"I beg your pardon?" returned Kesiah, startled, for she had been thinking not of Molly's life, but of her own. It was not much of a life, to be sure, but it was all she had, so she felt it was only natural that she should think about it. "I said I wondered if it were the miller," repeated Gay a little impatiently. Like his mother he found Kesiah's attacks of inattention very trying--and if she were to get deaf the only position she had ever filled with credit would be necessarily closed to her. What on earth did she have to occupy her anyway if not other people's affairs? "I can hardly believe that," she answered. "Of course he's a very admirable young man, but it's out of the question that Molly should worry her mind about him after he has gone and married another woman." Her logic seemed rather feeble to Gay, but as he had told himself often before, Kesiah never could argue. "I hear the fellow's come out quite surprisingly. Mr. Chamberlayne tells me he is speaking now around the neighbourhood, and he has a pretty command of rough and ready oratory." "I suppose that is why Molly is so anxious to hear him. She has ordered her horse to ride over to a meeting at Piping Tree this afternoon." "What?" He stared in amazement. "Young Revercomb is going to speak at an open air meeting of some kind--political, I imagine--and Molly is going to hear him." His answer was a low whistle. "At what time?" he asked presently. "She ordered her horse at three--the very hottest part of the day." "Well, she'll probably have sunstroke," Gay replied, "but at any rate, I'll not let her have it alone." CHAPTER XI THE RIDE TO PIPING TREE