Ralph murmured a low negative.

"Well, then, I'll tell you I'm----"

A sound of feet striking the floor heavily was heard from one of the
other rooms, and was followed by the voice of Mr. Dopples, calling out:

"Tildy! Oh, Tildy! Where be ye, Tildy?"

CHAPTER III.

Ralph Continues His Journey.

The form at Ralph's bedside grasped his hand again in a warning
pressure.

"Keep quiet," it said. "I'm your Aunt Tildy. I have something to say
to you by and by."

The figure vanished, and presently the lad heard his aunt say:

"What are you fussin' about, Mr. Dopples? Can't a body stir 'thout you
havin' a fit?"

"I only wanted to know where ye were," was the shock headed man's
reply. "What are ye progin' round this time o' night for?"

"Cause I want to. Now shet up and go to sleep."

While Ralph was wondering what on earth his aunt, whom he had never
seen before, could want to say to him at such an hour, the talking in
the other room died away, and was succeeded soon by a resonant snoring,
that denoted Mr. Dopples' prompt obedience to his wife's last command.

Shortly thereafter she swept softly into the boy's room, wrapped in a
shawl and seated herself at his side.

"Are you awake?" she said in a whisper.

Ralph said, "Yes;" and propped himself in a listening attitude.

"You think strange, I reckon, at my comin' to you in this way," she
began. "You've never seen and hardly ever heard of us before. But
when I learned the way your grandpap have treated you, I felt sorry,
and I want to help you what little I can."

"I'm mightily obliged, aunt," replied Ralph, still puzzled how to
connect this friendly wish with the object of such a visit as she was
making tonight.

"Hit was a brother of mine as fought that fight with John Vaughn. I
used to believe in the feud, but I don't now. It's a wicked thing to
seek people's lives. Both sides have suffered enough, Ralph, and I say
let there be peace."

"Amen," muttered the lad heartily.

"But what I wanted to let you know was about this Captain Shard, as
Dopples wants you to go and see. My man never quarrels with
nobody--bless his old soul! Therefore, he never 'spicious that any of
his friends would want to, either. There's where he is wrong."

"Yes; but I don't see how that can apply to Captain Shard, whom I never
heard of before."

"I know you don't, but I do. Captain Shard's mother was a Vaughn.
Now, do you see?"

"Good gracious! But i