eh, I onderstands," said Moses.

"Bring it here," Croyden ordered.

Moses' fingers closed around the butt, a bit timorously, and he carried
it to his master.

"I'll show you the action," said Croyden. "Here, is the ejector,"
throwing the chamber out, "it holds six shots, you see: but you never
put a cartridge under the firing-pin, because, if anything strikes the
trigger, it's likely to be discharged."

"Yass, seh!"

Croyden loaded it, closed the cylinder, and passed it over to Moses,
who took it with a little more assurance. He was harkening back thirty
years, and more.

"What do yo warn me to do, seh?" he asked.

"I want you to sit down, here, while I'm away, and if any one tries to
get in this house, to-night, you're to shoot him. I'm going over to
Captain Carrington's--I'll be back by eleven o'clock. It isn't likely
you will be disturbed; if you are, one shot will frighten him off, even
if you don't hit him, and I'll hear the shot, and come back at once.
You understand?"

"Yass, seh!--I'm to shoot anyone what tries to get in."

"Not exactly!" laughed Croyden. "You're to shoot anyone who tries to
_break_ in. For Heaven's sake! don't shoot me, when I return, or any
one else who comes legitimately. Be sure he is an intruder, then bang
away."

"Sut'n'y, seh! I onderstands. I'se dub'us bout hittin', but I kin bang
away right nuf. Does yo' spose any one will try to git in, seh?"

"No, I don't!" Croyden smiled--"but you be ready for them, Moses, be
ready for them. It's just as well to provide against contingencies."

"Yass, seh!" as Croyden went out and the front door closed behind him,
"but dem 'tingencies is monty dang'ous t'ings to fools wid. I don'
likes hit, dat's whar I don'."

Croyden found Miss Carrington just where he had left her--a quick
return to the sofa having been synchronous with his appearance in the
hall.

"I had a mind not to wait here," she said; "you were an inordinately
long time, Mr. Croyden."

"I was!" he replied, sitting down beside her. "I was, and I admit
it--but it can be explained."

"I'm listening!" she smiled.

"Before you listen to me, listen to Robert Parmenter, deceased!" said
he, and gave her the letter.

"Oh, this is the letter--do you mean that I am to read it?"

"If you please!" he answered.

She read it through without a single word of comment--an amazing thing
in a woman, who, when her curiosity is aroused, can ask more questions
to the minute than can be