"Oh, light the fire, my girl, and don't talk about it," he said good-humoredly.
On her knees before the stove, with her face as flushed as if it were already glowing, Nora raked away at the ashes. Through the open doorway she could see her husband and Mr. Sharp unfasten the trunk from the back of the wagon and start with it toward the house.
"This trunk of yours ain't what you might call light, Mrs. Taylor," said Sharp good-naturedly as he stepped over the threshold.
"You see it holds everything I own in the world," said Nora lightly.
"I guess it don't do that," laughed her husband. "Since this morning, you own a half share in a hundred and sixty acres of as good land as there is in the Province of Manitoba, and a mighty good shack, if I did build it all myself."
"To say nothing of a husband," retorted Nora.
"It 'ud better go in the next room right away. We don't want to be falling over it."
As they were carrying it in, Nora, with a rather helpless air, carried a couple of logs and a handful of newspapers over from the pile in the corner.
"Here, you'll never be able to light a fire with logs like that. Where's that darned ax? I'll chop 'em for you. I guess you'll have plenty to do getting the shack tidy."
After a little searching, he found the ax back of the wood-pile and set himself to splitting the logs. In the meantime, Sharp, who had made another pilgrimage to the rig, returned carrying his friend's grip and gun.
"There was a rare lot of prairie chickens round, but I didn't get out more than a couple of days."
"Well," said Sharp, taking off his fur cap and scratching his head, "I guess I'll be gettin' back home now."
"Oh, stay and have a cup of tea, won't you?"
"Do," said Nora, seconding the invitation.
She had taken quite a fancy to this rough, good-natured man. In spite of his straggly beard and unkempt appearance, there was a vague suggestion of the soldier about him. Besides, she had a vague feeling that she would like to postpone his departure as long as she could.
"I hope you won't be offended if I say that I would take you for English," she said, smiling brightly on him.
"I was a non-commissioned officer in a regiment back home, ma'am," he said, greatly pleased. "But why should I be offended?"