paler than the young Englishwomen he remembered. The men were athletic,
and their well-cut clothes, which fitted somewhat tightly, showed their
finely developed but rather lean figures. They had a virile, decided
look, and an ease of manner that indicated perfect self-confidence.
Indeed, some were marked by an air of smartness that was half aggressive.
A large number were employed at the Hulton factory, but there were
brown-faced farmers and miners from the bush, as well as storekeepers
from the town.

On the whole, their dress, manners and conversation were American, and
Foster was sometimes puzzled by their inconsistency. He liked these
people and got on well with them, but had soon discovered that in order
to do so he must abandon his English habits and idiosyncrasies. His
neighbors often showed a certain half-hostile contempt for the customs of
the Old Country, and he admitted that had he been less acquainted with
their character, it would have been easy to imagine that Gardner's
Crossing was situated in Michigan instead of Ontario. Yet they had
rejected the Reciprocity Treaty on patriotic grounds, and in a recent
crisis had demonstrated their passionate approval of Britain's policy.
He had no doubt that if the need came they would offer the mother country
the best they had with generous enthusiasm, and nobody knew better that
their best was very good.

By and by Carmen dismissed the young men around her and summoned him with
a graceful motion of her fan. He crossed the floor, and when he stopped
close by with a bow that was humorously respectful she gave him a cool,
approving glance. Foster was twenty-eight, but looked younger. Though
he had known hardship, his face was smooth, and when unoccupied he had a
good-humored and somewhat languid air. He was tall and rather thin, but
athletic toil had toughened and strengthened him, and he had frank gray