‘It wouldn’t be anything out of the way even,’ chuckled the happy Mr. Reid, ‘if our Eelan should marry the Governor-General.’

‘Tuts, father, Governors!’ said his wife scornfully, not because she had any inherent objection to Governors as sons-in-law, but because she usually cried down what her husband said.

’The chief difficulty would be that they are usually married before they come to this country—­aren’t they, father?’ Eelan spoke with a twinkling smile.  She did not choose to explain to any one what she really thought; she had fancies of her own, this pretty backwoods maiden.

’Well, well, there are lads enough in town, and I’ll warrant she’ll pick and choose,’ said the jolly father in a resigned tone.  He was not particular as to a Governor, after all.

That conversation happened when Eelan first came home; but a year or two after, the family conferences took a more serious tone.  She had learnt to keep her father’s books in the shop, and had become deft at housework; but there was no prospect of her settling in a house of her own; many of the best young men in the place had offered themselves as lovers and been refused.

‘Oh! what’s the use o’ talking, father,’ cried Mrs. Reid; ’if the girl won’t, she won’t, and that’s all.—­But I can tell you, Eelan Reid, that all your looks and your manners won’t save you from being an old maid, if you turn your back on the men.’

‘I wasn’t talking,’ said Mr. Reid humbly; ’I was only saying to the lassie that I didn’t want her to hurry; but I’d be right sorry when I’m getting old not to have some notion where I was going to leave my money—­it’ll more than last out Eelan’s day, if it’s rightly taken care of.’

‘But I can’t marry unless I should fall in love,’ said Eelan wistfully.  Her parents had a vague notion that this manner of expressing herself was in some way a proof of her high accomplishments.

Life was by no means dull in the little town.  There were picnics in summer, sleigh-drives in winter, dances, and what not; and Eelan was no recluse.  Still, she loved the place better than the people, and there was not a spot of ground in the neighbourhood that she did not know by heart.

In summer, the sparkling water of the lake rippled under a burning sun, and the thousand tree-trunks left floating in it, held near to the edge by the floating boom of logs, became hot and dry on the upper side, while the green water-moss caught them from beneath.  It was great fun for the school children to scamper out daringly on these floating fields of lumber; and Eelan liked to go with them, and sometimes walk far out alone along the edge of the boom.  She would listen to the birds singing, the children shouting, to the whir of the saws in the mill, and the plash of the river falling over the dam; and she would feel that it was enough delight simply to live without distressing herself about marriage yet awhile.