"You have to tell me that." "My life story, so to speak ?" She nodded.
"It's very short and simple, like the annals of the poor," he replied.
"From England in infancy, on a ranch in northern Alberta for ten years, a puny little wretch I was, terribly bothered with asthma, then"-- the boy hesitated a moment--"my mother died, father moved to Edmonton, lived there for five years, thence to Wapiti, away northwest of Edmonton, our present home, prepared for college by my father, university course in Winnipeg, graduated in theology a year ago, now the missionary in charge of Wapiti and the surrounding district." "A preacher!" said the girl, her face and her tone showing her disappointment only too plainly.
"Not much of a preacher, I fear," said the young man with a smile.

"A missionary, rather.

That's my story." She noticed with some chagrin that he did not ask for hers.
"What are you doing here ?" she enquired.
He hesitated a moment or two.
"Dad and I always take a trip into the wilds every summer." Then he added after a few moments' pause, "But of course we have other business on hand up here." "Business?
Up here ?" "Yes.

Dad has some." He made as if to continue, but changed his mind and fell into silence, leaving her piqued by his reserve and by his apparent indifference to the things concerning herself.

She did not know that he was eagerly hoping that she would supply this information.
At length he ventured, "Must you go away to-day ?" "I don't suppose there's any 'must' about it." "Why not stay ?" "Why should I ?" "Oh, it would be jolly," he cried.