said Townshead, “I think this is the position.  Hallam lent me money which I cannot repay him, and he sells us up.  Incidentally, I fancy he has some reason for desiring this ranch, and as he has been acquiring a good deal of land lately will get somebody to buy it in.  Very few of our neighbours have any dollars to spare, and the price will necessarily be a low one.  Now if any man with the means to bid against him were here it would put heart into some of the others and run the prices up, and in that case Hallam would have to hand me over a balance, as well as pay a good deal more than he meant to for the ranch.  I think that is simple, and I believe the manoeuvre has been used with some success in other parts of Canada.”