hand, was that
little atom of dimpled pink-and-white humanity known as "Melissy."

The constable, being a native of these hills himself, knew something by
experience of the homesickness of an exiled mountaineer,--far more
terrible than the homesickness of low-landers; he took his pipe
promptly from between his lips, and told the boy that the second blue
ridge, counting down from the sky, was "G'liath Mounting," and that
"Melissy war right thar somewhar."

Barney looked back at it with unrecognizing eyes,--this gentle, misty,
blue vagueness was not the solemn, sombre mountain that he knew. He
gazed at it only for a moment longer; then his heart swelled and he
burst into tears.

On and on they went through the flat country. The boy felt that he could
scarcely breathe. Even tourists, coming down from these mountains to the
valley below, struggle with a sense of suffocation and oppression; how
must it have been then with this half-wild creature, born and bred on
those breezy heights!

The stout mules did their duty well, and it was not long before they
were in sight of the cross-roads store that had been robbed. It was a
part of a small frame dwelling-house, set in the midst of the yellow
sunlight that brooded over the plain. All the world around it seemed to
the young backwoodsman to be a big cornfield; but there was a garden
close at hand, and tall sunflowers looked over the fence and seemed to
nod knowingly at Barney, as much as to say they had always suspected
him of being one of the burglars, and were gratified that he had been
caught at last.

Poor fellow! he saw so much suspicion expressed in the faces of a crowd
of men congregating about the store, that it was no wonder he fancied he
detected it too in inanimate objects.

Of all the group only one seemed to doubt his guilt. He overheard
Blenkins, the merchant, say to Jim Dow,--

"It's mighty hard to b'lieve this story on this 'ere boy; he's a manly
looking, straight-for'ard little chap, an' he's got honest eyes in his
head, too."

"He'd a deal better hev an honest heart in his body," drawled Jim Dow,
who was convinced that Barney had aided in the burglary.

When they had gone around to the window with the broken pane, Barney
looked up at it in great anxiety. If only it should prove too small for
him to slip through! Certainly it seemed very small.

He had pulled off his coat and stood ready to jump.

"Up with you!" said Stebbins.

The boy laid both h