this Autumn morning, banked about by
soft clouds and draperies of mist; but they glowed pink along the
horizon--perhaps blushing for Old Sol's delinquency. The mist hung
tenderly over the river, too--indeed, it masked the entire Valley of
the Lumano--lying thick and dank upon the marshes and the low meadows,
but wreathed more lightly about the farmhouses and their outbuildings,
and the fodder and haystacks upon the higher ground.

But suddenly the sun flung off the bedclothes and leaped right into the
sky. That long, low bank of cloud that had been masking him, melted
away and the shreds of mist were burned up in a hurry as his warm rays
spread abroad, taking the entire valley in their arms.

Farmhouses, where the kitchen chimney smoke had been rising straightly
into the air, immediately put on a new bustle. Doors opened and shut.
There was the stamping of horses in the stables as they crunched their
corn; cows lowed as the milk-pails rattled; sheep baa-a-ed in their
folds, and the swine, fearing that some other of the farm stock would
get _their_ share of the breakfast, squealed in eager anticipation.

On a knoll by the river side stood the rambling buildings belonging to
Jabez Potter, who kept the Red Mill. The great wheel beside the mill
end of the main structure had not yet begun to turn, but there was
plenty of bustle about the pleasant house.

The sun had scarcely popped up when a very pretty, bright-looking girl
ran out upon the porch and gazed earnestly along the road that followed
the Lumano toward Osago Lake. She looked out from under a shielding
hand, for the sun was in her eyes. Around the corner of the house came
a tall, dark-faced man whose long jaws were cleanly shaven and deeply
lined. His clothing was full of milldust and it seemed to have been
ground into his face for so many years that it was now a part of the
grain and texture of his skin. He did not smile at the girl as he said:

"You ain't looking for them yet; air you, Ruth? It's much too early.
Help your Aunt Alviry put breakfast on the table. She'll hev it all to
do when you're gone."

The tone was stern, but the girl seemed to be used to it, for her face
did not cloud over, and the smiles rippled about her mouth as she
replied:

"I'm so full of happiness, Uncle Jabez, that you mustn't mind if I'm
looking for Helen and Tom ahead of time. It doesn't seem possible that
I am actually going with them."

"It seems real enough to