our side agin' them."

Despite herself, Bessie felt a certain pity for the coward coming over
her. She released his shoulder, and stood looking at him with infinite
scorn in her eyes.

"And to think I was ever afraid of you!" she said, aloud.

"That's right, Bess," he said, pleadingly. "I wouldn't hurt you--you
know that, don't you? I used to like to tease you and worry you a bit,
but I never meant any real harm. I was always good to you, mostly,
wasn't I?"

"Dolly!" called Bessie, sharply. She didn't know just what to do, and
she felt that, having Jake here, he should be held. It had been plain
that Charlie Jamieson had considered what he had to tell valuable.

"Hello! Did you call me, Bessie?" said Dolly, coming out of the tent.
"Oh!"

The exclamation was wrung out of her as she saw and recognized Jake.

"So he's spying around here now, is he?" she said. "I told you he was a
bad lot when you let him go at Windsor, didn't I? I knew he'd be up to
his old tricks again just as soon as he got half a chance."

"Never mind that, Dolly. Tell Miss Eleanor he's here, will you, and ask
her to come out! I think she'd better see him, now that he's here."

"That's right--and, say, tell her to hurry, will you?" begged Jake. "I
can't stay here--I'm afraid they'll catch me."

Dolly went into the tent again, and in a moment Eleanor Mercer came out.
She had never seen Jake before, but she knew all about him for Bessie
and Zara had told her enough of his history for her to be more intimate
with his life than his own parents.

"Good evening, Jake," she said, as she saw him. "So you decided to talk
to us instead of to Mr. Jamieson? Well, I'm glad you're here, I'll have
to keep you waiting a minute, but I shan't be long. Stay right there
till I come back."

"Yes, ma'am," whined Jake. "But do hurry, please, ma'am! I'm afraid of
what they'll do to me if they find I'm here."

Eleanor was gone only a few minutes, and when she returned she was
smiling, as if at some joke that she shared with no one.

"I'm sure you haven't had any supper, Jake," she said. "The girls have
finished. See, they're coming out now. Come inside, and I'll see that
you get a good meal. You'll be able to talk better when you've eaten."

Jake hesitated, plainly struggling between his hunger and his fear. But
hunger won, and he went into the tent, followed by Bessie and Dolly,
who, although the service was reluctant on Dolly's part, at least, saw
to it that