Bythistimenotamalevillagerwastobeseenintheparish。
Owlettwasnotathismill，thefarmerswerenotintheirfields，theparsonwasnotinhisgarden，thesmithhadlefthisforge，andthewheelwright’sshopwassilent。
’Wherethedivilarethefolkgone？’saidLatimer，wakinguptothefactoftheirabsence，andlookinground。’I’llhave’emupforthis！Whydon’ttheycomeandhelpus？There’snotamanabouttheplacebuttheMethodistparson，andhe’sanoldwoman。Idemandassistanceintheking’sname！’
’Wemustfindthejineralpublicaforewecandemandthat，’saidhislieutenant。
’Well，well，weshalldobetterwithout’em，’saidLatimer，whochangedhismoodsatamoment’snotice。’Butthere’sgreatcauseofsuspicioninthissilenceandthiskeepingoutofsight，andI’llbearitinmind。NowwewillgoacrosstoOwlett’sorchard，andseewhatwecanfindthere。’