changed his garb and took the way toward Mrs. Rolfston's. She had not
looked for him sooner, though she knew men well, for she had seen his
growing trouble and she knew his will. Her eyes blazed as might the
eyes of some hungry thing to which food is brought. It was late when
he reached his home again, and the next day he must read a book, he
said, that he had found at Mrs. Rolfston's. At night he was stalking
across the country again, to his couch on the dry clover; and he
thought not even of the Hindoo king. Mrs. Rolfston's school of
theology was not of the sort which worries one with puzzling things,
and he had been in a receptive mood.

The next day he worked like a giant. In the early evening he found
Jenny Bierce. She questioned him, but he had not much to answer.

"Is there some one in the town ?" she asked.

"There are several hundred people there."

"You know what I mean. Is there any one in particular?"--this
poutingly.

He said that of late the only one, to speak of, he had found anywhere
was a girl in a calico dress.




CHAPTER XI.

SETTLING WITH WOODELL.