ed his voice, and Susan,
who was not sure that he wished her to hear what he was going to say,
moved from behind his chair.

"Susan, don't go; sit down here, sweet Susan," he said, making room
for her beside him. "I am afraid I was cross when I came in to-night,
but I had something to vex me, as you shall hear."

Then the farmer told how, a fortnight before, lots had been drawn in
the nearest town, to see which men there and in the surrounding
villages should leave home to be trained as soldiers. For a hundred
years ago it was in this way that men were found to defend their
country. Only if they were under eighteen or above forty years of age
could they escape drawing lots.

"Now, as I would be forty in ten days," said the farmer, "I was told
just to call myself forty then and there; but the truth is the truth,
and should be spoken at all times, come what may. And when the lots
were drawn, it fell to me among others to leave home to be trained to
fight. I was thinking how unhappy we should be to part, when I heard
that if I paid nine guineas to another man, he would take my place,
and I could remain at home with you. I had not the money, for you know
the bad luck we had with the sheep this year, and how they died one
after the other. But I went to Mr. Case and asked him to lend me the
money. He said he would if I handed over to him my lease, for he said,
'If you do not repay me the guineas I shall keep the lease until you
do.'"

"That was a fortnight ago, and to-night Attorney Case tells me he has
discovered that, owing to some mistake in the lease, we may be turned
out of the farm at any time. But I've not come to the worst part yet."

Here Farmer Price stopped short, and his wife and Susan gazed
anxiously into his face.

"The truth must be told," he said with a deep sigh, "I must now leave
you in three days."

"Must you?" said his wife faintly. "Susan dear, open the window."
Susan ran to do as she was bid, and then returned to her mother's
side. The fresh air soon revived the poor woman, and she begged her
husband to go on with his story, and to hide nothing from her.

Farmer Price had no wish to hide anything from those he loved so well.
He believed that the truth should be spoken at all times, but never
had he found it so difficult as at this moment. What had happened was
this. Attorney Case had met Farmer Price that evening. The farmer was
coming home, whistling, from a new-plowed field. The Attorney was