The morning of the first of July proved to be a busy one at the Sowers’ mansion. Everyone had plenty to do.

Dr. Maltby was out there early to give the last necessary orders and precautions to his patient.

“How is Mrs. King, Doctor?” asked Ella of Dr. Maltby, in the course of their conversation.

“She is well, and still living in hopes of hearing of Albert. I hope she will soon,” answered the doctor seriously.

“She don’t know he is suspicioned of—of—you know what, does she?” inquired Ella in a low voice so as Mattie couldn’t hear what she was saying.

“No. I have never told her about it, for I promised Mr. Sowers I wouldn’t say anything about it to anyone,” answered the doctor.

“Well,” said Ella. “Perhaps it is best for her not to know anything about it.”

“Yes, it would break her heart, I believe.”

“When are you coming up to the Springs, Doctor?” queried Ella, changing the conversation.

“I shall go up there about the first of August, if I can get off,” replied the doctor. “I hope you will enjoy yourself,” continued he. “And I know your enjoyment would be unsurpassed if your dear Willie was here to go with you.”

“Indeed, I would, Doctor. Oh, how I would shout for joy if I would see him coming down the lane this morning,” exclaimed Ella.

Little did she think she would repent her idle words—no, they were not idle words—but little did she think she would repent her words before sunset. “Man proposes and God disposes” is an old but true proverb.

“Mr. Kent must have went away very soon,” resumed Dr. Maltby.

“Yes, he went away before four o’clock this morning,” responded Ella.

“What was his object in going away so very early this morning? Do you know, Miss Ella?”

“He said he wanted to take an early reconnaissance down in Ash Hollow before we left,” answered Ella. “I think he is going to the Springs in a few days. I don’t know for certain.”

“He is a sharp man, Ella. Mark my words, he is a sharp man, as true as steel too!” said the doctor enthusiastically.

“Yes sir, I believe he is, although he has not obtained the slightest clue to Al King’s mysterious disappearance.”

“I’ll bet anything he has a clue to some mystery, or he wouldn’t stay so long.”

“True enough, Doctor. He has been here about three months now and don’t talk of leaving.”

It was breakfast time now and they were all at the breakfast table promptly.

Our young friend Hugh Walters was still staying at the mill. He came in smiling as usual. “Good morning, ladies and gents,” said he. “So you are going away today. I am truly sorry for it.” And he tried his best to look serious.

“Hugh, I know you are joking,” smiled Ella. “And it is no use of you trying to look serious.”

“You don’t know how sorry I am, Miss Mattie. I appeal to you for sympathy,” said Hugh, turning to the lady named.

“Oh, I’ll sympathize with you, Mr. Walters,” said Mattie laughingly.

“Hugh—call me Hugh always, if you please,” corrected Hugh as soon as Mattie ceased speaking.

“Well, you must call me Mattie. If I comply with your request, I insist upon you complying with mine,” said Mattie. “Recollect, I insist.”

“All right, if you insist, I suppose I must call you—address you by that name,” replied Hugh.

“Well, Mr. Sowers,” continued he, addressing that gentleman. “Have you given me all necessary orders? I thought I had better ask you.”

“Yes, I believe I have,” said Sowers. “And Hugh, I’ll precaution you again about the cattle. Pay as much attention to them as possible.”

“I will, sir. Your orders shall be obeyed to the very word. But George will pay good attention to the cows, I know,” said Hugh confidently.

“Yes, George, I want you to attend to them cows,” said Sowers. “You have always been a trusty boy and I will entrust them to your care, leaving Hugh to superintend.”

“All right, sir, I will try to do my best with them,” said George.

They all rose from the table and repaired to their several duties. Sowers went to the stable with Wilse to get the horses out and give Wilse his last orders: “Wilse, I hope you will take care of everything while I am gone,” said Sowers.

“Yes sir,” said Wilse, who had given up all idea of exposing Sowers and talked more respectfully. “Yes sir, I shall do as well as I can while you are away. How long will you stay?”

“Well, I’ll come back in about one month to see how everything is going, and I expect the ladies will stay about three months, or two months at the least,” replied Sowers.

After helping Wilse with the horses, Sowers went into the kitchen to lecture Aunt Sally and Jack. He told Aunt Sally to attend to the chickens, turkeys, and so forth.

“Yes sah, we will ’tend to de chickens and all oder things dat you leave in our keer,” said Aunt Sally to Sowers, as soon as he concluded his directions.

“And Jack, I want you to take good care of the hogs while I am away. As for the house, Mrs. Barton has promised to take care of it while we are absent.”

Aunt Sally muttered something about “de por trash comin’ in to sich a fine house,” and Sowers overheard her. He said:

“Now, I want you all to treat her the same as you treat your mistress—obey her in all things, do you hear?”

“Yes sah, we hears,” exclaimed Jack and Sally in one voice.

“Well, if you hear,” continued Sowers, “I want you to heed.”

“Yes sah, we dem will hear an’ heed bof.’”

Sowers then went in the parlor, where the genial Dr. Maltby was.

“Well, Doctor, you will have one patient off your hands,” said Sowers as he took a seat near the doctor.

“Yes sir, one off my hands and mind,” replied the doctor. “I never tire, though, in well doing. She has been as good—nay, the best patient I ever had. She is so quiet and submissive.”

“She always was that way, from childhood to womanhood,” said Sowers proudly.

“I wish all my patients were that way,” resumed the doctor. “Oh, I do have such awful trouble with some of my patients. They don’t want to take this medicine, it’s too sour and the other is too bitter, still another tastes too sweet—sickening sweet.”

“I reckon you have a great deal of trouble with some of them, Doctor.”

“I do indeed. I am almost worried out with them sometimes. They give me so much trouble,” replied the doctor earnestly.

“Well, I must see if the women are ready yet. And I must see Mrs. Barton too before I go,” said Sowers as he rose to go out of the parlor. He met Mrs. Barton in the dining room. “Good morning, madam,” said he cordially. “How are you this morning?”

“Thank you, sir, I am well. How are you and the rest of the family?” said Mrs. Barton.

“All well, thank you, madam.”

“I came to see you about taking care of your house while you are absent.”

“Yes, I will call Mary at once.” And Sowers called out: “Mary, here is Mrs. Barton to see about taking care of the house.”

“You say little Barto is catching a mouse?” answered Mrs. Sowers, alluding to her little rat-terrier. “Let him catch the mouse. I ain’t got time to come and see him.”

“It is no use, Mrs. Barton, I can’t make her hear. I do certainly pity her,” said Sowers.

“Yes, it is a pity she is so hard of hearing,” said Mrs. Barton sympathetically.

Mrs. Sowers soon made her appearance.

“Why, good morning, Mrs. Barton,” said she. “I hadn’t the least idea you were here.”

“Yes, ma’am, I have been here for about ten or fifteen minutes,” answered Mrs. Barton.

“Joshua, what were you saying about Barto?” queried she, turning to her better half.

“Oh Mary, I said nothing of Barto,” said Sowers as loud as was prudent. “I was speaking of Mrs. Barton.”

“Oh, I understand you now. If you were speaking of Mrs. Barton, why didn’t you say so?” said she, little thinking of the absurdity of her words.

“I did say so,” said Sowers, laughing.

“I didn’t hear you,” said she.

“Well, talk to the lady now. She has been waiting long enough,” said Sowers a little more decisively. Mrs. Sowers then related her plans and gave her directions to Mrs. Barton in full.

“See to everything about the house and yard,” said Mrs. Sowers in conclusion.

“I will, ma’am. Your directions shall be implicitly obeyed to the very letter,” replied Mrs. Barton assuringly.

“I will go up and see if the girls are ready. Won’t you come upstairs with me, Mrs. Barton?” Mrs. Barton assented, and together they went upstairs to see if the young ladies were ready. They were very near ready, but not quite. So the two old ladies took seats and made themselves as comfortable as possible until the young ladies should finish their elaborate toilet.

Finally, all was finished, and they went down to announce the fact that they were ready. About this time, Hugh Walters came to bid them farewell, and Kate came over too to bid them adieu.

In the course of half an hour all the preparations were completed, and all they had to do was to speak the parting words to their friend. When they looked up the road, [they] saw four men evidently carrying a stretcher and walking very slow. One of them they recognized to be David Kent, and they all waited in breathless silence for the purpose of seeing who was on the stretcher. Nearer and nearer came the men; slowly but surely the[y] were drawing near the house.