Mas'r Ralph Gordon--dat's yo's now, Miss Jessie, honey, cause yo's
ob age."

Joe had remembered that important fact, too, it seemed. We could only
stare at him in speechless amazement, while he concluded, abruptly:
"So doan let's heah no more fool talk 'bout borrowin' money. We's
got a plenty, I tells yo'. I been a-keepin' hit in de bank at
Arnold--whar' Mas'r Ralph an' me stopped fur quite a spell 'afore we
done come yer--an' so, a few days ago, I done slipped ober to Arnold
an' drawed de money out, an' put it in de bank at Fa'hplay, subject
to de order ob Miss Jessie Gordon--dat's yo', honey," he added, as
if fearful that Jessie might not recognize herself under this formal
appellation. He was holding his coffee-cup suspended, half-way to his
lips, while he looked at us exultantly, and then we both expressed our
feelings in a characteristic manner. I ran to him, and threw my arms
around his neck.

"Oh, Joe! Joe! you are an angel!" I sobbed, dropping my head on his
shoulder.

"Maybe I is," the old man admitted, stiffly, edging away; "but if
dere's airy angel, w'ite or black, w'at likes ter hab hot coffee
spilled ober his laigs, I ain' nebber met up wid him!"

"I'll get you another cup, Joe," I said, laughing, as I brushed away
my tears. While I was getting it, Jessie clung to his rough old hand.

"God bless you, Joe! Oh, you have lifted such a weight from my heart!
I don't know how to thank you; but Joe, we'll pay it all back to you!
We will, if it takes the place to do it!"

Joe, freeing his hand from her clasp, rose to his feet--not stiffly,
this time, but with a certain grave dignity. Motioning aside the
coffee that I was bringing, he picked his ragged old hat up from the
floor beside his chair, put it on, pulled it down over his eyes, and
started for the door.

"'Fore Heaben! I wouldn't 'a' beliebed dat one ob Mas'r Ralph Gordon's
chillen gwine fur insult me like dis!" he muttered, huskily; "Talk ob
payin' me! Me, like I was a stranger, an' didn' belong to de fambly!"

"Wait!" cried Jessie, springing forward, as the old man laid a
trembling hand on the door knob. "Wait, sit down, Joe, dear Joe, don't
desert us when we need you most! As for the money, God bless you for
making sure of our home, for, of course, it's your home, too, always,
always! And I'll never pay a cent of the money back; not if I use it
all!"

"Yo's gwine hab to use hit all, honey," Joe returned, with a beaming
face, as he resumed his