me! Here! give me your arm! Do as I say!
There!"

And as they passed up the stairway the parrot cried, "Old friends!" And
Direxia said, "I'm going to loose the bulldog, Mis' Tree, and Deacon
Weight says he'll be over in two minutes."

"There isn't any dog in the house, and Deacon Weight is at Conference,
and won't be back till the last of the week. That will do, Direxia; you
mean well, but you are a ninny-hammer. This way! This is my grandson's
room--he died here--what's the matter--feel faint--hey?"

"Yes!--I do--"

"Come, Willie--come lie down and rest on Arthur's bed--you are tired,
boy."

"Mrs. Tree, if you would not be so kind it would not be so hard--I
came--to--rob--you."

"Why, so I supposed, or thought it likely. You can have all you want,
without that--there's plenty for you and me. Folks call me close, and I
like to do what I like with my own money. There's plenty, I tell you,
for you and me and the bird. Do you think he knew you, Willie? I believe
he did."

"God knows! When--how did you know me, Mrs. Tree?"

"Get up, Willie Jaquith, and I'll tell you. Sit down; there's the chair
you made together, when you were fifteen. Remember, hey? I knew your
voice at the door, or I thought I did. Then when you wouldn't look at
the bead puppy, I hadn't much doubt; and when I said 'Cat's foot!' and
you laughed, I knew for sure. You've had a hard time, Willie, but you
are the same boy."

"If you would not be kind, I think it would be easier. You ought to give
me up, you know, and let me go to jail. I'm a drunkard and a vagrant,
and worse--but--you won't--do that--you won't do that."

"No! I won't. Hark, there's some one at the door--it's 'Malviny Weight.'
Now you lie down and rest--yes, you will--that press there is full of
Arthur's clothes--then you come down and talk to me--You do as I tell
you, Willie Jaquith, or I'll set the parrot on you; remember when he
bit you for stealing his apple,--there's the scar still on your cheek.
Greatest wonder in the world he didn't put your eye out. Served you
right if he had, too--Yes, Malviny, I'm coming!"

And as Mrs. Tree descended the stairs she was met by Mrs. Weight, who
broke out saying:

"I've waited most an hour to see that tramp come out. Deacon's away, and
I was scairt to death, but I'm a mother and I had to come. How I had the
courage I don't know, when I thought you and Mis' Tree might meet my
eyes both layin' dead in this entry. Where is he? Don't you help