Beatrice was silent a moment.
"It's hard to refuse the only big thing you have ever asked," she said hesitatingly. "I really want to help, and I feel humiliated when I see how little I can do. Mrs. Broadwood and Hester Harding can manage a farm; Broadwood says he only began to make money after he married." She paused, seeing Mowbray's frown, and went on with a forced smile: "However, I can at least cease to be an expense. I have cost you a great deal one way and another, and now you must give me nothing more."
"I'm afraid I may have to cut down your allowance," he answered gloomily.
"That's one thing I can save you." She looked at him with diffident eagerness. "I've been thinking a good deal lately, and I see that if wheat keeps getting cheaper it may be serious for us all. Couldn't we take precautions?"
"What kind of precautions?"
"Oh, I can't tell you that—I don't know enough about farming. But perhaps we could make some changes and economies; break more land, for example."
"If we lose on what we have broken already, how shall we economize by plowing more?"
"It sounds logical; but can't you save labor and reduce the average expense by working on a large scale?"
"Perhaps. But it needs capital."
"A few new horses and bigger plows wouldn't cost very much. We are spending a good deal of money on other things that are not directly useful."