nt hard breathing, although by this time I was very much awake
and consumed by curiosity and suspicion. For at least half an hour,
Halse tossed and turned about, seeming to be very restless and uneasy;
in fact, he was still turning, when I fell asleep in very truth.

When I first waked next morning, I did not recollect this circumstance
of the previous evening; in fact, it did not come into my mind till we
had gone out to milk the cows. I then began to think it over earnestly
and continued doing so throughout the forenoon. At first I had no
thought of telling any one what I had heard, for although Halse had
recently threatened me, I did not wish to play the spy on him.

But the idea that something wrong was on foot grew very strong within
me. The more I pondered the circumstances the more certain I felt of it.
At length I concluded to speak of it to Theodora; for some reason my
choice of a confidante fell instinctively on her.

We were "cultivating" the corn that forenoon with old Sol, and hoeing it
for the second time. Finally, I made an excuse to go to the house for a
jug of sweetened water. While preparing it, I found opportunity to call
Theodora into the wood-shed, and first exacting a promise of secrecy
from her, I told her what had occurred the previous evening.

She seemed surprised at first, then terrified, and I went back to the
field with my jug, leaving her greatly disturbed.

When we came in at noon, she motioned me aside in the pantry and said
hurriedly, that I must tell Addison and ask him to speak with her after
dinner.

Twice during the afternoon we saw Theodora out in sight of the
corn-field, and I knew that she was anxiously looking for a word or sign
from Addison. At last, towards supper time, taking advantage of a few
minutes when Halse had gone to the horse pasture with old Sol, I briefly
mentioned the thing to Addison and proffered Theodora's request for an
interview.

Addison listened with a frown. "I think I know who that was under the
window," said he. "Halse has been running round with him, on the sly,
for a month, and they've got some kind of a 'dido' planned out."

"Suppose it is anything bad?" I queried.

"Oh, I don't know," said Ad, impatiently. "Bad enough, I'll warrant you.
If it is the fellow I think it is, he is an out-and-out 'tough' and a
blackguard. One of those chaps that are hanging round Tibbett's rum shop
out at the Corners. You may be sure that a man of that stamp isn't