Cruel As The Grave

He unstrapped a portmanteau from his shoulders and threw it down near

the fire, and seated himself upon it. Then turning to Mr. Berners, he

said: "I have made arrangements with your faithful Joe to bring certain

necessaries to this place to-night. They cannot, you know, be brought to

this spot by the same direct route that we took in coming here. But as

soon as the moon goes down, which will be about one o'clock, Joe will

launch a boat just below Black Hall and come across the river with all

that is most needed. There he will find a cart and horse waiting for

him. He will load the cart and drive it up here to the entrance of the

thicket."

"But that cart, Pendleton?"

"Yes! you will wonder how I got it there without exciting suspicion. It

was done in this way. I ordered Joe to bring it boldly up in front of

the house, and to put in it the boxes containing my own and my sister's

masquerade dresses, and to take them over to our place. Joe understood

and obeyed me, and drove the cart to Blackville, and crossed the river

at the ferry, under the very eyes of the constable stationed there to

watch. He brought the cart down this bank, and left it concealed in a

clearing of the wood. He will watch his opportunity, as soon as it is

dark enough to swim across the river, and launch the boat and fill it

with the necessaries that he will secretly obtain from Black Hall. It is

a business that will require considerable tact and discretion; or at

least, great secretiveness and cautiousness," added Captain Pendleton.

"And these, Joe, like all his race, possesses in excess," observed Lyon

Berners.

"Are the guests all gone away from the house?" inquired Sybil.

"Nearly all. My sister remains there for the present to watch your

interests, Mrs. Berners. The old Judge also, to superintend legal

processes; but even he will go away in the morning, I think."

While they spoke, a loud sneeze and then a cough was heard outside, and

then Joe walked in, with a doubled up mattress on his head.

"This here is moving under difficulties, Master," he panted, as he laid

the mattress down on the stone floor.

"How ever did you get that along the narrow path through the thicket,

Joe?" inquired Sybil.

"You may well ax that, Missis. I had to lay it down endways, and drag

it. Howsever, I has got all the things through the worst part of the way

now, and they's all out in the church-yard," answered Joe, recovering

his breath, and starting for the remaining goods.

He soon returned, bringing in a small assortment of bedding, clothing,

and so forth. And in another trip he brought in a small supply of food

and a few cooking utensils.