Nothing more was said by either the stranger or Mr. Wade, for the space of three or four minutes. During this time, the good house-wife passed in and out, once or twice, busy as could be in looking after supper affairs. The lid of the ample Dutch oven had been raised once or twice, and both the eyes and nose of the traveller greeted with a pleasant token of the good fare soon to be served up in the family. He was no longer cold; but the sight and smell of the cakes and other good things in preparation by the lady, awakened a sense of hunger, and made it keenly felt. But, as the comfort of a little warmth had been bestowed so reluctantly, he could not think of trespassing on the farmer and his wife for a bite of supper, and so commenced drawing on his heavy woolen gloves, and buttoning up his old gray coat. While occupied in doing this, Mr. Wade came into the kitchen, and said-- "I'm afraid Jane, that the minister won't be along this evening. It's after sun-down, and begins to grow duskish." "He ought to have been here an hour ago," returned Mrs. W., in a tone of disappointment. "It's getting late, my friend, and D--'s a good distance ahead," remarked the farmer, after standing with his back to the fire, and regarding for some moments the stranger, who had taken off his gloves, and was slowly unbuttoning his coat again. "It's three miles you say?" "Yes, good three miles, if not more; and it will be dark in half an hour." "What direction must I take?" required the stranger. "You keep along the road until you come to the meeting house on the top of the hill, half a mile beyond this, and then you strike off to the right, and keep straight on." "What meeting house is it?" "The D--Methodist Meeting House." "You are expecting the minister, I think you just now said?" "Yes. Mr. N--, our new Presiding Elder, is to preach to-morrow, and he was to have been here this afternoon." "He is to stay with you?" "Certainly he is. The ministers all stay at my house." The man got up, and went to the door and looked out. "Couldn't you give me a little something to eat before I go," he said, returning. "I havn't tasted food since this morning, and feel a little faint."