"But you must have had some reason for leaving her?"

"I've sometimes had an idea," said Uncle Ben cautiously, "that mebbee
runnin' away ran in some fam'lies. Now, there war my mother run off with
an entire stranger, and yer's me ez run off by myself. And what makes
it the more one-like is that jest as dad allus allowed he could get a
devorce agin mother, so my wife could hev got one agin me for leavin'
her. And it's almost an evenhanded game that she hez. It's there where
the oncertainty comes in."

"But are you satisfied to remain in this doubt? or do you propose, now
that you are able, to institute a thorough search for her?"

"I was kalkilatin' to look around a little," said Uncle Ben simply.

"And return to her if you find her?" continued the master.

"I didn't say that, Mr. Ford."

"But if she hasn't got a divorce from you that's what you'll have to do,
and what you ought to do--if I understand your story. For by your own
showing, a more causeless, heartless, and utterly inexcusable desertion
than yours, I never heard of."

"Do you think so?" said Uncle Ben with exasperating simplicity.

"Do I think so?" repeated Mr. Ford, indignantly. "Everybody'll think so.
They can't think otherwise. You say you deserted her, and you admit she
did nothing to provoke it."