"To-morrow--" he muttered under his breath, and slowly tore the
sheet of note-paper into thin ribbons. He turned to Jeff. "Mr.
Charley won't be home until late," he said.

"Then I 'low yo' want yo' supper now, Sar?" But Carrington shook
his head.

"No, you needn't bother, Jeff," he said, as he turned toward the
stairs.

Ten minutes later and he had got together his belongings and was
ready to quit Thicket Point. He retraced his steps to the floor
below. In the hall he paused and glanced about him. He seemed
to feel her presence--and very near--to-morrow she would enter
there as Norton's wife. With his pack under his arm he entered
the dining-room in search of Jeff.

"Tell your master I have gone to Memphis," he said briefly.

"Ain't yo' goin' to have a hoss, Mas'r Carrington?" demanded Jeff
in some surprise. He had come to regard the Kentuckian as a
fixture.

"No," said Carrington. "Good-by, Jeff," he added, turning away.

But when he left Thicket Point he did not take the Memphis road,
but the road to Belle Plain. Walking rapidly, he reached the
entrance to the lane within the hour. Here he paused
irresolutely, it was as if the force of his purpose had already