ut His strength. But I don't believe He
would have done it. He would not have saved it against its will. He
didn't want a rebellious lamb in His fold."

Joe lowered the candle and placed it upon a shelf. Then he looked
intently into his companion's face.

"Jean doesn't want to come back," he whispered. "She's not like that
lamb," and he jerked his thumb toward the picture.

"Perhaps she will change her mind," Douglas suggested.

"Do you think so?" was the eager question.

"Let us hope so, at any rate. But, come, you are worn out, and must
get some sleep. Trust your trouble to the Good Shepherd. He will find
some way to bring back your wandering lamb."

Douglas walked swiftly home, and obtained a little sleep before the
work of the day began.

"Ye should have stayed in bed longer," Jake greeted, as he joined him
at the barn.

"That's not my habit when there's work to be done," Douglas replied.

"But ye did an extry piece of work last night, though. Great punkins!
how I'd like to 'ave been there."

"So you have heard about it already, eh?"

"Sure; couldn't keep a thing like that a secret fer two hours in this
place. Sandy Morgan, on his way to the wharf, stopped to tell me about
it. Ho, ho, it was great."

Jake continued his milking, and when he was through, he came to where
Douglas was sitting.

"I've been thinkin'," he began, "an' feel a bit uneasy about ye."

"In what way?" Douglas questioned, looking up from his milking.

"I'm uneasy about what Si will do. He'll hear only one side of the
story from Ben an' the gals, an' they'll paint it as black as they kin,
mark my word."

"I'm not afraid of the whole gang," Douglas replied. "What can they do
to me?"

"I don't know," and Jake scratched his head in perplexity. "But I
advise ye to be keerful. Si's an ugly brute when he gits his dander
up, an' it's ginerally up most of the time."

Douglas was not left long in doubt as to what action Simon Stubbles
would take. He was working with Jake that morning in the field back of
the barn when a man approached. He carried a letter which he at once
handed to Douglas.

"The boss wants an answer," he informed him. "He's in a big hurry
about it, too."

Opening the letter, Douglas read the brief note, and as he did so an
amused expression overspread his face. He studied it carefully for a
few minutes without making any comment. Shoving it into his pocket, he
was about to resume his work when