ll tear her in pieces for it!" I cried, angrily; and my teeth ground
together, and my fists involuntarily clinched.

"No, no, brother! Don't say anything about it," pleaded Flora. "Perhaps
it was my fault; I contradicted her. She said you stole the money from
the letter, and I persisted that you did not. O, Buckland, that was
awful--to say you were a thief! I could not bear it."

"I am not a thief!"

"But have you some money?"

"I have."

"Where did you get it?" she asked, anxiously.

"I cannot tell them where I got it. I will tell you a little; but you
must not breathe a word of it to any one."

"I will not, Buckland."

"I saved the life of a gentleman who had been drinking too much; and he
gave me the money. He made me promise that I would not tell any one
about it."

"Who was he?" asked she, excited by my story.

"I cannot tell even you who he was. He was very penitent, and wished me
to save his character. Flora, it was Ham who robbed the mail. I saw him
do it."

I told her what I had seen in the store the night the senator arrived,
and that Ham accused me of the crime in order to save himself.

"You will be sent to prison, Buckland!" exclaimed she, in terror, as she
threw her arm around my neck. "Ham hates you, and so do his father and
mother."

"Dear Flora, if you will go with me, I will not stay another night with
our tyrants. They abuse us both."

"Where will you go?"

"To New Orleans."

I will not pause to detail the arguments by which I convinced her that
it was best for us to leave Torrentville at once. In the morning the
constable would be sent for; and, while those who were left as my
protectors were really my enemies, I could not hope to escape their
malignity. This was the reasoning of a boy. Doubtless I was influenced
by the fact that the raft was ready for use, and by a desire to embark
upon a period of adventure.

"How can we go?" asked she; for I had said nothing to her about my craft
yet.

"I have built a raft with a house upon it," I replied.

"A raft!"

"Yes; it is big enough to hold twenty men."

"But we can't go to New Orleans on a raft."

"Perhaps not; but when we get tired of it, we can take a steamboat and
go the rest of the way. We shall have no tyrants to vex us," I added,
with enthusiasm. "I have made a nice house for you, dear Flora."

"I will do anything you say, Buckland," said she, clasping her arms
around my neck. "I cannot stay here."

"Then we must go