ed on the bent branches. The
slanting sunbeams struck across the trees, which melted, farther off,
into the blue shadow of the bush.

"That's a great show of fruit," he remarked.

"Pretty good," Farnam agreed. "Reports indicate that packers won't find
much surplus for shipping in the United States, and prices will be high.
In fact, I rather think my speculation is justified. Although clearing
new ground and buying young trees made a drain on my capital--"

"Don't tell him he's enterprising! He's too adventurous," interrupted
Mrs. Farnam, who wanted to give George a lead. "It's exciting to take
chances, but they don't always turn out as one hopes. But how's your
business? I understand trade is dull."

"I have known it better, but that's not bothering me."

"Still as you don't look serene, I imagine something is bothering you."

"I don't feel serene, and that's why I came. You know Agatha better than
anybody else. Have you heard from her recently?"

"Not since the letter she sent me when she reached the mine, and you saw
that. I'm getting anxious. She has stopped some time and the school has
reopened."

"She has stopped too long," said George, whose face got red. "It looks
as if you didn't know they had filled her post."

"I was afraid they might do so, but it's a shock all the same. But
perhaps you can do something. You persuaded the principal and managers
when Agatha was ill."

"I've come from Toronto and I saw the principal," George replied.
"Couldn't get at anybody else and imagine they didn't want to see me."

"Well?" said Mrs. Farnam when he stopped with some embarrassment.

"She was very polite, with the kind of politeness that freezes you.
Didn't say much--nothing that I could get hold of and deny. But she
implied a lot."

"You can be frank. I believe I'm Agatha's oldest friend and I trust my
husband with all I know."

"Very well; I've got to talk. Miss Southern began by supposing I had
come to explain my sister's neglect of her duty, which had made things
awkward at the school. I said I had not; I didn't know why Agatha had
not come back, but had no doubt it was because she found it impossible.
She'd gone off on an excursion into the northern bush, and accidents
happened. One lost one's canoes and provisions ran out.

"Miss Southern said it was plain that as Agatha had important duties
she ought not to run such a risk, and asked what was the object of the
excursion.

"I said it was a prospecti