e and I wouldn't get along well together," Abe
answered. "It would be like going into partnership with Bill Berry."

"Next month you'll be off at the capital and we shall be going to
Tazewell County," said Kelso.

"To Tazewell County!"

"Aye. It's a changing world! We should always remember that things can
not go on with us as they are. The Governor has given me a job."

"And me a great sadness," said Abe. "You must always let me know where to
find you."

"Aye! Many a night you and I shall hear the cock crowing."

It was an Indian summer day of the first week in November. That afternoon
Abe went to the tavern and asked Ann to walk out to the Traylors' with
him. She seemed to be glad to go. She was not the cheerful, quick footed,
rosy cheeked Ann of old. Her face was pale, her eyes dull and listless,
her step slow. Neither spoke until they had passed the Waddell cabin and
were come to the open fields.

"I hope your letter brought good news," said Abe.

"It was very short," Ann answered. "He took a fever in Ohio and was sick
there four weeks and then he went home. In two months he never wrote a
word to me. And this one was only a little bit of a letter with no love
in it. I don't believe he will ever come back. I don't think he cares for
me now or, perhaps, he is married. I don't know. I'm not going to cry
about it any more. I can't. I've no more tears to shed. I've given him
up."

"Then I reckon the time has come for me to tell you what is on my heart,"
said Abe. "I love you, Ann. I have loved you for years. I would have told
you long ago but I could not make myself believe that I was good enough
for you. I love you so much that if you can only be happy with John
McNamar I will pray to God that he may turn out to be a good and faithful
man and come back and keep his promise." She looked up at him with a kind
of awe in her face.

"Oh, Abe!" she whispered. "I had made up my mind that men were all bad
but my father. I was wrong. I did not think of you."

"Men are mostly good," said Abe. "But it's very easy to misunderstand
them. In my view it's quite likely that John McNamar is better than you
think him. I want you to be fair to John. If you conclude that you can
not be happy with him give me a chance. I would do my best to bring back
the joy of the old days. Sometimes I think that I am going to do
something worth while. Sometimes I think that I can see my way far ahead
and it looks very pleasant, and you, Ann,