y and pleasant than their intercourse during these ten days.

But then Miss Essie was on friendly terms with every one. Nothing could
be more charming than her manners, it was said. She was "not a bit
stuck up," the Gershom girls acknowledged. If she had any "citified
airs" they were not of the kind that are especially displeasing to
country people. She was friendly with every one, and before her visit
came to an end, it came into Elizabeth's mind that she was particularly
pleasant in words and ways with her brother Clifton.

It had come into Clifton's mind also, and Elizabeth longed to tell him
just how matters stood between Miss Langden and Mr Maxwell. But she
did not feel at liberty to do so, and she could only hope that Clifton's
devotion would be in this case, as it had been in others, only
transitory, and that he would not suffer more than was reasonable for
his folly. Of what passed between Mr Langden and Jacob Holt very
little was known. They went together over the ground which Jacob had so
long coveted, and Mr Langden saw the advantages which the locality
offered for the purpose proposed. He would have considered the purchase
of the land to be a good investment, but Jacob could not bring himself
to urge the unpleasant subject of sale on Mr Fleming, now that Davie
was so ill, and he knew that urging would avail nothing, but it was a
great disappointment to him.

He said little about it to Mr Langden; but that gentleman knew more of
the relations existing between him and Mr Fleming, and of other things
besides, than Jacob fancied. They saw a good many people who were
interested in the proposed enterprise, and got information which would
help him to decide about future investments, he said, but he took no
definite step with regard to the matter before he went away.

It had been understood that Mr Maxwell was to take his "vacation" at
this time, and that he was to go with his friends through a part of
their travels. But Davie Fleming was at the worst, and his mother and
his grandparents were in great trouble, and the minister could not bring
himself to leave them. Of course his friends were disappointed, but not
unreasonably so, for they could understand his feeling, and it was
agreed that if it were possible he should join them at some point in
their route, and so they said good-bye lightly.

Clifton Holt went with them to the city of Montreal, where they stayed a
few days, as all American tourists