From the drill to the field and back to the drill again her eyes wandered, and though she was hardly aware of seeing either, the laws of suggestion came subconsciously into operation. Slowly at first, and then with gathering force, an idea took possession of her mind, and with it came a new expression of hope. She turned with an eager gasp to the man at her side. “John, I’ve thought of something.” She saw his face then. It was gray and haggard, but she shook his arm again. “John, that field is as clean as summer fallowing. Why not put it into flax and try once more?” For a while Grahame revolved the idea in his head and then dismissed it with: “Too late.” “No, it isn’t. I know it isn’t too late. Lots of people put flax in the last of June and win out. If we happened to have plenty of rain and no early frost, we might make it too. It’s worth trying, anyway.” For a moment Grahame toyed with the thought. He raised his head and looked out over the field. Certainly there never was a finer seed-bed than that looked. Flax sowed then would have a flying start of the weeds even if the weeds started again, because it would germinate and grow faster than any of them. With plenty of moisture it stood a good chance to get ahead of the fall frosts. Gradually his face cleared, and he too looked out upon the world with an expression of new hope. He straightened and started to say something, but the words died in his throat. He bowed his head again. “No money, no credit!” he groaned. “Oh, John, don’t say it. You have credit.” “There isn’t a thing left on the place I could put up for security, and who’d be fool enough to lend me money for seedflax so late in the season? No--no use! We’re beaten, and that’s the end of it.” For a while Jane returned to her study of the ice-swept field, but she did not show the discouragement of her husband. Instead the light of a strong resolution grew in her eyes, and soon he felt her hand on his arm again. “John, I’ve thought of something else. I still have the hundred dollars you gave me so I could go to the hospital when--that is, this fall. Let’s take that and buy the seed. It will be enough and some left over for groceries. If we get a crop, there’ll be plenty of money for me, and if we shouldn’t--well, I can get along just as so many other women do. Come, John--come! We must hurry. There’s no time to lose.” * * * * * John’s head had come up again, and he turned to the indomitable little woman beside him and gathered her into his arms. And so a woman did what her pioneer sisters have done a thousand times before, and what women will do a thousand times in years to come. She drew from that seemingly inexhaustible well of courage, and inspired in her man the strength and determination to try just once more--and then once again. Long after dark, that same night, Jane heard the rumble of Grahame’s wagon and went to the gate to meet him.