bound to stay and raise grain. And they're
bound to cart it. And that's all there is to
it. They force us to stand every loss, even
to the shortage that is made in transportation.
The railroad companies own the elevators,
and they have the cinch on us. Our grain
is at their mercy. God knows how I'm
going to raise that interest. As for the five
hundred we were going to pay on the mort-
gage this year, Annie, we're not in it."

Autumn was well set in by this time, and
the brilliant cold sky hung over the prairies
as young and fresh as if the world were not
old and tired. Annie no longer could look
as trim as when she first came to the little
house. Her pretty wedding garments were
beginning to be worn and there was no
money for more. Jim would not play chess
now of evenings. He was forever writing
articles for the weekly paper in the adjoin-
ing town. They talked of running him for
the state legislature, and he was anxious
for the nomination.

"I think I might be able to stand it if I
could fight 'em!" he declared; "but to sit
here idle, knowing that I have been cheated
out of my year's work, just as much as if I
had been knocked down on the road and