A few hours later a clue was given to him: Jake came and told him as a
piece of news that "Pa's shot-gun ain't in his room." Bancroft could not
rid himself of the thought that the fact was significant. But the
evening passed away quietly; Loo busied herself with some work, and the
Elder seemed content to watch her.

At breakfast next morning nothing of moment happened. Bancroft took
occasion to say that he was coming home early to dinner. On his return
from school, some three hours after, he saw a troop of horsemen riding
up the valley a mile or so away. With quickened pulses he sprang up the
steps and met the Elder in the doorway.

"There they come!" he said involuntarily, pointing to the little cloud
of dust.

"Hum," grunted the Elder, and left the stoop, going towards the
outhouses.

Bancroft turned into the parlour, where he found Mrs. Conklin. She
seemed to be irritated, and not at all anxious, as he had expected:

"Did you see the Elder?"

"Yes," he replied. "He went to the barn. I thought of accompanying him,
but was afraid he wouldn't like it."

"I guess he's worrying about that corn," Mrs. Conklin explained. "When
he broke that land I told him 'twould bring trouble, but he never minds
what any one says to him. He should listen to his wife, though,
sometimes, shouldn't he? But bein' a man p'r'aps you'll take his part.