"I could hardly suppose that you would care to live in a wagon."
"I did it once--and it was not so very dreadful. I really think, if it were needful, I could do it again."
"It would be very much worse, Mavy, if you went away and left me behind."
At length he came toward her and seized both her hands.
"Dear," he cried, "I have tried to do what I felt I ought--and now I'm not sorry that I find I'm not strong enough. I can't tell you how I want you--but I'm afraid you could not face what you would have to bear with me."
He drew her to him with an exultant laugh.
"I've done what I could, and it seems I've failed. Now let Nevis turn me out and I'll almost thank him. After all, there are many worse places than a camp beside the wagon in the birch bluff."
Alison was not at all convinced that it would end in that, and indeed she did not mean it to if she could help it; but in another moment she felt his arms about her and his lips hot upon her face, and it was half an hour later when they left the homestead together. The sun had dipped, and the vast dim plain stretched away before them under a vault of fading blue, but she drove very slowly while Thorne walked beside the buggy for almost a league.
As a result of this, it was very late when she reached the homestead, and she was relieved when Mrs. Farquhar came out alone as she got down. The light fell upon the girl's face as she approached the doorway, and her companion flashed a smiling glance at her.
"I suppose you have been to Thorne's place?"
"Yes," answered Alison quietly. "I am going to marry him."
"It's very good news. Still, from what I know of Mavy and how he's situated, I'm a little astonished that you were able to arrange it."
"Why do you put it that way?" Alison asked with a start.
"My dear, I'm only glad that you had sense enough not to let him go. That man would be afraid of even a cold air blowing on you. Anyway, you have got the one husband I would most gladly have given you to."
Then she drew Alison into the house and called to Farquhar.
"Harry, take the horse in, and it isn't necessary for you to hurry back."
She drew Alison out a chair and sat down close beside her.
"The first thing you have to do is to drive over and see Florence Hunter. Her husband's the only person who can pull Mavy out of this trouble."