e ter bed wid the winder beside him wide open, an'
the nights plumb cole an' varmints a wanderin' roun'--"

"Why, Joe, what are you talking about? I never left it open. I'd be
afraid that that cat of Ralph's would jump in and wake him, if nothing
else. When it's open at all I'm careful to open it from the top; but
it's so cool to-night that I didn't open it."

"I jess reckons yo' furgot ter shet it, honey," Joe insisted.

"I'm quite sure it hasn't been opened," returned Jessie, who did not
give up a point easily. I could see, though I had no doubt that Joe
was right, that the matter really puzzled her.

"Ralph, he de libin' picter ob Mas'r Ralph, w'en he was a little
feller, an' hit in' no ways likely dat I gwine ter set still an' see
Mas'r Ralph's onliest son lose his 'heritance; not ef I can holp it,"
Joe remarked reflectively, after Jessie had again proclaimed that she
did not leave the window open.

The words reminded me of the danger which still threatened us, in
spite of the providential help that Joe's coming had brought us.

A new idea occurred to me. "Jessie," I said, "there's nothing to
hinder your going down to town as early as you please to-night, now
that Joe has come, and Mr. Wilson will be left free to go with you."

Jessie sprang to her feet, as if she would go on the instant.

"That is so!" she exclaimed. "Oh, Joe, how glad I am that you came
just as you did!"

The matter was then explained to Joe, who volunteered to go over at
once to Mr. Wilson's and arrange to take his place in the morning,
thus leaving him free to go with Jessie.

It was past ten o'clock and the moon was just coming up over the
tree-tops when Joe started on his two-mile tramp to Mr. Wilson's.

"You'd better take one of the horses," Jessie had told him.

"W'at fur I want ob a hoss? Rudder hab my own two footses to trabbel
on--if dey is kine o' onsartain some times--dan airy four-legged hoss
dat eber libed," Joe returned, disrespectfully.

Sure that our good neighbor would return with him, Jessie proceeded to
make ready for the trip. We were not disappointed. After a wait of
about an hour we heard the rattle of approaching wheels, and presently
Mr. Wilson, with Joe in the cart beside him, stopped the fast colt
before the gate.

"All ready, Miss Jessie?" he sang out in response to our eager
greeting.

"Yes," said Jessie, "I'm quite ready."

"Climb right in, then, and we'll get well started before midnight.
Whatever