Now it happened that they missed the trail and wandered far out of their way. It rained all the afternoon, and Kike got drenched in crossing a stream. Then a chill came on, and Morton sought shelter. He stopped at a cabin. "Come in, come in, brethren," said the settler, as soon as he saw them. "I 'low ye're preachers. Brother Goodwin I know. Heerd him down at camp-meetin' last fall,--time conference met on the Ridge. And this brother looks mis'rable. Got the shakes, I 'low? Your name, brother, is--" "Brother Lumsden," said Morton. "Lumsden? Wy, that air's the very name of our school-miss, and she's stayin' here jes' now. I kinder recolleck that you was sick up at Dr. Morgan's, conference time. Hey?" Morton looked bewildered. "How far is Dr. Morgan's from here?" "Nigh onto three quarter 'round the road, I 'low. Ain't it, Sister Lumsden?" This last to Patty, who at that moment appeared from the bedroom, and without answering the question, greeted Morton and Kike with a cry of joy. Patty was "boarding round," and it was her time to stay here. "How did we get here? We aimed at Lanham's Ferry," said Morton, bewildered. "Tuck the wrong trail ten mile back, I 'low. You should've gone by Hanks's Mills." [Illustration: THE REUNION.] Despite all protestations from the Methodist brother, Morton was determined to take Kike to Dr. Morgan's. Kike was just sick enough to be passive, and he suffered himself to be put back into the saddle to ride to the doctor's. Patty, meanwhile, ran across the fields and gave warning, so that Kike was summarily stowed away in the bed he had occupied before. Thus do men try to run away from fate, and rush into her arms in spite of themselves. It did not require very great medical skill to understand what must be the result of Kike's sickness. "What is the matter with him, Doctor?" asked Morton, next morning. "Absolute physical bankruptcy, sir," answered the physician, in his abrupt manner. "There's not water enough left in the branch to run the mill seven days. Wasted life, sir, wasted life. It is a pity but you Methodists had a little moderation in your zeal." Kike uneasily watched the door, hoping every minute that he might see Nettie come in. But she did not come. He had wished to avoid her father's house for fear of seeing her, but he could not bear to be thus near her and not see her. Toward evening he called Patty to him. "Lean down here!" he said. Patty put her ear down that nobody might hear. "Where's Nettie?" asked Kike. "About the house, somewhere," said Patty. "Why don't she come in to see me?" "Not because she doesn't care for you," said Patty; "she seems to be crying half the time."