us freight of Eastern
merchandise,--dry goods, groceries, hardware, boots and shoes,--and the
captain was too much occupied to do anything more for her that
afternoon.

She grew restless under the delay; and feeling that she ought to make
one more effort to find a conveyance direct to Long Woods, she set off
alone to make inquiries for herself.

The first place she visited was a hotel she had noticed in her morning's
walk,--the Farmers' Home; and she was just going away from the door,
having met with no success, when a slim youth, carrying his head
jauntily on one side, came tripping after her, and accosted her with an
apologetic smile and lifted hat.

"Excuse me,--I was told you wanted to find somebody going out to Mr.
Betterson's at Long Woods."

"O yes! do you know of anybody I can ride with?"

"I am in a way of knowing,--why, yes,--I think there is a gentleman
going out early to-morrow morning. A gentleman and his daughter. Wife
and daughter, in fact. A two-seated wagon; you might ride on the
hind-seat with the daughter. Stopping at the Prairie Flower."

"O, thank you! And can I go there and find them?"

"I am going that way, and, if you please, I will introduce you," said
the youth.

Vinnie replied that, if he would give her their names, she would save
him the trouble. For, despite his affability, there was something about
him she distrusted and disliked,--an indefinable air of insincerity, and
a look out of his eyes of gay vagabondism and dissipation.

He declared that it would be no trouble; moreover, he could not at that
moment recall the names; so, as there was no help for it, she let him
walk by her side.

At the Prairie Flower,--which was not quite so lovely or fragrant a
public-house as the name had led her to expect,--he showed her into a
small, dingy sitting-room, up one flight of stairs, and went to speak
with the clerk.

"The ladies will be here presently," he said, returning to her in a few
minutes. "Meanwhile I thought I would order some refreshments." And he
was followed into the room by a waiter bringing a basket of cake and two
glasses of wine.

[Illustration: TOO OBLIGING BY HALF.]

"No refreshments for me!" cried Vinnie, quickly.

"The other ladies will like some," said the youth, carelessly. "Intimate
friends of mine. Just a little cake and sweet wine."

"But you have ordered only two glasses! And a few minutes ago you
couldn't think of their names,--those intimate friends of