about, and a skeleton, gauze covered door that shut with a powerful
spring kept some of the flies and mosquitoes out of the hotel.

"We'll know to-morrow," he remarked presently.

Kemp nodded. "I can't figure on our chances. Feel anxious about it?"

"Not much. In fact, I mean to use the thing to test my luck. If we're
engaged, I'll stay in Canada; if they turn us down, I'll start for the
Old Country."

"You have no particular plans, I reckon."

"No," said Lister, smiling. "I'm going to look about. I know our new
Western towns, but I want to see old cities, churches, and cathedrals;
the great jobs men made before they used concrete and steel. Then I'd
like to study art and music and see the people my father talked about.
Ours is a good country, but when it's all you know it gets monotonous."
He indicated the row of wooden houses and lonely plain. "One wants more
than the track and this."

"It's possible you may go across," said Kemp. "Looks as if the company's
short list was pretty long. There's a gang of candidates in town, we
have no pull on the directors, and I don't know if our advantages are
very marked--" He stopped and laughed, for a man came round the corner.
"Hello, Willis!" he exclaimed. "When did you arrive?"

"I came in on the last train. Got a notice to meet the Irrigation
Board."