He was perplexed, despite his plausible reasoning, and he continued
silent and preoccupied when he lifted Tennessee to his shoulder and
trudged off homeward, with Rufe at his heels, and the small boy's
conscience following sturdily in the rear.

That sternly accusing conscience! Rufe was dismayed, when he sat
with the other laughing children about the table, to know that his
soul was not merry. Sometimes a sombre shadow fell upon his face,
and once Birt asked him what was the matter. And though he laughed
more than ever, he felt it was very hard to be gay without the
subtle essence of mirth. That lie!--it seemed to grow; before
supper was over it was as big as the warping-bars, and when they all
sat in a semicircle in the open passage, Rufe felt that his
conscience was the most prominent member of the party. The young
moon sank; the night waxed darker still; the woods murmured
mysteriously. And he was glad enough at last to be sent to bed,
where after so long a time sleep found him.

The morrow came in a cloud. The light lacked the sunshine. The
listless air lacked the wind. Still and sombre, the woods touched
the murky, motionless sky. All the universe seemed to hold a sullen
pause. Time was afoot--it always is--but Birt might not know how it
sped; no shadows on the spent tan this dark day! Over his shoulder
he was forever glancing, hoping that Nate would presently appear
from the woods. He saw only the mists lurking in the laurel; they
had autumnal presage and a chill presence. He buttoned his coat
about him, and the old mule sneezed as he jogged round the bark-
mill.

Jubal Perkins and a crony stood smoking much of the time to-day in