But, in a
measure her movements were no longer dependent upon her own volition.
They walked slowly along the broad roadway which bordered the lake until
they came to a branchy maple, and here they seated themselves on the
grassy turf in the shadow of the tree.
"Tell me about yourself," she said. "How do you like it here, and how
are you getting on? Your letters home were always chiefly remarkable for
their brevity."
"There isn't a great lot to tell," Benton responded. "I'm just beginning
to get on my feet. A raw, untried youngster has a lot to learn and
unlearn when he hits this tall timber. I've been out here five years,
and I'm just beginning to realize what I'm equal to and what I'm not.
I'm crawling over a hump now that would have been a lot easier if the
governor hadn't come to grief the way he did. He was going to put in
some money this fall. But I think I'll make it, anyway, though it will
keep me digging and figuring. I have a contract for delivery of a
million feet in September and another contract that I could take if I
could see my way clear to finance the thing. I could clean up thirty
thousand dollars net in two years if I had more cash to work on. As it
is, I have to go slow, or I'd go broke. I'm holding two limits by the
skin of my teeth. But I've got one good one practically for an annual
pittance. If I make delivery on my contract according to schedule it's
plain sailing. That about sizes up my prospects, Sis."
"You speak a language I don't understand," she smiled.
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