Cruel As The Grave

"Well, Marse Lyon, I reckon as how you can relish a cup of coffee as

well as she; so please to let me wait on you, sir."

Mr. Berners thanked Joe, and threw himself down upon the ground, and

made such a breakfast as a hungry man can make, even under the most

deplorable circumstances.

"Now you know, sir, when the Missus wakes up, be it longer or shorter, I

can make fresh coffee for her in ten minutes," said Joe, cheerfully.

"But you cannot stay here very long. You'll be missed from the house,"

objected Mr. Berners.

"Please, sir, I have so well provided for all that, that I can stay till

night. Bless you, sir, I told my fellow-servants as I was going to take

some corn to the mill to be ground, and was agoin' to wait all day to

fetch it home; and so I really did take the corn, and told the miller I

should come arter it this evening, and so I shall, and take it home all

right, accordin' to my word."

"That was a very politic proceeding, Joe; but how could you account to

them for the hamper you brought away, and which must have excited

suspicion, if not inquiry?"

"Bless you, sir, I wasn't fool enough to let them see the hamper. All

they saw was the two bags of corn as I rode out of the gate with. I had

filled the hamper on the sly, and hid it in the bushes by the road,

until I went by and picked it up."

"Still better, Joe! But your horse? what horse did you ride, and what

have you done with him?"

"I rode Dick, which I have tied him fast in the deep woods on the other

side of the river. I crossed over the rapids with the help of a pole,"

explained Joe.

While they were speaking, a step was heard crushing through the dried

brushwood, and in another moment Captain Pendleton, pale, sad, and

weary, stood before them.