eet him. A sort of momentary
consciousness that Bess was not there came to him, then something that
sounded like her neigh reached his ears. A shout to Tony--who in his
surprise dropped the milk pail and vanished--a bound, and Job was on
the veranda. He pushed open the door, and stood face to face with
Andrew Malden.

The old man's face was white and deeply furrowed. He looked ten years
older than when Job had seen him last, and the young man felt a sharp
pang of remorse to think he had left him. Then he remembered Jane and
knew he would not have missed the trip for all the world.

At sight of him Andrew Malden's face grew still whiter, he started
back as if shot, and fell in a faint on the couch. Job was appalled
and greatly mystified, as he dashed water into the wrinkled, haggard
face.

At last the old man's eyes opened and he whispered hoarsely, "Oh, Job!
Job! how could you? Once I could have believed it, but I cannot now!
Oh, Job, tell me! tell me all! I'll stand by you, though you did
it--you're my boy still! Oh, Job, it is awful, awful! But I knew you
would come! Oh, Job! oh, Job!" he moaned.

Did what? "Awful"? "Come"? Of course he had come. It was an accident,
Job explained; he did not mean to stay away.

"An accident? Oh, yes, I told them so, Job; but they won't believe it.
They are coming to take my boy and--oh, I can't stand it! I won't
stand it!" and Andrew Malden tottered to and fro across the room.

Was the old man insane? Had something dreadful happened? Job stood,
his face growing paler, his heart sinking with an undefined fear. Then
he caught the words, "Jane--dead--you!"--words that made every nerve
quiver, and tortured him till he sank on his knees and begged to know
the worst.

Oh, the awful story! It burned into the depths of his soul. Now it
seemed like a dream, now dreadful reality. Jane was dead. Somebody had
found her lifeless and still on the rocks below the cliff just around
from Inspiration Point, and Bess had come home riderless. All the
country was wild with excitement. Everybody was searching for him. He
had done it, they said. Tom Reed had seen him go away with her, and
knew there was a quarrel on hand. Dan was telling that Jane had
promised to marry him, and that Job had followed her to the valley to
make her break the engagement or kill her. All the evidence was
against Job. They had buried her from the old church, buried her in
the cemetery on the hill, outside of whose gate h