Four Canadian Highwaymen | Page 4

of your objection to this joining of hands and farms upon intellectual grounds?'
'I think you miss my meaning, Aster. You cannot sum up the superiority of character by counting the items as you "take stock" in a tradesman's store. The highest and most captivating points in human character, especially in a woman's, often have such an evasive subtlety of outline that you can no more define them than you could the message which some blossom, blooming in a wild, far place, has for the human heart as you stoop over it to drink its perfume, and gloat upon its beauty. But you ask me to be definite: will you take offence, if, upon some points which present themselves to me, I become quite definite?'
'Not by any means, Mr. Gray. I am very anxious to hear everything that you have to say.'
'Well, Aster, I do not admire your friend, Mr. Ham. I think he is a coarse snob; and under an exterior of brusque frankness I believe he is deceitful and--cowardly. I should consider your union with such a person a monstrous sacrifice.'
'Would you have me wait until some man who reaches your ideal came and asked father for my hand? Or would you have me advertise in William Lyon Mackenzie's newspaper. Or, still another and final alternative, would you have me bloom in this sweet place all my days in celibacy?'
'I simply would not have you marry that person, Ham.'
'No other definite wish with respect to me?' Her head was bowed now, and her mischievous, upward glance was very fascinating.
'I have; but I should prefer for the present to keep it to myself.'

CHAPTER II.
A GATHERING STORM.
'Oh! We had better go to dinner, then, had we not: I presume it is about ready.'
'Stay, will you not wear this at dinner?' stooping for a pansy that flourished among the late autumn blossoms.
'Keep if for remembrance when I am away.'
'Oh, but flowers fade; and I could only remember you for a couple of days.'
'Why not press it between the leaves of a book?'
'Oh, I will do that; and I will remember your lecture every time that I open the volume.'
'Thank you; but if you can't think a little bit about myself, I don't want you to bother about my lecture. You can feast yourself in contemplation of your loud and gorgeous friend, Mr. Ham.'
They had entered the house: and at the same moment Asters father and Mr. Ham came in. It was quite plain that these two men were confidential friends; for as they entered the room the host had his arm within that of his guest, and both were so engrossed in their subject--talking in a low tone--that they seemed for a time unconscious of the presence of Aster and Roland. When the host did raise his head he simply gave a cold bow to Roland; and then bestowed a sharp glance upon his daughter. Nor was the rudeness of the host to end here. Turning his back upon Roland he said:
'Mr. Ham and I have been discussing the Marsh, and he thinks that I had better go on with the drainage.'
'It will bring in two years all the money expended in reclaiming it,' put in Mr. Ham. 'Don't you think so, Aster?'
'I don't know, Mr. Ham; I really know very little about such matters.' At this juncture Roland's temper was asserting itself under the slight by the rude parent; so he stepped in among the trio, and looking the girl in the face, said:
'You are quite right, Aster, not to bother your head about bogs and swamps. Let the men attend to all that.' The father was simply amazed; and drawing himself up to his full height he frowned upon the young man. He said nothing, however, and to break the embarrassing silence Aster chimed in:
'I suppose that the city girls of your acquaintance never meddle in such matters; but the truth is, papa always consults me about these things.'
'In the city,' retorted her father, stiffly, 'young women have other concerns; but a girl who is to become a farmer's wife should make the management of stock and the tillage of the soil serious subjects of study.'
'Most certainly,' replied Roland; 'if a girl is to become the wife of a husbandman the farm should be her great concern. But I was not aware that Aster had seriously contemplated taking such a step.'
'I presume, sir,' replied the father, his voice quivering with displeasure,' that there are many of my daughter's affairs which she does not feel bound to disclose to strangers.'
'I had thought that I might congratulate myself as one upon the list of your daughter's friends. Was I not right, Aster?
'I always felt great pleasure, Mr. Gray, in regarding you as my friend, as one of my most sincere friends. Her