“Yes, as this is a peculiar case, and coming, perhaps, in part within the range of a woman’s help, if she knows what is wanted, and one which she may unintentionally hurt, if she don’t, I suppose I must give you some insight into my movements, so that you can manage accordingly, help when you can, and do no mischief when you can’t; as you probably will do, for you well know the consequences of doing otherwise.” “I will do all I can, if I can understand what you want, and can see any object in it,” meekly responded the woman. “Well, then, in the first place,” resumed the other, “you know how many years I slaved myself, and what risks I run, to help Elwood make that fortune; how he threw me off with simple wages, instead of the share I always intended to have for such hard and dangerous services; and how he failed, like a fool, before I got it.” “I knew it all.” “Then you can easily imagine how much it went against my grain to be balked in that manner. At all events, it did; and I soon determined not to give up the game so, even if that was all. And ascertaining that Elwood, by allowances made by the creditors to his wife, and sales of furniture which they allowed the family to retain, brought quite a little sum of money into the settlement,--enough, at any rate, to pay for his place, put him well afloat, and make him a man of consequence in such a new place,--I soon made up my mind on buying and settling, for present purposes, here, too, as we did.” “Yes, but what do you expect to make here more than in any other new country? And what can you make out of the Elwoods, more than any other new settlers?” “A good deal, if all things work to my mind. There is money to be made here. I could do well in the fur business alone, and at the worst. And, by the aid of one who could be made to favor my interests, there is no telling what could be done. Now, what claim had I on any other settler to be that one to aid me? On Elwood I had a claim to help _me_ to property in turn; and I determined he should do it. But he must first be brought into the traces. He has got out with me, and must be reconciled before I can do much with him.” “Well, I should think he ought to be by this time, after what you have been doing for him, without his asking.” “Without asking? Why, that was just the way to do it. As I calculated, he was taken by surprise, disarmed, and yielded; so that object is accomplished, as well as making the right impression on the other settlers by beating them at their own work.” “I begin to understand, now.” “You will understand more, soon; that was only part of my object.” “What was the other part?” “To insure the consummation of the match between Avis and young Elwood, which now seems in fair progress, but which would be liable to be broken off, if his family should continue to be unfriendly to me.”