f a smile. A smile, not at the sorry
jest, but at the thought that at this hour there should have come to
him so whimsical a fancy.

A number of days went by. He simply drifted, doing a few needful
duties mechanically; sometimes eating the food which Mandy prepared for
him, but oftener going without altogether; sitting, brooding, hours at
a time, gazing vacantly into space.

Mrs. Barlow--he learned one day from the doctor, who stopped a moment
in passing--had taken a slight turn for the better. Mr. Barlow, the
following morning appeared, as Checkers stood meditatively surveying a
fine old apple tree, from which a large limb, hanging heavy with fruit,
had been blown during the night.

"Thar," snorted the old man as he came up; "thar ye go, with yer
dog-durned laziness. If you 'd o' propped that limb weeks ago, as you
'd ought t' done, you 'd o' saved me a couple o' barrels o'
apples--Shannons, too. It's high time I was takin' a holt here myself.
Git the saw and the grafting-wax." Checkers obeyed, and stood
apathetically watching Mr. Barlow minister to the tree's necessity.

"Now," said the old man, when at last he had finished, "come and set in
the shade; I want to have a talk with ye;" and he led the way around to
the doorstep. Both sat down. The old man drew a plug of "Horseshoe"
from his pocket, and cut off a liberal piece, which he chewed into a
comfortable consistency before beginning.

"Now, boy," he said, "luck's ben a-comin' mighty hard for you and me
these last few weeks, and I ain 't a-sayin' it's over yit for both o'
us." Checkers made no response.

The old man chewed ruminatingly, and spat at a "devil's-horse" which
sat alertly atop of a shrub near by. "Y' see," he continued, "times is
gittin' wuss and wuss; banks failin' everywhar, and nawthin' wuth a
cent on th' shillin', 'cept Gov'ment bonds. Corn aint wuth nawthin;
farmers is feedin' their wheat to th' hogs, and cotton ye could n't
give away." Again there was a silence, and again the "devil's-horse"
narrowly escaped a deluge.

"By the way, whar 've ye got them Gov'ment bonds o' yourn?" Checkers
came out of his reverie at the question.

"Mr. Bradley 's got them put away in the safe for me at the store," he
answered.

"Mm-hmm!" mused the old man; "I was kinder wonderin' whether ye ever
give any on 'em away, like ye done th' place here;" and he glanced at
Checkers cunningly out of the corner of his eye.

"I never gave them away," sa