hesitate to tell me. If I can do anything to help you, I hope I may be
allowed."

"You have come just at the right time," said the lumberman, "and you are
very welcome, I assure you. If I find I need help, as perhaps I may, you
will be reminded of your promise."

To put off as long as possible the evil time of meeting his wife,
Mason went with the man to see the horse put away, and he lingered an
unnecessarily long time in ascertaining that everything was right in the
stable. The man was astonished to find his master so particular that
afternoon. A crisis may be postponed, but it can rarely be avoided
altogether, and knowing he had to face the inevitable sooner or later,
the unhappy man, with a sigh, betook himself to the house, where he
found his wife impatiently waiting for him. She closed the door and
confronted him.

"Now, Ed., what's the matter?"

"Where's Miss Sommerton?" was the somewhat irrelevant reply.

"She has gone to her room. Ed., don't keep me in suspense. What is
wrong?"

"You remember John Trenton, who was here in the summer?"

"I remember hearing you speak of him. I didn't meet him, you know."

"Oh, that's so. Neither you did. You see, he's an awful good fellow,
Trenton is--that is, for an Englishman."