Good-day, gentlemen." He went our furious and rode homeward at speed.

Before the Squire reached Grey Pine he had recovered his temper and his habitual capacity to meet the difficulties of life with judicial calmness.

He had long been sure that Josiah had been a slave and had run away.

But after these years, that he should have been discovered in this remote little town seemed to him singular.

The man was useful to him in several ways and had won his entire respect and liking, so that he felt personal annoyance because of this valuable servant having been scared away.