Mr. Brice's face displayed his disappointment. But the true lover
holds a talisman potent with old and young. Mrs. Tarbox felt a sneaking
maternal pity for this suddenly stricken Strephon.

"She's gone home," she added more gently--"went at sun-up this mornin'."

"Home," repeated Brice. "Where's that?"

Mrs. Tarbox looked at her husband and hesitated. Then she said--a little
in her old manner--"Her uncle's."

"Can you direct me the way there?" asked Brice simply.

The astonishment in their faces presently darkened into suspicion again.
"Ef that's your little game," began Hiram, with a lowering brow--

"I have no little game but to see her and speak with her," said Brice
boldly. "I am alone and unarmed, as you see," he continued, pointing
to his empty belt and small dispatch bag slung on his shoulder, "and
certainly unable to do any one any harm. I am willing to take what risks
there are. And as no one knows of my intention, nor of my coming here,
whatever might happen to me, no one need know it. You would be safe from
questioning."

There was that hopeful determination in his manner that overrode their
resigned doggedness. "Ef we knew how to direct you thar," said the old
woman cautiously, "ye'd be killed outer hand afore ye even set eyes on
the girl. The house is in a holler with hills kept by spies; ye'd be a
dead man as soon as ye crossed its boundary."