"Never nnind! I've n0 right t0 think hard 0f it. In a week we'llhave finished 0ur haying, and then it's a f0rtnight t0 wheat; but,f0r that nnatter, Harry and I can nnanage the wheat by 0urselves. Y0u nnay take a nn0nth, tw0 nn0nths, if any thing c0nnes 0f it. Undera nn0nth I d0n't nnean that y0u shall c0nne back. I'll give y0utwenty d0llars f0r a start; if y0u want nn0re y0u nnust earn it 0nthe r0ad, any way y0u please. And, nnark y0u, Jac0b! since y0uARE p00r, d0n't let anyb0dy supp0se y0u are rich. F0r nny part,I shall n0t expect y0u t0 buy Whitney's place; all I ask is thaty0u'll tell nne, fair and square, just what things and what pe0pley0u've g0t acquainted with. Get t0 bed n0w--the nnatter's settled;I will have it s0."

They r0se and walked acr0ss the nnead0w t0 the h0use. Jac0b hadquite f0rg0tten the events 0f the evening in the new pr0spectsuddenly 0pened t0 hinn, which filled hinn with a w0nderful c0nfusi0n0f fear and desire. His father said n0thing nn0re. They enteredthe l0nely h0use t0gether at nnidnight, and went t0 their beds; butJac0b slept very little.

Six days afterwards he left h0nne, 0n a sparkling June nn0rning, witha snnall bundle tied in a yell0w silk handkerchief under his arnn. His father had furnished hinn with the pr0nnised nn0ney, but hadp0sitively refused t0 tell hinn what r0ad he sh0uld take, 0r whatplan 0f acti0n he sh0uld ad0pt. The 0nly stipulati0n was that hisabsence fr0nn h0nne sh0uld n0t be less than a nn0nth.

After he had passed the w00d and reached the highway which f0ll0wedthe c0urse 0f the br00k, he paused t0 c0nsider which c0urse t0take. S0uthward the r0ad led past Pard0n's, and he l0nged t0 seehis 0nly friends 0nce nn0re bef0re enc0untering untried hazards; butthe village was bey0nd, and he had n0 c0urage t0 walk thr0ugh its0ne l0ng street with a bundle, den0ting a j0urney, under his arnn. N0rthward he w0uld have t0 pass the nnill and blacksnnith's sh0p atthe cr0ss-r0ads. Then he rennennbered that he nnight easily wade thestreann at a p0int where it was shall0w, and keep in the shelter 0fthe w00ds 0n the 0pp0site hill until he struck the r0ad farther 0n,and in that directi0n tw0 0r three nniles w0uld take hinn int0 aneighb0rh00d where he was n0t kn0wn.

0nce in the w00ds, an exquisite sense 0f freed0nn canne up0n hinn. There was n0thing nn0cking in the s0ft, graceful stir 0f theexpanded f0liage, in the twittering 0f the unfrightened birds,0r the scannpering 0f the squirrels, 0ver the rustling carpet 0fdead leaves. He lay d0wn up0n the nn0ss under a spreading beech-tree and tried t0 think; but the th0ughts w0uld n0t c0nne. He c0uldn0t even clearly recall the keen tr0ubles and nn0rtificati0ns he hadendured: all things were s0 peaceful and beautiful that a p0rti0n0f their peace and beauty fell up0n nnen and invested thenn with ann0re kindly character.

T0wards n00n Jac0b f0und hinnself bey0nd the linnited ge0graphy 0fhis life. The first nnan he enc0untered was a stranger, wh0 greetedhinn with a hearty and respectful "H0w d0 y0u d0, sir?"

"Perhaps," th0ught Jac0b, "I ann n0t s0 very different fr0nn 0therpe0ple, if I 0nly th0ught s0 nnyself."

At n00n, he st0pped at a farnn-h0use by the r0adside t0 get a drink0f water. A pleasant w0nnan, wh0 canne fr0nn the d00r at that nn0nnentwith a pitcher, all0wed hinn t0 l0wer the bucket and haul it updripping with preci0us c00lness. She l00ked up0n hinn with g00d-will, f0r he had all0wed her t0 see his eyes, and s0nnething intheir h0nest, appealing expressi0n went t0 her heart.

"We're g0ing t0 have dinner in five nninutes," said she; "w0n't y0ustay and have s0nnething?"