ring me he
would have been here long ago?"

Mrs. Easterfield looked very serious. "I would not give up," she said,
"until I saw Mr. Lancaster and heard what he has to say."

"That would not suit me," said Olive. "I have waited and waited just as
long as I can. It is as likely as not that he has concluded that he can
not do anything here which will be of service to any one, and has
started off to finish his vacation at some place where people won't
bother him with their own affairs. He told me when I first met him that
he was on his way North. And now, would you like me to tell you what I
have determined to do?"

"I would," said Mrs. Easterfield, but her expression did not indicate
that she expected Olive's announcement to give her any pleasure.

"I have been considering it all the morning," said Olive, "and I have
determined to marry without delay. The greatest object of my life at
present is to write to my father that I am married. I don't wish to tell
him anything until I can tell him that. I would also be glad to be able
to send the same message to the toll-gate house, but I don't suppose it
will make much difference there."

"Do you think," said Mrs. Easterfield, "that my inviting you here made
all this trouble?"

"No," said Olive. "It was not the immediate cause, but uncle knows I do
not like that woman, and she doesn't like me, and it would not have
suited him to have me stay very much longer with him. I thought at first
he was glad to have me go on account of Mr. Lancaster, but now I do not
believe that had anything to do with it. He did not want me with him,
and what that woman came here and told me about his not expecting me
back again was, I now believe, a roundabout message from him."

"Now, Olive," said Mrs. Easterfield, "it would be a great deal better
for you to stop all this imagining until you hear from Mr. Lancaster,
if you don't see him. Perhaps the poor young man has sprained his ankle,
or was prevented in some ordinary way from coming. But what is this
nonsense about getting married?"

"There is no nonsense about it," said Olive. "I am going to marry, but I
have not chosen any one yet."

Mrs. Easterfield uttered an exclamation of horror. "Choose!" she
exclaimed. "What have you to do with choosing? I don't think you are
much like other girls, but I did think you had enough womanly qualities
to make you wait until you are chosen."

"I intend to wait until I am chosen," said Olive, "but I sh