Three days had passed since his departure, and Pauline stood in the doorway feasting her eyes on the lights and shadows which grouped themselves about the distant hills, when Lemuel brushed past her, clad in his Sunday best.
'Why, Lemuel!' she cried astonished, 'you haven't had your supper yet. Where are you going?'
'To China,' was the brusque response. 'I've hed enuff of Sleepy Hollow, an' bein' ordered round by an old man with his head in the moon. It's "Lemuel, do this," an' before I git started it's "Lemuel, do the t'other thing." You kin stand it ef you're a mind ter; I won't.'
'But, Lemuel!' gasped Pauline, 'what will Stephen say?'
'I don't care what he says,' said the boy roughly. 'Stephen ain't my boss.'
'Oh, Lemuel, you can't mean it!' cried Pauline, as she followed him down the path to the main road.
'See if I don't!' And he strode away from her, and vaulted over the gate.
'Git somebody that's ez loony ez himself. I ain't,' was the jeering reply.
'Lemuel, you mustn't go, it will kill father!' and Pauline stretched out her hands to him appealingly.
A mocking laugh was the only reply as he disappeared round a bend of the road.
Pauline went slowly back to the house feeling bruised and stunned.
'Pawliney,' piped her father in his shrill voice, 'where's Lemuel? I told him to take the horse to the forge, and hoe the potatoes, and weed the onions, and go to the woods for a load. I don't see how I'm to get through with such a lot of heedless boys around. What hev you done with him? You just spoil them all with your cossetin'.'
'It will all come right, father,' said Pauline soothingly. 'Lemuel has gone away for awhile.'
'Away!' echoed the old man suspiciously. 'Away, Pawliney? Did you know he was going?'
'Yes, father; he will be back by-and-by, and Stephen will be home next week.'
She paced her room that night with a heavy heart. There was no way to hinder the misguided boy. Before Stephen could follow him he would be on the sea. He had often declared he meant to be a sailor. Suddenly she stopped, thunder-struck. The lid of her strong box had been forced open! With an awful dread at her heart she lifted it and looked in. The money was gone!
With a bitter cry she fell upon her knees. 'A thief!' Her Lemuel. The boy that she had borne with and prayed over all these years! And the money was due in a month! What should she do? Stephen must never know--Stephen, with his stalwart honesty and upright soul. His anger would be terrible, and she must shield Lemuel all she could. Poor Lemuel!