ing, with surprised countenance, into the room
where the feast was going on, a fear crept up her own face and darted
out from her eyes. It was, lest Joe Devins should spoil it all by
ill-timed words.

She made haste to meet him, basket in hand.

"Here, Joe," she said, "fetch me some small wood, there's a good boy."

As she gave him the basket she was just in time to stop the rejoinder
that was issuing from his lips.

In time to intercept his return she was at the wood-pile.

"Joe," she said, half-abashed before the truth that shone in the boy's
eyes, "Joe," she repeated, "you know Major Pitcairn ordered the fire put
out, TO PLEASE ME, because I begged him so, and, in return, what CAN I
do but give them something to eat. Come and help me."

"I won't," responded Joe. "Their hands are red with blood. They've
killed two men at the bridge."

"Who's killed?" she asked, trembling, but Joe would not tell her. He
demanded to know what had been done with Uncle John.

"He's quiet enough, up-stairs," she replied, with a sudden spasm of
feeling that she HAD neglected Uncle John shamefully; still, with the
day, and the fire and everything, how could she help it? but, really, it
did seem strange that he made no noise, with a hundred armed men coming
and going through the house.

At least, that was what Joe thought, and, having deposited the basket of
wood on the threshold of the kitchen door, he departed around the corner
of the house. Presently he had climbed a pear-tree, dropped from one of
its overhanging branches on the lean-to, raised a sash and crept into
the window.

Slipping off his shoes, heavy with spring-mud, he proceeded to
search for Uncle John. He was not in his own room; he was not in the
guest-chamber; he was not in any one of the rooms.

On the floor, by the window in the hall, looking out upon the green, he
found the broken cup and saucer that Martha Moulton had let fall.
Having made a second round, in which he investigated every closet and
penetrated into the spaces under beds, Joe thought of the garret.

Tramp, tramp went the heavy feet on the sanded floors below, drowning
every possible sound from above; nevertheless, as the lad opened the
door leading into the garret, he whispered cautiously: "Uncle John!
Uncle John!"

All was silent above. Joe went up, and was startled by a groan. He had
to stand a few seconds, to let the darkness grow into light, ere he
could see; and, when he could discern outl