“My father does,” replied Martin, a little colour rising in his cheek, “and my mother, and my brothers. They all eat with the men; my sister, too, except when she waits on table.”
“Fine!” exclaimed Miss Brodie. “And why not? 'Lily,' I'm afraid you're horribly snobbish.”
“Thank the Lord,” said “Lily” devoutly, “I live in this beloved Scotland!”
“But, Mr. Martin, forgive my persistence, I understand there is cheaper land in certain parts of Canada; in, say, ManitoBAW.”
“Ah, yes, Sir, of course, lots of it; square miles of it!” cried Martin with enthusiasm. “The very best out of doors, and cheap, but I fancy there are some hardships in Manitoba.”
“But I see by the public newspapers,” continued Mr. Rae, “that there is a very large movement in the way of emigration toward that country.”
“Yes, there's a great boom on in Manitoba just now.”
“Boom?” said “Lily.” “And what exactly may that be in the vernacular?”
“I take it,” said Mr. Rae, evidently determined not to allow the conversation to get out of his hands, “you mean a great excitement consequent upon the emigration and the natural rise in land values?”
“Yes, Sir,” cried Martin, “you've hit it exactly.”