“I’m thinking of going to one of them employment agencies when I get to Winnipeg,” said Taylor, moving his chair so that he could watch Nora’s face, “and looking the girls over.”

“Like sheep,” said Nora scornfully.

“I don’t know anything about sheep.  I’ve never had to do with sheep.”

“And may I ask, do you think that you know anything about women?”

“I guess I can tell if they’re strong and willing.  And so long as they ain’t cock-eyed, I don’t mind taking the rest on trust.”

“And what inducement is there for a girl to have you?”

“That’s why he wants to catch ’em young, when they’re just landed and don’t know much,” laughed Trotter uproariously.

“I’ve got my quarter-section,” went on the imperturbable Frank, quite undisturbed by the laughter caused by Trotter’s sally, “a good hundred and sixty acres with seventy of it cleared.  And I’ve got a shack that I built myself.  That’s something, ain’t it?”

“You’ve got a home to offer and enough to eat and drink.  A girl can get that anywhere.  Why, I’m told they’re simply begging for service.”

“Y-e-e-s.  But you see some girls like getting married.  There’s something in the word that appeals to them.”

“You seem to think that a girl would jump at the chance of marrying you!” said Nora with rising temper.

“She might do worse.”

“I must say I think you flatter yourself.”

“Oh, I don’t know.  I know my job, and there ain’t too many as can say that.  I’ve got brains.”

“What makes you think so?”

“Well, I can see you’re no fool.”

Gertie chuckled with amusement.  “He certainly put one over on you then, Nora.”

“Because you’ve got no use for me, there’s no saying but what others may have.”

“I forgot that there’s no accounting for tastes.”

“I can try, can’t I?”

Wishing to escape any further conversation with the object of her detestation, and seeing her opportunity now that the dishes were washed, Nora started to empty the dishpan in the sink in the pantry.  But Gertie, who divined her motive and wished the sport to continue, forestalled her.

“I’ll do it,” she said.  “You finish wiping the dishes.”

“It’s very wise of you to go to an agency,” said Nora in answer to his last question.  “A girl’s more likely to marry you when she’s only seen you once than when she’s seen you often.”

“It seems to make you quite mad, the thought of me marrying!” with a wink at the others.

“You wouldn’t talk about it like that unless you looked down upon women.  Oh, how I pity the poor wretched creature who becomes your wife!”

“Oh, I guess she won’t have such a bad time—­when I’ve broken her in to my ways.”

“And are you under the impression that you can do that?”

“Yep.”

“You’re not expecting that there’ll be much love lost between you and the girl whom you—­you honor with your choice?”