ck when she has time to
think it over."

"That proves you _don't_ know Beulah," said Allan. "As for Jim, I was
never able to get below that smile, and I saw more of him than you
did, George."

"Well, I hope you find a way out," said George, sincerely. "It would
have been like her to come over to our place, but she isn't there.
Maybe you'll find her at Morrison's."

"That's possible," said Harris. "We'll go over there, anyway."

But Morrisons knew no more of Beulah's whereabouts than did George,
and inquiry at other homes in the neighbourhood was equally futile.
Harris shrank from carrying his search into the town, as he dreaded
the publicity that would be attached to it. He was a subscriber,
somewhat in arrears, to the local paper, and by calling on the editor
and squaring up for a year in advance he could probably make himself
solid in that quarter, but the gossip of the villagers could not be
silenced by any such simple method. But as the day wore on and the
search continued fruitless he finally found himself in Plainville. If
Beulah and Jim were really married the Presbyterian minister would be
likely to know something of the matter, and the Rev. Andrew Guthrie
was a man of sense and discernment. Harris had frequently gone to
hear him preach before the labours of the farm had grown to their
present magnitude, and he even yet contributed five dollars a year to
the stipend.

Mr. Guthrie received his guest cordially, albeit with some wonderment
as to which member of the family might be sick, but delicacy forbade
a direct question. Now, in agricultural communities it is something
of an offence to approach any matter of importance by frontal attack.
There must be the due amount of verbal skirmishing, reconnoitering,
and out-flanking before the main purpose is revealed. Consequently,
Harris, for all his torture of suspense, spent some minutes in a
discussion of the weather, the crops, and the prospect of a labour
shortage in harvest.

"They'll be all well at home, I hope?" said Mr. Guthrie at length,
feeling that the custom of the community had been sufficiently
honoured.

"Yes, all that's there," said Harris.

"All that's there? I didn't know any of your folks were away. Perhaps
Mrs. Harris is down East? I'm sure a summer amid the orchards of her
old home would be a delight to her, and, of course, Mr. Harris, you
are able to gratify yourself in these little matters now. Things are
not what they were in the ear