t they get that German farmer, who
lives a mile or two away, to haul some stuff from Grafton, if the girl
couldn't walk there?"

"You forget that the man said he didn't have even a dollar, when those
tramps threatened to torture him, to make him tell where he had his
treasure; and Bristles, it takes cold cash to buy things these days. Old
Dog Trust is dead, the merchants say. But hurry that coffee along.
Hello! here's a part of a can of condensed milk, and some sugar. That's
good!"

Fred went into the other room about that time; for hearing voices, he
imagined the girl must have put on some dry clothes hurriedly, and once
more descended to be with her sick father.

She looked better, Fred thought, and there was even a slight color in
her cheeks. He was afraid, however, of what the long exposure might
bring, and determined that Doctor Temple must hear of the case. A little
care right then might be the means of warding off a severe illness.

"Please go in the kitchen, and stand near the stove all you can, miss,"
he said.

"But I am not cold any longer," she replied, giving him a smile that
told of the gratitude in her heart.

"You need all the warmth you can get," he insisted. "As soon as the
coffee is ready, you must swallow a cup or two of it, piping hot. And I
think it would do your father good, too."

Accordingly, as there seemed to be a vein of authority in his voice, the
girl complied. She found that the coffee was already beginning to
simmer, and send out a fragrant smell; for Bristles had made a furious
fire, regardless of consequences.

"Hope I don't burn your house down, Sarah," he said. "Excuse me, but I
used to know you a long time ago, when you lived in Riverport. My name
is Bris--that is, at home they call me Andy Carpenter."

"Oh! I do remember you now," she replied, quickly; "but it is so long
ago. Father never mentions Riverport any more; he seems to hate the
name. I think some one wronged him there, and it must have been my
uncle, because every time I happened to speak of him, he would grow
angry, and finally told me never to mention that name again. But you
have made this coffee very strong, Andy."

"Fred told me to; he said you both needed it," answered the boy. "And I
wouldn't worry if I was you, because I used up all there is. We're going
to see that more comes along this way, and that before night."

"Oh! it makes me feel ashamed to think that we are going to be objects
of charity," th