er mistress put no further inquiries, but led her away
down the stairs, still dripping moisture,--a fact that no stress of
emotion could hide from the critical sight of two such housekeepers.

"Them stairs! An' I washin' 'em all up clean just afore sundown! Lucky I
hadn't put down the carpet yet, though I'd laid out--Oh, my suz!"

This was the first coherent sentence, if such it can be called, which
escaped the terrified woman, while she was being undressed and freshly
clothed in the warm things Eunice had provided.

"Yes, dear heart. But never mind the stairs. Did you find Katharine?"

"Nuther hide nor hair of her. Likely she's gone visitin' some the
village little girls. She's that friendly she's been into most every
house a'ready. She's safe enough. She won't never come to harm, Katy
won't. But, Eunice, he's come! I've seen him!"

"Who's come? What 'him,' dear?" asked the other, gently, and thinking
that exposure and fright had made this usually clear-headed Susanna a
little flighty. "Here, take a cup of tea. I made it fresh but a few
minutes ago. It will refresh you and quiet you wonderfully."

Now, as a rule, the Widow Sprigg needed no urging to drink her favorite
beverage, which, like many another countrywoman,--more's the pity!--she
kept steeping on the stove all day long. But now, for an instant, she
looked doubtfully upon the cup; then, as a sudden whim seized her,
caught it up eagerly and again ascended the stairs to Moses' bedroom. He
lay motionless, his leg kept taut by a ball and chain and his poor body
encased in plaster, but he could use his arms and eyes, the one thrown
restlessly here and there and the other glittering with impatient
curiosity.

"Well, there, Moses Jones! How many times have you jeered an' gibed at
me for believin' in 'tramps'? Wasn't 'none,' was there? Well, there
_is_. I've seen him. _He--he chased me!_ All the way from the Mansion
till I got clean to the post-office--an' then--then--he--he cut for the
woods! Oh, my suz! Be I dreamin' or awake?"

The recalling of her frightful experience again so unnerved her that she
sat down trembling on the edge of Moses' cot, and would have spilled her
tea had not Eunice caught the cup in time to prevent.

"You're crazy!" retorted Mr. Jones, unconvinced. "And there ain't no
call, as I can see, for you to set down on my broke leg. That awful ball
the doctor tied to it'll keep it straight enough, I 'low."

Susanna sprang up as if she had b