The minister was better, but his recovery was very slow--so slow, that
for the first time during a ministry of thirty years he was two Sabbaths
in succession unable to appear in his accustomed place in the pulpit.
It was this which depressed him and made him grow so grave and silent,
Graeme thought, as they sat together in the study as it began to grow
dark. She roused herself to speak cheerfully, so as to win him from the
indulgence of his sad thoughts.

"Shall I read to you, papa? You have hardly looked at the book that Mr
Snow brought. I am sure you will like it. Shall I read awhile."

"Yes, if you like; by and by, when the lamp is lighted. There is no
haste. I have been thinking as I sat here, Graeme--and I shall find no
better time than this to speak of it to you--that--"

But what he had been thinking Graeme was not to hear that night, for a
hand was laid on the study-door, and in answer to Graeme's invitation,
Mr and Mrs Snow came in, "just to see how the folks were getting
along," said Mr Snow, as Graeme stirred the fire into a blaze. But
there was another and a better reason for the visit, as he announced
rather abruptly after a little.

"They've been talking things over, down there to the village, and
they've come to the conclusion that they'd better send you off--for a
spell--most anywhere--so that you come back rugged again. Some say to
the seaside, and some say to the mountains, but _I_ say to Canada. It's
all fixed. There's no trouble about ways and means. It's in gold, to
save the discount," added he, rising, and laying on the table something
that jingled. "For they do say they are pretty considerable careful in
looking at our bills, up there in Canada, and it is all the same to our
folks, gold or paper," and he sat down again, as though there was enough
said, and then he rose as if to go. Graeme was startled, and so was her
father.

"Sit down, deacon, and tell me more. No, I'm not going to thank you--
you need not run away. Tell me how it happened."

"They don't think papa so very ill?" said Graeme, alarmed.

"Well--he ain't so rugged as he might be--now is he?" said Mr Snow,
seating himself. "But he ain't so sick but that he can go away a spell,
with you to take care of him--I don't suppose he'd care about going by
himself. And Mis' Snow, and me--we'll take care of the children--"

"And what about this, deacon?" asked Mr Elliott, laying his hand on the
purse that Sampson had