et the leech fall in the bottle, where its reflection in
the glass seemed to splash blood.

"Ha, ha! Van Dorn, I love you!" the woman cried, and smothered him with
caresses.

CHAPTER XXVII.

CANNON'S FERRY.

When it was announced to Levin and Hulda, who had meantime been talking
in the garden, dangerously near the subject of love, that they were to
be given a ride to Cannon's Ferry with Captain Van Dorn, at the especial
desire of Aunt Patty Cannon--who also sent them a handful of half-cents
to spend--they were both delighted, though Hulda said:

"Dear Levin, if it was only ourselves going for good, how happy we might
be! I could live with your beautiful mother and work for her, and,
knowing me to be always there, you would bring your money home instead
of wasting it."

"Can't we do so some way?" asked Levin. "Oh, I wish I had some sense! I
wish Jimmy Phoebus was yer, Huldy, to take me out thair in the garden
an' whip me like my father. But, if I hadn't come yer, how could I have
seen you, Huldy?"

"How could I have spent such a heavenly night of peace and hope if you
had not come, dear? The Good Being must have led you to me."

"Huldy," said Levin, after thinking to the range of his knowledge,
"maybe thar's a post-office at Cannon's Ferry, an' you kin write a
letter to Jack Wonnell fur me."

"Why not to your mother, Levin?"

"Oh, I am ashamed to tell her; it would kill her."

"If we should be found out, Levin, Aunt Patty would kill me. There is no
paper here, no ink that I can get, the postage on a letter is almost
nineteen cents, and, look! these half-cents are short of the sum by just
two."

"I have gold," cried Levin, thinking of the residue of Joe Johnson's
bounty.

He put his hand into his pocket, but the money was no longer there.

"Hush!" cried Hulda, "you have been robbed. Everybody is robbed who
sleeps here. Grandma can smell gold like the rat that finds yellow
cheese."

The individual who had served the breakfast was seen coming towards
them, a man in size, with a low forehead, no chin to speak of, a long,
crane neck, and a badly scratched and festered face.

"Mister," he said to Levin, "come help me hitch the horses; I'm beat so
I can't see how."

Levin started at once, suggesting to Hulda to make search for his
missing money, and, when they were in the little stable, the man
observed, in a whisper, to Levin:

"By smoke!"

Levin went on putting the bridles and breeching on t