Who were the two men? and what was their mission to the mill? Plainly they were well known to Mr. Norton; and yet he had just come from the West, and had not been in Bend Center for many years. Perhaps these men were also from the West, and, knowing Mr. Norton was at the mill, had stopped over, most likely from Bayport, to see him. This was a rather lame explanation, and it by no means satisfied me. As to what was to be “gone ahead with” that night I had not the faintest idea. Ordinarily I would not have given the entire matter any attention; but, as I have said, Mr. Norton’s way of doing things did not suit me, and I was anxious to find out something about him, and what I was to expect from him in the future. I waited for several minutes after the men had gone, and then making rather more noise than was necessary, walked up to the mill. Mr. Norton met me at the door. “Back at last, I see,” he said. “Got that tobacco?” “Yes, sir;” and I handed it over. “Good. I’m nearly dead for a smoke. Do you use the weed?” “No, sir.” “That’s right. Never start. It’s costly, and does a fellow no good.” I took the groceries I had brought, and put them in the pantry. Mr. Norton filled his pipe, and began to puff away vigorously. “Always have to smoke when I’m thinking,” he remarked as he blew a cloud of smoke to the ceiling. I was on the point of asking him the subject of his thoughts, but checked myself. “What are you going to do now?” he inquired. “If I can, I would like to get off for the rest of the day,” I returned. “Has that grinding got to be done?” “No, sir; to-morrow will do.” “Then you can go. I didn’t think about this news of your father’s death being so new to you, or I wouldn’t have asked you to go to work to-day. Fact is, I’m all upset with traveling around. That’s what riled my temper up last night.” “I’m not used to such treatment,” I could not help remarking. “I suppose your father was very easy. Well, we’ll let what’s gone alone, and take a new start. What time do you expect to be back?” “Some time this evening.” “All right.” “By the way,” I went on, as I walked towards the door, “weren’t there two men here just before I came?” Mr. Norton jumped to his feet. “What’s that?” he exclaimed in surprise. I repeated my question. “I didn’t see them,” he answered. “What made you think they were here?” His reply rather staggered me. I had not expected so deliberate a falsehood. “I thought I saw them,” I said simply. “Must have been mistaken. Nobody here since you went away.” I walked down to the sloop in a thoughtful frame of mind. What did this false statement mean? Surely there was some mystery connected with the visit of the two strangers,――a mystery that Mr. Norton was anxious to conceal. I was half inclined to turn back and find out what was “in the wind;” but I concluded that for the present it would be useless to do so. No one but my uncle was about, and he would not tell me a word.