e of the road, where the minister's path would
lie. Then, at a point where the road turned, he concealed himself in the
brush. The Reverend Mr. Staples hurried forward as he lost sight of
the boy in the sweep of the road, but halted suddenly. Johnny's heart
leaped. The minister looked around him, stooped, picked up the piece
of gold, thrust it hurriedly in his waistcoat pocket, and continued his
way. When he reached the turn of the road, before passing it, he availed
himself of his solitude to pause and again examine the treasure, and
again return it to his pocket. But, to Johnny's surprise, he here
turned back, walked quickly to the spot where he had found it, carefully
examined the locality, kicking the loose soil and stones around with his
feet until he had apparently satisfied himself that there was no more,
and no gold-bearing indications in the soil. At this moment, however,
the two other inquisitors came in sight, and Mr. Staples turned
quickly and hurried on. Before he had passed the brush where Johnny was
concealed, the two men overtook him and exchanged greetings. They both
spoke of "Johnny" and his crime; of having followed him with a view of
finding out where he went to procure his gold, and of his having again
evaded them. Mr. Staples agreed with their purpose, but, to Johnny's
intense astonishment, SAID NOTHING ABOUT HIS OWN FIND! When they had
passed on, the boy slipped from his place of concealment and followed
them at a distance until his own house came in view. Here the two men
diverged, but the minister continued on towards the other "store" and
post-office on the main road.

He would have told his mother what he had seen, and his surprise that
the minister had not spoken of finding the gold to the other men, but
he was checked, first by his mother's attitude towards him, which was
clearly the same as the minister's, and, second, by the knowledge
that she would have condemned his dropping the gold in the minister's
path,--though he knew not WHY,--or asked his reason for it, which he was
equally sure he could not formulate, though he also knew not why. But
that evening, as he was returning from the spring with water, he heard
the minister's voice in the kitchen. It had been a day of surprises and
revelations to Johnny, but the climax seemed to be reached as he entered
the room; and he now stood transfixed and open-mouthed as he heard Mr.
Staples say:--

"It's all very well, Sister Medliker, to comfort