Cruel As The Grave

"No, marser, no clue an't been found to no murderer. But the house up

there is full of crowners and constables, as if it was the county court

house, and Cappin Pendulum managing everything."

"He sent you to me?"

"No, marser, nor likewise knowed I come."

"Joe! who has sent you here?" inquired Mr. Berners.

"No one hasn't, marser," answered Joe, dashing the tears from his eyes,

and then proceeding to unstrap a large hamper that he carried upon his

shoulders.

"No one! Then how came you here?" demanded Mr. Berners, uneasily.

Now, instead of answering his master's question, Joe sat down upon his

hamper, and wept aloud.

"What is the matter with you?" inquired Mr. Berners.

"You axed me how I comed here," sobbed Joe, "just as if I could keep

away when she and you was here in trouble, and a-wanting some one to

look arter you."

"But how did you know we were here?" anxiously questioned Mr. Berners.

"I wa'n't a listening at key-holes, nor likewise a-eaves-dropping, which

I considers beneath a gentleman to do; but I was a-looking to the back

shutters, to see as they was all safe arter the fright we got, and I

hearn somebody a-talking, which I was sure was more bugglers; so I made

free to wait and hear what they said."

"It was Captain Pendleton and myself, I suppose," said Mr. Berners, much

annoyed.

"Jes so, sir; it wer Capping Pendulum and yourself, which it hurt me to

the heart as you should have trusted into Capping Pendulum and not into

me--a old and valleyed servant of the family."

"And so, Joe, you overheard the whole matter?"

"Which I did, sir, and shocked I was to think as any false charges

should cause my dear young missus to run away from home in the

night-time, like a fusible slave. And hurt I was to think you didn't

trust into me instead of into he."

"Well, Joe, it appears to me that you were resolved to take our trust,

if we did not give it to you. What brought you here this morning?"

"Coffee, sir," gravely answered Joe, getting up off the hamper and

beginning to untie its fastenings.

"What?" demanded Mr. Berners, gathering his brows into a frown.

"COFFEE!" reiterated Joe, as he took from the hamper a small silver

coffee-pot, a pair of cups and saucers, spoons, plates, and knives and

forks, a bottle of cream, and several small packets containing all that

was needful for breakfast.

"Joe! this was very kind and thoughtful of you; but was it quite safe

for you to come here with a hamper on your back in open day?" inquired

Mr. Berners.

"Lord bless you, sir! safe as safe! I took by-paths, and didn't see a

creetur, not one! Why, lord, sir, you had better a-trusted into me from

the beginning, than into Capping Pendulum. Bress your soul, marser,

there an't that white man going, nor yet that red injun, that can aiqual

a colored gentleman into hiding and seeking!"