place." Tobe proceeded to obey without demur or
questioning.

Since last we saw him, Tobe had tried his luck with a fifth "woman,"
and lived in a two-room shanty on a clearing in the mountains.

Checkers walked ahead until they reached the house. "Drive up as near
to the door as you can, Tobe," he said. "I 'll be out in a minute."

Mandy was preparing his supper in the kitchen. "Mandy," said Checkers,
"I 'm afraid I 've got bad news for you. I 'm going away to-night, and
I may not come back again; so, Mandy, I 'm afraid I won't need you any
more."

Mandy's honest black face took on a comically serious look. Her lip
hung pendulously, as she slowly shook her gaudily turbaned head. "You
aint goin' sho' 'nough, is you, Marse Checkahs?" she asked, for lack of
something better to say.

"Yes, Mandy, I'm going to-night," he said, "and before I go I want to
lock up this house. So after you 've washed the dishes and put things
to rights, you 'd better arrange to go home. And, Mandy, there 's a
number of things here I 'll never need, that would make your cabin very
comfortable. Tobe is here with his wagon, and I 'll get him to give
you a lift with them to-night."

"Thank you, Marse Checkahs, thank you, sah," was all the poor old soul
could say.

Two hours later Tobe drove out of the gate with a wagonful of
furniture, carpets, bedding, and kitchen utensils, en route for Mandy's
cabin. Mandy sat beside him, rocking back and forth, and crooning to
herself in a curious mixture of boundless grief and delirious joy.

Tobe returned and piled another wagon-load even higher. This was
destined for the cabin in the mountains. Tobe's delight was
indescribable, and his efforts to express his thanks were quite as
futile as had been those of Mandy. Checkers had allowed the two to
take every useful article they chose from all save the parlor and
Pert's room. Those rooms remained inviolate.

"I will write to Judge Martin to-night, Tobe," said Checkers, "telling
him what I have done for you and Mandy, in case any one should question
how you came by all this plunder. This furniture belongs to me," he
muttered to himself, "whatever the law may do with the house and
ground, for I bought it and paid for it myself, and never gave it to
anybody."

"Now, Tobe, one thing more, here 's my trunk; put it on your wagon and
drop it off at the station on your way through town. That's it.
Good-bye, old fellow; my regards to the madam