N the excitement incident to Col. Bonifield’s cross-cutting into the vein, the stage robbery, and the bewildering evenings spent in the society of Louise, Vance quite forgot about his hopes and fears relative to his investment in Waterville.
One evening he was out for a walk near the Bonifields’. Louise was standing on the porch. He lifted his hat, and she waved a dainty little handkerchief, and came down the road to meet him. There was a troubled expression on her face which Vance had never seen before. It cut him to the heart, and he feared some great calamity had befallen her.
“Mr. Gilder,” said she, after the morning salutation, “my father is very despondent this morning, and while he desires greatly to see you, yet he is so broken down that I do not know whether he will be able to see anyone until this afternoon.”
“Why, what has happened?” asked Vance, in alarm. They were walking along toward the Bonifield residence as they talked.
“So you have not heard?” said Louise, looking up with her big, blue eyes. Vance looked at her in astonishment. "You have not heard,” she repeated, “that they have finished cross-cutting?”
“No,” replied Vance.
“Yes, they have finished the work,” repeated Louise, and then almost broke down in tears. He led her to a seat on the broad porch where the morning sun shone full and warm, and begged her to calm herself, and tell him what had happened to her father.