Thus it came about that when Nick re-entered the main highway that afternoon, and looked in the direction of the school-house, he saw nothing of Nellie, nor indeed of any one coming from the school.

“She has gone home long ago,” was his conclusion, as he allowed the mare to drop into a brisk trot, which speedily took him to his house.

When Nick had put away the horse and rendered up his account of the errands done, he was surprised to learn that Nellie had not yet appeared.

“I cannot understand what keeps her,” said the father, in his native tongue; “she was never so late before.”

It was plain from the mother’s face and manner that she also was anxious, for she frequently went to the gate, and, shading her eyes, looked long and anxiously down the road, hoping that the figure of the little girl would come to view, with some explanation of the cause for her delay.

But the sun was low in the west, and its slanting rays brought to light the figure of no child hurrying homeward.  The single object that was mistaken for the loved one proved to be a man on horseback, who turned off at the forks and vanished.

“Nick, go look for your sister,” said his mother, as she came back from one of these visits to the gate; “something has happened.”

The boy was glad of the order, for he was on the point of asking permission to hunt for Nellie.

“I’ll stay till I find out something,” said Nick, as he donned his hat and took a general look over himself to see that he was in shape, “so don’t worry about me.”

“But you ought not to be gone so long,” said the father, whose anxious face showed that he was debating whether he should not join his boy in the search, “for it won’t take long to find out where Nellie is.”

“I think she has been taken sick and has stopped with some of the neighbors,” ventured the mother, “but it is strange they do not send me word.”

And it was the very fact that such word was not sent that prevented the husband and son from believing in the theory of the distressed mother.

But Nick did not let the grass grow under his feet.  His worriment was as great as that of his parents, and as soon as he was in the road he broke into a trot, which he kept up until beyond sight, both father and mother standing at the gate and watching him until he faded from view in the gathering twilight.

The point where he disappeared was beyond the house of Mr. Marston, so it was safe to conclude he had learned nothing of his sister there, where he was seen to halt.

There is nothing more wearisome than waiting in such suspense as came to the hearts of the father and mother, while they sat watching and listening for the sound of the childish footsteps and voices whose music would have been the sweetest on earth to them.

The supper on the table remained untasted, and the only sounds heard were the solemn ticking of the old clock, the soft rustling of the kettle on the stove, and now and then a long drawn sigh from father or mother, as one strove to utter a comforting word to the other.