"No," I said; "come home with me first and have some breakfast, and
get brushed up a little."

"I will," he replied, readily, adding, with a rueful glance at his
torn clothing, "I need a little mending done about as bad as any one
I've seen lately."

Guard and I walked along the ravine with him, while he led his horse.
On emerging from the ravine Mr. Horton suddenly stopped, and began
looking anxiously around. "That meat, now," he observed, at length,
"it ought not to be left layin' around."

I had put the poisoned meat up in the fork of a pine tree, and now
showed it to him. "We'd better dispose of it," he said, taking it
down. Reaching the house, I went on in to prepare breakfast for my
unlooked-for guest, who lingered outside until his horse was cared
for; then he came in, and, going straight to the stove, lifted the lid
and dropped the meat on the glowing coals. "There!" he exclaimed,
replacing the lid, "that bit of death won't hurt anything now."

An hour afterward, washed, brushed, and partially mended--for I do
hate mending, even in a righteous cause, like this--breakfasted, and
with his horse equally refreshed, Mr. Horton rode away, looking like,
and, I am sure, feeling like, another man.

Early in the afternoon I went over to the Wilsons', and brought Ralph
back with me. Long before they could possibly arrive we were both
watching for Jessie's and Joe's return. The stars were shining big and
bright, and Ralph was nodding sleepily in his high chair when the bays
and the light wagon, with Jessie and Joe perched on the front seat,
came rattling down the homeward road. Snatching Ralph, who was wide
awake on the instant, up in my arms, I ran out to meet them.

"We didn't have one bit of trouble, Leslie!" cried Jessie, jubilantly,
as the team stopped at the gate; "Mr. Horton never came near us. I'm
afraid we've been almost too ready to believe evil of him; but it
won't matter now, anyway, for the land is ours, Leslie, ours!"

"Hit is so, honey, chile!" echoed old Joe's gentle voice. His black
face was one expansive grin of satisfaction. "Young Mas'r Ralph Gordon
ain't nebber gwine want fur place to lay he head, now; yo' listen at
dat!"

"Neither is Joe!" said Jessie, brightly, as she sprang to the ground.
"Every one has been so kind, Leslie," she continued, as we turned back
into the house, while Joe drove on to the barn with the horses. "Lots
of the neighbors were down there, besides our witnesses. I fee