Oscar checked out Alexandra. “He didn’t tell you he used to be coming? ” “No. Why may still he? I instructed him to come back at any time. ” Lou shrugged his shoulders. “He doesn’t appear to have performed a lot for himself. Wandering round this manner! ” Oscar spoke solemnly, as from the depths of a cavern. “He by no means used to be a lot account. ” Alexandra left them and moved quickly all the way down to the gate the place Annie used to be damn directly to Carl approximately her new dining-room furnishings. “You needs to deliver Mr Linstrum over actual quickly, basically be sure you phone me first,” she known as again, as Carl helped her into the carriage. previous Ivar, his white head naked, stood preserving the horses. Lou got here down the trail and climbed into front seat, took up the reins, and drove off with out announcing something extra to anyone. Oscar picked up his youngest boy and trudged off down the line, the opposite 3 trotting after him. Carl, protecting the gate open for Alexandra, started to snicker. “Up and approaching the Divide, eh, Alexandra? ” he cried gayly. IV CARL HAD replaced, ALEXANDRA felt, less than one may need anticipated. He had now not develop into a trim, self-satisfied urban guy. there has been nonetheless anything homely and wayward and certainly own approximately him. Even his outfits, his Norfolk coat and his very excessive collars, have been a bit unconventional. He appeared to scale down into himself as he used to do; to carry himself clear of issues, as though he have been terrified of being damage. briefly, he was once extra self-conscious than a guy of thirty-five is predicted to be. He regarded older than his years and never very robust. His black hair, which nonetheless hung in a triangle over his light brow, was once skinny on the crown, and there have been wonderful, relentless strains approximately his eyes. His again, with its excessive, sharp shoulders, gave the look of the again of an overworked German professor off on his vacation. His face was once clever, delicate, unsatisfied. That night after supper, Carl and Alexandra have been sitting through the clump of castor beans in the course of the flower backyard. The gravel paths glittered within the moonlight, and lower than them the fields lay white and nonetheless. “Do you recognize, Alexandra,” he used to be announcing, “I’ve been pondering how surprisingly issues figure out. I’ve been away engraving different men’s photographs, and you’ve stayed at domestic and made your individual. ” He pointed together with his cigar towards the drowsing panorama. “How on the planet have you ever performed it? How have your friends performed it? ” “We hadn’t any folks a lot to do with it, Carl. The land did it. It had its little shaggy dog story. It pretended to be negative simply because not anyone knew how you can paintings it correct; after which, without notice, it labored itself. It awakened out of its sleep and stretched itself, and it used to be so gigantic, so wealthy, that we unexpectedly chanced on we have been wealthy, simply from sitting nonetheless. As for me, you have in mind while i started to shop for land. For years after that i used to be constantly squeezing and borrowing until eventually i used to be ashamed to teach my face within the banks. after which, by surprise, males started to come to me providing to lend me money—and I didn’t want it! Then I went forward and outfitted this apartment. i actually equipped it for Emil. i would like you to determine Emil, Carl.