was at our house you said you should
have thought--" She turned and regarded him with an expression in her
eyes which he tried in vain to decipher.

"Well, I should have thought," he said desperately, "that you would have
wanted to go there."

"I don't understand you," said Annis coldly. "I think you are rather
rude."

"I beg your pardon," said Wilson humbly; "I'm very sorry, very."

There was another long silence, during which they left the road and
entered a footpath. It was very narrow, and Annis walked in front.

"I would give anything to find your father," said Wilson earnestly.

"Oh, I wish you could, I wish you could," said Annis, looking at him
over her shoulder.

"I suppose Mr. Glover is trying all he can?" said Wilson.

"I want my father!" said Annis with sudden passion--"I want him badly,
but I would sooner anybody than Mr. Glover found him!"

"But you are to be married when he is found," said the puzzled Wilson.

"If Mr. Glover finds him," said Annis in a low voice.

"Do you mean to say," said the skipper (in his excitement he caught her
by the arm, and she did not release it)--"do you mean to say that you
are not going to marry this Glover unless he finds your father?"

"Yes," said Annis, "that is the arrangement. Mother fretted so, and
I thought nothing mattered much if we could only find my father. So I
promised."

"And I suppose if anybody else finds him?" faltered Wilson, as with a
ruthless disregard of growing crops he walked beside her.

"In that case," said Annis, looking at him pleasantly, "I sha'n't marry.
Is that what you mean?"

"I didn't mean quite that," said Wilson. "I was going to say--"

"There!" said Annis, stopping suddenly and pointing, "isn't there a fine
view of the river from here?"

"Splendid!" said Wilson.

"It is my favorite walk," said Annis.

Wilson made a mental note of it. "Especially when Mr. Glover is at your
house," he said foolishly.

"Mr. Glover has been very kind," said Annis gravely. "He has been very
good to my mother, and he has gone to a great deal of trouble in his
search for my father."

"Well, I hope he doesn't find him," said Wilson. Annis turned and
regarded him fixedly. "That is very kind of you," she said with
severity.

"I want to find him myself," said Wilson, closely watching the river;
"and you know why."

"I must get back," said Annis, without contesting the statement.

Wilson felt his courage oozing, and tried to hint at what