"I've bin on the new land all to-day. It's doing justabout splendid. Those oats are as dentical as wheat--not a sedge-leaf adin them." She made a faint sound to show that she had heard him. "Albert's bin in the orchard scaring sparrers, and Robert and Pete wur helping wud the chickens. My family's gitting quite valiant now, Mrs. Backfield." "Yes." "I'll soon be able to have Richard on, and then there's still Jemmy to foller--and George." "Mmm." "Now döan't you put me off wud Georgina." Her mouth stretched mechanically into a smile, and at the same time a tear slid out of the corner of her eye, and rolled slowly over her thin cheeks. In the red, smouldering light of the sky behind Boarzell it looked like a tear of blood. § 14. Early in September George arrived. Reuben's face kindled when the doctor told him he had escaped Georgina. The doctor, however, did not look pleased. "Perhaps now you have enough boys?" he said rather truculently. "Well, there's six...." "I hope that's enough to satisfy you. Because there won't be any more---- She's dying." "Dying!" He repeated the word almost stupidly. "Yes"--said Dr. Espinette. He did not feel inclined to mince matters with Backfield. "But--but--can't you do anything for her, surelye?" "I'm afraid not. Of course, one can never speak with absolute certainty even in a case like this. But----" and the doctor wasted some medical technicalities on Reuben. The young man turned from him, half-dazed. Dying! Naomi! A sudden wild pang smote through his heart for the mother of his children. "Do something for her! you can--you must." "I'm going over to Gablehook now, but I'll call in on the way back. I'm afraid there's not much hope; however, I'll do my best." Reuben's sudden pallor and blank eyes had softened his heart a little. But, he reflected the next moment, there was no sense in pitying Backfield. Reuben did not wait any longer--he dashed out of the room and upstairs to his wife's door. He knocked. From within came a faint sound of moaning. He knocked again. The midwife opened the door. "Go away," she said, "we can't let you in." "I want to see Naomi." "You can't." "I must. Hem it! äun't I her husband?" "You can come back in an hour or two. But you must go now--" and she shut the door in his face. Reuben slunk away, angry and miserable.