“Of course not.  You wasn’t called on to give in to such unreasonableness.”

“Where did the man go?”

“He concluded to walk on to Waverley, and hired me to take the horse back to the stable.  He wanted to know who you were.”

“Did he?”

“Maybe he’s goin’ to sue you for damages.”

“I don’t believe he’ll get much if he does,” laughed our hero.  “My property is where he can’t get hold of it.”

“Ho! ho!” laughed the other, understanding the joke.

After this conversation Herbert continued on his way, and, after delivering the grain, took his way across the fields to his temporary home.  He entered by the back yard.  Little Mary came running out to meet him.

“Have oo come back, Herbert?” she said.  “Where have oo been?”

“Been to buy Mary some candy,” he said, lifting her up and kissing her.

“Whose horse is that at the gate?” asked Herbert, as the doctor’s wife entered the room.

“It belongs to Captain Ross,” she said.  “He has come on business connected with you.”

“Connected with me!” repeated Herbert, in surprise.

“Yes, my dear boy, I am afraid we must make up our minds to lose you.”

“Has he found a place for me?” asked Herbert, in a tone of disappointment.

“Yes, I believe he has bound you out to a man in Cranston.”

“I am sorry,” said Herbert.

“I shall be sorry to have you go, Herbert, but I thought you wanted to go.”

“So I do; but by waiting a few weeks I could probably get a place in Beckford & Keyes’ store, at the mill village.”

“What makes you think so?”

Herbert detailed his interview of the morning with the junior partner.  Just at this moment the doctor entered the kitchen.

“Have you told him?” he inquired, looking at his wife.

“Yes, and he says that but for this he might probably have got a chance to go into Beckford’s store at the mill village.”

“I am sorry for this.  They are good men, and he would have been near us, while Cranston is forty miles away.”

“Who is the man that wants me?” asked Herbert.

“A Mr. Holden.  He is in the other room with Captain Ross.  It was all arranged before they came.  He wants you to go with him to-morrow morning.”

“So soon?” said Herbert, in dismay.

“Yes.  At first he wished you to set off with him this afternoon; but I told him decidedly you could not be ready.”

“Quite impossible,” said Mrs. Kent.  “Some of Herbert’s clothes are in the wash, and I can’t have them ready till evening.”

“You had better come into the other room, Herbert,” said the doctor.  “I will introduce you to your new employer.”

Herbert followed the doctor into the sitting-room.  His first glance rested on Captain Ross, whom he knew.  He went up and shook hands with him.  Next he turned to Mr. Holden, and to his inexpressible astonishment, recognized his opponent of the morning.