WhetherAbner’sattendanceonthebutcherwasmerelyanexcusetowithdrawwiththedecanter，Icannotsay。He，however，dispatchedhisbusinessquickly，andreturnedtothetree。ButtohissurpriseMr。Byerswasnolongerthere。Heexploredtheadjacentwoodlandwithnon-success，andnoreplytohisshouting。Annoyedbutnotalarmed，asitseemedprobablethatthemissingmanhadfalleninadrunkensleepinsomehiddenshadows，hereturnedtothehouse，whenitoccurredtohimthatByersmighthavesoughtthebar-roomforsomeliquor。ButhewasstillmoresurprisedwhenthebarkeepervolunteeredtheinformationthathehadseenMr。Byershurriedlypassdownthesideverandaintothehighroad。Anhourlaterthiswascorroboratedbyanarrivingteamster，whohadpassedamanansweringtothedescriptionofByers，\"mor’’nhalffull，\"
staggeringlybuthurriedlywalkingalongtheroad\"twomilesback。\"
Thereseemedtobenodoubtthatthemissingmanhadtakenhimselfoffinafitofindignationorofextremethirst。EitherhypothesiswasdisagreeabletoAbner，inhisqueersenseofresponsibilitytoMrs。Byers，butheaccepteditwithhisusualgood-humoredresignation。
YetitwasdifficulttoconceivewhatconnectionthisepisodehadinhismindwithhissuspendedattentiontoMaryEllen，orwhyitshoulddeterminehispurpose。Buthehadalogicofhisown，anditseemedtohavedemonstratedtohimthathemustproposetothegirlatonce。Thiswasnoeasymatter，however；hehadnevershownheranypreviousattention，andherparticularfunctionsinthehotel，——thechargeofthefewbedroomsfortransientguests——seldombroughthimincontactwithher。Hisinterviewwouldhavetoappeartobeabusinessone——which，however，hewishedtoavoidfromadelicateconsciousnessofitstruth。Whilemakinguphismind，forafewdayshecontentedhimselfwithgravelyregardingherinhisusualresigned，tolerantway，wheneverhepassedher。
UnfortunatelythefirsteffectofthiswasanaudiblegigglefromMaryEllen，latersomeconfusionandanxietyinhermanner，andfinallyademeanorofresentmentanddefiance。