how a new wheel should be supplied here, and a lately invented
improvement introduced there. Each of them at the moment was care-
laden with special thoughts of his own, but nevertheless, as men of
business, they knew that the hour was precious and used it. To
saunter into the woods and do nothing was not at all in accordance
with Michel's usual mode of life; and though he hummed and hawed,
and doubted and grumbled, he took a note of all his son said, and
was quite of a mind to make use of his son's wit.

'I shall be over at Epinal the day after tomorrow,' he said as they
left the mill, 'and I'll see if I can get the new crank there.'

'They'll be sure to have it at Heinman's,' said George, as they
began to descend the hill. From the spot on which they had been
standing the walk down to Granpere would take them more than an
hour. It might well be that they might make it an affair of two or
three hours, if they went up to other timber-cuttings on their
route; but George was sure that as soon as he began to tell his
story his father would make his way straight for home. He would be
too much moved to think of his timber, and too angry to desire to
remain a minute longer than he could help in company with his son.
Looking at all the circumstances as carefully as he could, George
thought that he had better begin at once. 'As you feel Marie's
going so much,' he said, 'I wonder that you are so anxious to send
her away.'

'That's a poor argument, George, and one that I should not have
expected from you. Am I to keep her here all her life, doing no
good for herself, simply because I like to have her here? It is in
the course of things that she should be married, and it is my duty