Theevanescentharvestappleswerelongsincegone，thesnowswerepasttheirbest，thepippinsweremellowingunderthesharppersuasionofthenippy，frostynightsandthebravegallantryofthesunnydays。Inthisancientwarfarebetweenthefrostynightsandthegallantsunnydaystheapplesripenedrapidly；andwellthattheyshould，forthewarfarecouldnotbeforlong。Alreadyintheearlymorninghoursthevanguardofwinter’sfiercehostswastobeseenflauntingitshoarybannersevenintheveryfaceofthegallantsunsobravelymakingstandagainstit。Butitwasthetimeoftheyearinwhichmenfeltitgoodtobealive，fortherewasintheairthattangthatgivesspeedtotheblood，springtothemuscle，edgetotheappetite，couragetothesoul，andzesttolife——theappletimeoftheyear。
ItwasinappletimethatCameroncamebacktothefarm。UndercompulsionofMandy，Haleyhadfounditnecessarytodriveintothecityforsomethingsforthe”womenfolk”and，beinginthecity，hehadcalledforCameronandhadbroughthimout。Undercompulsion，notatallbecauseHaleywasindifferenttotheprospectofavisitfromhisformerhiredman，notalonebecausethefallplowingwaspressingandthethreshinggangwasintheneighbourhood，butchieflybecause，throughthechannelofDr。
Martin，thelittlenurse，andMandy，ithadcometobeknownintheHaleyhouseholdandinthecountrysidethatthehiredmanwasa”greatswellintheoldcountry，”andHaley’ssturdyindependenceshrankfromanythingthatsavouredof”suckin’roundaswell，”ashegraphicallyputit。ButMandyscoutedthisideaandwaitedforthecomingoftheexpectedguestwithnoembarrassmentfromtheknowledgethathehadbeenintheoldcountry”agreatswell。”
Hencewhen，throughacrackbesidethewindowblind，shesawhim，apoor，paleshadow，descendingwearilyandpainfullyfromthebuggy，thegreatmotherheartinthegirlwelledwithpity。Shecouldhardlyforbearrushingouttocarryhimbodilyinherstrongarmstothespareroomandlayhimwhereshehadoncehelpedtolayhimthenightofthetragedysomeeightweeksbefore。Butinthismattershehadlearnedherlesson。Sherememberedthelittlenurseandherindignantscornofthelackofself-controlshehadshownontheoccasionofherlastvisittothehospital。So，insteadofrushingforth，sheclutchedthecurtainsandforcedherselftostandstill，whisperingtoherselfthewhile，”Oh，hewilldiesure！Hewilldiesure！”Butwhenshelookeduponhimseatedcomfortablyinthekitchenwithasteamingglassofgingerandwhiskey，hermother’sunfailingremedyfor”anythingwrongwiththeinsides，”sheknewhewouldnotdieandherjoyoverflowedinboisterouswelcome。
Forfivedaystheyall，fromHaleytoTim，gavehimoftheirverybest，seekingtoholdhimamongthemforthewinter，fortheyhadlearnedthathismindwassetupontheWest，tillCameronwasashamed，knowingthathemustgo。