ing sternly with
the snow-drifts, meeting the buffets of the wind with her head up;
then he went in, and put on his boots and his overcoat.

Barney had heard not one word of the village gossip, and the
revelation in his mother's words had come to him with a great shock.
As he went up the hill to the old tavern he could hardly believe that
he had understood her rightly. Once he paused and turned, and was
half inclined to go back. He was as pure-minded as a girl, and almost
as ignorant; he could not believe that he knew what she meant.

Barney hesitated again before the store; then he opened the great
clanging door and went in. A farmer, in a blue frock stiff with snow,
had just completed his purchases and was going out. William, who had
been waiting upon him, was quite near the door behind the counter. At
the farther end of the store could be seen the red glow of a stove
and Tommy Ray's glistening fair had. Some one else, who had shrunk
out of sight when Barney entered, was also there.

Barney saw no one but William. He looked at him, and all his
bewilderment gathered itself into a point. He felt a sudden fierce
impulse to spring at him.

William looked at Barney, and his faced changed in a minute. He took
up his hat, and came around the counter. "Did you want to see me?" he
said, hoarsely.

"Come outside," said Barney. And the two men went out, and stood in
the snow before the store.

"Where is Rebecca?" said Barney. He looked at William, and again the
savage impulse seized him. William did not shrink before it.

[Illustration: "'Where is Rebecca?' said Barney"]

"What do you mean?" he returned. His lips were quite stiff and white,
but he looked back at Barney.

"Don't you know where she is?"

"Before God I don't, Barney. What do you mean?"

"She left home this morning. Mother turned her out."

"Turned her out!" repeated William.

"Come with me and find her and marry her, or I'll kill you," said
Barney, and he lashed out suddenly with his fist in William's face.

"You won't need to, for I'll kill myself if I don't," William gasped
out. Then he turned and ran.

"Where are you going?" Barney shouted, rushing after him, in a fury.

"To put the horse in the cutter," William called back. And, indeed,
he was headed towards the barn. Barney followed him, and the two men
put the horse between the shafts. Once William asked, hoarsely, "Any
idea which way?" and Barney shook his head.

"What time did she go?"