"No, last month."
Miss Henderson said nothing, but her look was full of softness. "He was to have been allowed home directly," Hastings went on, "for two or three months. He was head woodman before the war on Lord Radley's property." He pointed to the wooded slopes of the hill. "And they were to have given him leave to see to the cutting of these woods."
"These woods!" Miss Henderson turned a startled face upon him. "You don't mean to say they're coming down!"
"Half of them commandeered," said Hastings, with a shrug. "The Government valuers have been all over them these last weeks. They're splendid timber, you know. There's been a timber camp the other side of the hills a long while. They've got Canadians, and no doubt they'll move on here."
Miss Henderson made another quick movement. She said nothing, however. She was staring at the woods, which shone in the glow now steadily creeping up the hill, and Hastings thought she was protesting from the scenery point of view.
"Well, the Government must have the wood," he said, with resignation.
"We've got to win the war. But it does seem a pity."
"I don't know that I should have taken the farm," she said, under her breath—
"If you had known? I wish I'd thought to tell you. But it was really only settled a few days ago."
"I don't like having a lot of strange men about the farm," she said abruptly, "especially when I have girls to look after."
"Oh, the camp's a long way from the farm," he said consolingly. "And these woods will come last."