Finding that the old farm must pass out of his hands, Mr. Landholm made up his mind not to spend another summer of labour and of life upon it; but at once with his son Asahel to move off to the West.  He stayed but to reap the standing crops of winter grain, dispose of stock, and gather up all the loose ends of business; and left the hills of the Shatemuc, to seek better fortunes on a Western level.

They passed through Mannahatta on their way, that they might have a short sight of Winthrop and Winifred and say good-bye to them.  It was not so joyful a visit that anybody wished it to be a long one.

“It’s pretty hard,” said the farmer, “to start life anew again at my time of day; —­ but these arms are not worn out yet; I guess they’ll do something —­ more or less —­ on a new field.”

“Asahel’s got strong arms, father,” said Winifred, who was fain to put in a word of comfort when she could.

“Ay, and a strong heart too,” said his father.  “He’s a fine fellow.  He’ll do, I guess, in the long run, —­ at the West or somewhere; and at the West if anywhere, they say.  I’m not concerned much about him.”

“There’s no need, I think,” said Winthrop.

“Where’s Will? —­ and what’s he doing?”

“Will has just set off for Charleston —­ on some agency business.”

“Charleston in South Carolina?”

“Yes.”

“Then he is not engineering now?”

“No.”

“How long does he expect to be gone?”

“Some months —­ more or less; —­ I don’t know.”

“Is it a good business for him?”

“He has chosen it, —­ not I.”

“I would sooner trust your choice,” said the father.  “There’s one thing Rufus wants; and that is, judgment.”

“He’ll do yet,” said Winthrop.  “And I shall not leave you long at the West, father.  You will come when I send for you?”

“No, my boy,” said the farmer looking gratified; —­ “I’ll live by my own hands as long as I have hands to live by; and as I said, mine haven’t given out yet!  No —­ if the Lord prospers us, we’ll have a visit from you and Winnie out there, I expect —­ by and by, when we get things in order; —­ you and Winnie, and anybody else you’ve a mind to bring along!”

It was spoken heartily, but with a tear in the eye; and nobody answered; unless it were answer, the long breath which Winnie drew at the very idea of such a visit.

Winthrop heard it; but through the long weeks of summer he could give her nothing more of country refreshment than the old walks on the Green and an occasional ride or walk on the opposite shore of one or the other of the rivers that bordered the city.  Business held him fast, with a grip that he must not loosen; though he saw and knew that his little sister’s face grew daily more thin and pale, and that her slight frame was slighter and slighter.  His arm had less and less to do, even though her need called for more.  He felt as if she was slipping away from him.  August came.