Harold Edward Bindloss

“ It was a week later when her father drove her to the pulp-mill in a jolting waggon, and arrived there a little earlier than he had expected. A dance usually begins with a bountiful supper in that country, but Waynefleet, who was, as a rule, willing to borrow implements or teams from his Bush neighbours, would seldom eat with them when he could help it. He was accordingly not quite pleased to find the supper had not yet been cleared away, but Laura, who understood what he was feeling, contrived to lead him into a vacant place at one of the tables. ”

“ It cramps one's arms to hold it up."
Laura swept part of the litter of fabric off the table, and it was only natural that she did it a trifle abruptly. She had been busy with rough tasks, from most of which her father might have relieved her had he possessed a less fastidious temperament, until supper, and there were reasons why she desired an hour or two to herself.
"I will not be longer than I can help," she said.
Waynefleet lifted his eyebrows sardonically as he glanced at the scattered strips of fabric. "This," he said, "is evidently in preparation for that ridiculous pulp-mill ball. ”

“ Why you should wish to do so is, I confess, altogether beyond me."
"I understood that you considered it advisable to keep on good terms with the manager," said Laura, with a trace of impatience. "He has bought a good deal of produce from you to feed his workmen with."
Her father made a gesture of resignation. "One has certainly to put up with a good deal that is unpleasant in this barbarous land—in fact, almost everything in it jars upon one," he complained. ”

“ They believe in anything that is good enough in that country, and are in consequence cheerfully willing to attempt anything, even if to other men it would appear altogether visionary and impossible, and simple faith goes a long way when supplemented by patient labour. Laura suddenly became conscious that the manager of the pulp-mill, a little wiry man, in white shirt and store clothes, was speaking at the head of the table. ”

“ In proportion to the man's means, it was a costly gift, and, except for him, nobody had shown her much consideration since she had left England. She was a trifle perplexed, for she did not think there was lace of that kind on sale often in Victoria, and, in regard to the gloves, it was not evident how he had known her size. ”

“ There were women present also, and they wore anything from light print, put together for the occasion, to treasured garments made in Montreal or Toronto perhaps a dozen years before, but for all that the assembly was good to look upon. ”