She drew back from him a little. When Leland looked at her smilingly, a faint flush crept into her cheek again. "Oh," she said, "I know what you are thinking. I always do. Still, you see, it isn't entirely my fault that I'm different from the girl you married. And now tell me about the other letters." Leland handed her one of them with an illuminated device at the top of it. "It's an annual function, one of the biggest in Winnipeg, and women attend it. Everybody with a stake in the country will be there, and they want to make me a steward. My broker's on the committee, and Prospect is rather a big farm, you see. I am requested to bring Mrs. Leland along with me." Carrie's eyes brightened. After all, it was lonely at Prospect, and she had played her part in two London seasons. Now and then she felt a longing to move among people of her own station again, and the prospect of attending the function was undeniably attractive. Her dresses would not be out of fashion yet, and, after the long months on the dusty prairie, it would be delightful to appear for once attired becomingly at a brilliant assembly. There were also eminent names upon the invitation, and she felt that, apart from any pleasure she might derive, it would be a source of satisfaction to see her husband among the notables of the land. "You would like to go?" he asked. "I would like it better than anything." Leland appeared thoughtful. "I would like to see you there. You could put on the bracelet I saw you with and the crescent in your hair." "No," said Carrie, who looked away from him, "I think I would sooner go very plainly--that is, if I could go at all." The trace of eagerness in her voice was not lost upon the man, and he stood silent a moment before he made a little resolute gesture. "Well," he said, "we'll go. It's the first little pleasure of that kind I have been able to offer you, and I daresay Gallwey will see the guards ploughed just as well as I could." "There is some reason why you shouldn't go, after all?" and Carrie glanced at him sharply. "You are too busy." "I'm not quite sure there is. I expect it's mostly fancy, but a man gets into the way of thinking that when there's anything of consequence to be done he should see it done himself. Now those fire-guards"--and he pointed to a belt of furrows that cut off the homestead from the prairie--"are the regulation width, but I was thinking of doubling them. The grass is tinder-dry, and the oats will soon be ripe enough to burn." "Ah," said Carrie, "you think the rustlers might try again?" Leland smiled drily. "Well," he said, "grass-fires are in no way unusual at this season."