keep a secret, as he had
kept their existence a secret,--a loss which he could not confess, and
of which he could not complain. Had he not just given his neighbors to
understand that he held no such property? And his wife,--was she not at
that very moment, if not serving up a lie on the subject, at least
paring the truth very thin indeed?

"A man would think," observed Ferring, "that Ducklow had some o' them
bonds on his hands, and got scaret, he took such a sudden start. He has,
hasn't he, Mrs. Ducklow?"

"Has what?" said Mrs. Ducklow, pretending ignorance.

"Some o' them cowpon bonds. I ruther guess he's got some."

"You mean Gov'ment bonds? Ducklow got some? 'Ta'n't at all likely he'd
spec'late in them, without saying something to _me_ about it! No, he
couldn't have any without my knowing it, I'm sure!"

How demure, how innocent she looked, plying her knitting-needles, and
stopping to take up a stitch! How little at that moment she knew of
Ducklow's trouble, and its terrible cause!

Ducklow's first impulse was to drive on and endeavor at all hazards to
snatch the bonds from the flames. His next was, to return and alarm his
neighbors, and obtain their assistance. But a minute's delay might be
fatal; so he drove on, screaming "Fire! fire!" at the top of his voice.

But the old mare was a slow-footed animal; and Ducklow had no whip. He
reached forward and struck her with the reins.

"Git up! git up!--Fire! fire!" screamed Ducklow. "Oh, them bonds! them
bonds! Why didn't I give the money to Reuben? Fire! fire! fire!"

By dint of screaming and slapping, he urged her from a trot into a
gallop, which was scarcely an improvement as to speed, and certainly
not as to grace. It was like the gallop of an old cow. "Why don't ye go
'long!" he cried despairingly.

Slap, slap! He knocked his own hat off with the loose ends of the reins.
It fell under the wheels. He cast one look behind, to satisfy himself
that it had been very thoroughly run over and crushed into the dirt, and
left it to its fate.

Slap, slap! "Fire, fire!" Canter, canter, canter! Neighbors looked out
of their windows, and, recognizing Ducklow's wagon and old mare in such
an astonishing plight, and Ducklow himself, without his hat, rising from
his seat, and reaching forward in wild attitudes, brandishing the reins,
at the same time rending the azure with yells, thought he must be
insane.

He drove to the top of the hill, and looking beyond, in expecta