anything?" asked Nan in a low tone.

"Yes, he said, 'Brace up, old man.'"

"Was that all?"

"And then he asked if anybody had sent him any word, and I said, 'Nobody
but Mr. Sanders'; and then he said, 'I might have known that he wouldn't
forget me.'" Cephas could see Nan crushing her handkerchief in her hand,
and he enjoyed it immensely.

"Was he angry with any one?" Nan asked.

"Why, when did anybody ever hear of his being angry with any one he
thought was a friend?" exclaimed Cephas scornfully. Nan writhed at this,
and Cephas went on. "He had been tied up by the wrists, and then he had
been put in a sweat-box, and nearly roasted--yes, by grabs! pretty nigh
cooked."

"Why, you didn't tell his grandmother that," said Nan.

"Well, I should say not!" exclaimed Cephas. "What do you take me for? Do
you reckon I'd tell that to anybody that cared anything for him? Why, I
wouldn't tell his grandmother that for anything in the world, and if she
was to ask me about it, I'd deny it."

This arrow went home. Cephas had the unmixed pleasure of seeing Nan turn
pale. "I think you are simply awful," she gasped. "You are cruel, and
you are unkind. You know very well that I care something for Gabriel.
Haven't we been friends since we were children together? Do you suppose
I have no feelings?"

"I know what you said when I told you I was going to see Gabriel."

"What was that?" inquired Nan.

"Why, you said, 'Well, what is that to me?'" exclaimed Cephas. He
twisted his face awry, and mimicked Nan's voice with considerable
success, only he made it more spiteful than that charming young woman
could have done.

"Yes, I did say that, but didn't I go to your house, and tell you what
to say to Gabriel?"

Cephas laughed scornfully. "Did you think I was going to swallow the
joke that you and that Claiborne girl hatched up between you? Do you
reckon I'm fool enough to tell Gabriel that you'll die if he don't come
home soon?"

"You didn't tell him, then?"

"No, I didn't," replied Cephas. "I would cut off one of my fingers
before I'd let him know that there were people here at home making fun
of him."

Nan gazed at Cephas as if she suspected him of a joke. But she saw that
he was very much in earnest. "I'm glad you didn't tell him," she said
finally. Then she laughed, saying, "Cephas, I really did think you had a
little sense."

"I have sense enough not to hurt the feelings of them that like me," the
boy replied. And he went