152 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



of OiR'. By and by wl; !^h:lll lind tlie links tlial l)in(l 

 all natnral facts into one chain, and that shall lead — I 

 never for a moment doubt it ! — over whatever trail, by 

 whatever method, straight to the Hand Divine."' 



The face of the good old man had khuUed mider the 

 play of thought. He had brushed back his felt hat, as 

 was his habit in animated conversation, until his broad 

 l)r()w was fully exposed. He walked on, erect and 

 vigorous, punctuating his periods by sounding thumps 

 upon the path with his gold-headed cane (another pecu- 

 liar habit), keeping his eyes the while well aloft as 

 though communing with the clouds. Gradually the 

 glance fell until it reached the plane of my face, when, 

 with a bright smile, the Doctor added : 



" There, you have tempted me to express sentiments 

 that I rarely trouble others with. You may put it 

 down as one more of the wonders of that extraordinary 

 mole-cricket that he should thus lift the llood-gate of 

 garrulit}^ from an old man's lips." 



"My dear Doctor," I said, "I thank you from my 

 heart for this expression of your views. It Avould be 

 well for all concerned were such reasonable and cliari- 

 table opinions more commonly held and frequently 

 uttered." 



" Now for the bumble-bees !" 



The iarm-house awoke from the profound stillness 

 which, according to the law of the Mistress, daily in- 

 vited to a refreshing afternoon nap. Al)by and the 

 children were home from school, Hugh and Joe were in 

 early from the held, and I sunnnoncd all hands to the 



