This is the day for payment of mill dividends, and
as I have occasion to use the money, I did not deposit it."

"Good," said Fairfax, to himself. "That is what I wanted to find out."

Aloud he said:

"Oh, well, there are two of us, so it would be a bold highwayman that
would venture to attack us. Do you carry a pistol?"

"Not I," said Colonel Preston. "I don't like the idea of carrying
firearms about with me. They might go off by mistake. I was reading in
a daily paper, recently, of a case where a man accidentally shot his
son with the pistol he was in the habit of carrying about with him."

"There is that disadvantage, to be sure," said Fairfax. "So, he has no
pistol. He is quite in my power," he said to himself. "It's a good
thing to know."

"By the way," he asked, merely to keep up the conversation, "are you a
family man, Colonel Preston?"

"Yes, sir; I have a wife, and a son of fifteen."

"You have the advantage of me in that respect. I have always been
devoted to business, and have had no time for matrimony."

"Time enough yet, Mr. Fairfax."

"Oh, yes, I suppose so."

"If you are going to settle down in our neighborhood, I can introduce
you to some of our marriageable young ladies," said Colonel Preston,
pleasantly.

"Thank you," said Fairfax; in the same tone. "I may avail myself of
your offer."

"Won't you take supper at my home this evening?" said the colonel,
hospitably. "I shall be glad to introduce Mrs. Preston. My son is at
boarding school, so I shall not be able to let you see him."

"Have you but one child, then?"

"But one. His absence leaves us alone."

Godfrey's absence would have been lamented more by his father, had his
character and disposition been different. But he was so arrogant and
overbearing in his manners, and so selfish, that his father hoped that
association with other boys would cure him in part of these
objectionable traits. At home, he was so much indulged by his mother,
who could see no fault in him, as long as he did not oppose her, that
there was little chance of amendment.

So they rode on, conversing on various topics, but their conversation
was not of sufficient importance for me to report. At length they
entered on a portion of the road lined on either side by a natural
forest. Fairfax looked about him.

"I suppose, Colonel Preston, these are the woods you referred to?"

"Yes, sir."

"How far do they extend?"

"About a mile."

They had traversed abou