"Mother, I must leave this part of the country for a while."

"That is news, John."

"Yes. I shall go into the mining district for six months or a year,
perhaps."

"Well! go, John! you want a change. I think you can't do better than
go."

"I will, and no later than to-morrow."

"That is sudden."

"If I was to give myself time to think, I should never go at all."

He went out briskly with the energy of this determination.

The same evening, about seven o'clock, as he sat reading by the fire,
an unexpected visitor was announced--Mr. Merton.

He came cordially in and scolded Meadows for never having been to see
him.

"I know you are a busy man," said the old farmer, "but you might have
given us a look in coming home from market; it is only a mile out of
the way, and you are pretty well mounted in a general way."

Then the old man, a gossip, took up one of Meadows' books. "Australia!
ah!" grunted Merton, and dropped it like a hot potato; he tried