“Oh, nothing in particular.” His tone was as gruff as usual, but it lacked a little of its customary sharp decision. “I just wanted to say that--er--well, you needn’t worry about that post-office job. You can have it as long as you want it. I’ll see that you do.” “You won’t have to do any seein’, I guess. I haven’t heard of anybody’s plannin’ to put me out.” “You never can tell.... Oh, and say, if you should change your mind, if you should feel, between now and to-morrow, that you--well, that you didn’t want to have Esther leave you--if you should decide you might as well come along with her, after all--why--” “Don’t be silly. Good-night.” CHAPTER IV The next morning he sent Varunas to the Clark cottage with a note. The answer, when it came, was to the effect that Esther would be ready just after dinner. At one-thirty Mr. Gifford, wondering what on earth it all meant and not in the least enlightened by his employer, drove one of the Townsend horses, attached to the Townsend “democrat wagon” into the Clark yard and, under the officious superintendence of Millard, loaded a small trunk and a canvas valise--Varunas would have called it a “shut-over bag”--into the carriage. Millard loftily refused to satisfy the Gifford curiosity. “You’ll know pretty soon,” declared Mr. Clark. “And so will the rest of Harniss. There’ll be some talk goin’ around for the next day or so or I miss my guess. No, no, I shan’t say a word. You ain’t the first one that’s asked me what’s up--no, sir, you ain’t! Tobias Eldridge got after me last night at the post office afore mail time, and he says: ‘Say, Mil,’ he says, ‘what in the world ails you? You’re goin’ around all puffed up like a toad fish, too grand to open your mouth. What’s the matter? Somebody left you a million? If they have you might pay me that two dollars.’ I didn’t waste any attention on _his_ gabble. I don’t owe him any two dollars. He says I do, but I say I don’t, and my word is as good as his, I shouldn’t wonder. I set him to guessin’, though. ‘Never you mind what ails me,’ I told him. ‘_I_ know what ’tis and so does Cap’n Foster Townsend. When I and he get ready to tell we’ll tell.’” Varunas laughed aloud. “You and Cap’n Foster gone into partnerships, have you, Mil?” he inquired. “Tut, tut! He’s a lucky man, if that’s so. Don’t let anybody cheat him, will you?” Before Mr. Clark could reply to this sarcastic counsel his sister and Esther were out of the cottage. The girl’s eyes were wet and even Reliance appeared to be struggling to repress emotion. The pair came down the walk to the gate. There Esther turned, threw her arms about her aunt’s plump neck and burst into sobs, open and unrestrained. “Oh, won’t you _please_ come, Auntie!” she begged. “I--oh, how _can_ I go without you!” Reliance patted her shoulder.