ath.

CHAPTER XVII.

A SELF-ELECTED CONSTABLE

If Susanna could ever have been "knocked down with a feather," as she
often averred, she might have been then.

Indignation, consternation, amazement, all the emotions which have to be
expressed in polysyllables, pictured themselves on her countenance as
she paused on the bedroom threshold and looked at the intruder over her
spectacles, through them, and below them. He lay face down upon the
pillows, his dirty boots reposing on her choicest log-cabin quilt, and
his groans fairly chilling the blood even in her veins, used though she
was to the habits of men in illness. Moses, in his groaniest days, had
rarely equalled this.

After the moment's pause her mind worked quickly, and she expressed it
in words, spoken more to herself than to Kate, close beside her.

"He mustn't lie there, that way, with them filthy old shoes on. He acts
as if he was at the p'int o' death, though folks a-dyin' don't gen'ally
caterwaul like that. I bet I know what ails him! It's them pies an'
things he stole! If 'tis, I'm glad of it, serves him right!" she
finished, triumphantly, and in her satisfaction went so far as to
approach the bed and shake the man's shoulder.

At first he paid no attention to her, and his groans did not cease,
though they became rather intermittent, as if the paroxysms of pain were
less frequent. Finally, her voice, now pitched to its shrillest,
penetrated his consciousness, and at her question: "What's the matter
with ye? Got the colic?" he turned upon his side and his face was
revealed.

Then, indeed, did Susanna's countenance undergo a more wonderful change.
All the emotions which had earlier crossed it concentrated in one
prolonged stare, while she felt her strength oozing from her till she
knew she should fall. Her hand left the stranger's shoulder and dropped
limply to her side, her jaw fell, and she would have sunk down upon the
floor had not Katharine slipped a chair forward to receive her. Upon
this she settled, still staring and speechless; and as if he, too, were
profoundly moved, the tramp ceased groaning altogether and fixed his
burning gaze on her. So they remained, and for so long, that Kate grew
frantic, and begged:

"Oh, Susanna! what is wrong? Why do you look at him like that? Why does
he look at you? Is he dying? Do you know him? Does he know you? Can't we
do something for him? It's so dreadful to see anybody suffer. Even he,
poor fellow