r father keeping this man a prisoner in such a suffocating
place.

"While we were there, Tim and Mr. Crudup crept through the tunnel and
found us talking to the sick man.

"'Becky, better leave this business to us,' suggested Mr. Crudup.

"'Father, how could you keep this man in such a place?' cried Rebecca,
unguardedly.

"'Ssh!' warned Tim, apprehensively.

"Mr. Crudup told Rebecca how Tim had carried Vernon here to square
accounts for Ed's death; how he had shown Tim the folly of the deed,
and that being done, it had to be made the best of, or disclose the
secret of the cave. Tim was so repentant that he agreed to remain in the
cave and nurse the prisoner.

"After our discovery, Rebecca spent several hours with Vernon each day
reading or talking to him, while Imp began to show his fondness for
Vernon in every way a horse can.

"Matters at the house became troublesome, for the larder was empty, and
there was no way to get at the great store-rooms dug out of the ground
without letting the Yankees into the secret.

"Tim had been very meek since he found the serious blunder he had made
with Vernon, and he was eager to make amends in any way.

"From the time that Tim heard of the threatened famine he was seldom
seen about the place. Now and then, one of the family would meet him
coming from the basement with his face and hands smeared with black, but
he never confided in anyone as to his work or whereabouts, and being an
aged favored man, Mr. Crudup never questioned him.

"One morning the cook entered the room where the family was gathered
and announced: 'There ain't no aigs fer brekfus.'

"'Have plain ham or bacon,' suggested Mrs. Crudup.

"'De ham an' bacon done all et up, too,' said cook.

"Mrs. Crudup looked deeply concerned, but said: 'Then we'll have just
coffee and muffins.'

"'Done used all de flour yistiddy--not a smitch lef'.'

"Here, indeed, was a quandary! Nothing to eat!

"This was Tim's opportunity.

"He came in, bowed with old hat in his hand, and turned to the cook with
the request, 'You please 'scuse yo-se'f fum de room whiles I conflab wid
de missus?'

"Cook tossed her head and went out, followed by everyone except Mr. and
Mrs. Crudup.

"Tim turned his hat about in his hands for a time and then looked up
smilingly and said: 'I done squared myself wid you all fer makin' dat
blunner 'bout the Yank. I done gone and dug a tunnel fru fum de coal
cellah to the fust storehouse on de fiel