y the return of the old pain in his
arm. It had been more frequent this autumn, but he had paid little
heed to it. But to-day it added just the last burden required to make
him thoroughly miserable. Lawyer Ed was stamping about, complaining
loudly of the cold, blowing his nose, and talking about everything and
anything but Roderick's pending departure. The Lad's drooping spirits
went lower at the sight of him.

As he went about saying farewell he realised that he had not known how
many friends he had made. Alexander Graham was full of expressions of
congratulation and good-will.

"You must make good, Rod, my boy," he said. "We'll be watching you,
you know, and of course the blame will fall on me if you don't. But I
have no fears." He laughed in a patronising way that made Roderick
feel very small indeed.

"I'm so sorry you couldn't come up again. The wife and Leslie took a
sudden notion that they must go to Toronto for a month--or Leslie took
it rather, and made her mother and aunt go with her. I'm sorry they
are not here--but they are in Toronto and you might--" he paused
knowingly,--"I guess I don't need to tell you where they are staying.
Miss Leslie probably left her address." He laughed in such an
insinuating way that Roderick's face grew crimson.

"No, Miss Graham did not give me her address," he said, so stiffly that
the man looked at him in wonder, then laughed again. This was some of
Leslie's nonsense, as usual, just to tease him. She had forced a
little lover's quarrel probably and gone without saying good-bye. But
he knew Leslie could make it all right just when she chose.

He parted from Roderick in quite a fatherly manner, but the young man
went away feeling more uncomfortable and downhearted than ever.

There was one person who seemed frankly glad to see him go. Mr. Fred
Hamilton did not actually express his joy, but he looked it, and
Roderick felt something of the same feeling when they said good-bye.
Dr. Leslie and several other old friends came next. Archie Blair had
gone to the city to a medical congress, and he missed him. But he had
bidden almost every one else in Algonquin farewell when at last he sent
his trunk to the station, and taking Lawyer Ed's horse and cutter,
drove out to the farm for the severest ordeal of that hard day.

As he passed the school, the children came storming out to their
afternoon recess, pelting each other with snowballs. Roderick
hesitated a momen