He knew the minute he had spoken that he had struck a false note.
Eleanor jumped from her chair.
"Oh, bother the little lady at Prince Albert. Leave me, please! I want to think—"
He withdrew as far as the door. "Would y' like me to see y'r lawyer man 'bout puttin' th' ranch lands o' th' Upper Pass on th' market, an' settlin' up th' estate?"
"No," answered Eleanor. "I'm not going to sell any of my father's estate."
And when Matthews withdrew to join the Williams at the missionary meeting, she burst into tears.
She went across to the window wondering about Wayland. She had not seen him since early morning, before breakfast, when he called at the sitting room door to arrange their return up the Valley next day. The Williams and Matthews would go up in the buckboard. Would she ride back up the hog's back trail with him? He would hire horses and riding togs now if she would say? Yes, he knew it would be steep up grade; but then, they could go it slow; he laughed as he said that. You see the hog's back trail was fifteen miles shorter than the Valley road and they could afford to go it slow; in fact, very slow.
"Come on in," urged Eleanor, throwing open the parlor door. "The
Williams are not up, yet!"
"That's why I came! No, I'll not come in: not much! I'm keeping resolutions!"
She had not understood the wistfulness beneath his forced gayety until
Matthews told her all that afternoon.
"It will be our last ride: you'll come, won't you?" asked Wayland.