" said Jeff hastily, "that must have been done BEFORE."

"Well," said Miss Mayfield conclusively, "he would if he'd dared. And
you brought off that wretched money in spite of him. Poor dear Jeff."

"Yes," said Jeff, kissing her.

"Where is it?" asked Jessie, looking round the room.

"Oh, just out there!"

"Out where?"

"On my horse, you know, outside the door," continued Jeff, a little
uneasily, as he rose. "I'll go and--"

"You careless boy," said Miss Mayfield, jumping up, "I'll go with you."

They passed out on the porch together, holding each other's hands, like
children. The forgotten Rabbit was not there. Miss Mayfield called a
vaquero.

"Ah, yes!--the caballero's horse. Of a certainty the other caballero had
taken it!"

"The other caballero!" gasped Jeff.

"Si, senor. The one who arrived with you, or a moment, the very next
moment, after you. 'Your friend,' he said."

Jeff staggered against the porch, and cast one despairing reproachful
look at Miss Mayfield.

"Oh, Jeff! Jeff! don't look so. I know I ought not to have kept you!
It's a mistake, Jeff, believe me."

"It's no mistake," said Jeff hoarsely. "Go!" he said, turning to
the vaquero, "go!--bring--" But his speech failed. He attempted to
gesticulate with his hands, ran forward a few steps, staggered, and fell
fainting on the ground.

"Help me with the caballero into the blue room," said Miss Mayfield,
white as Jeff. "And hark ye, Manuel! You know every ruffian, man or
woman, on this road. That horse and those saddle-bags must be here
to-morrow, if you have to pay DOUBLE WHAT THEY'RE WORTH!"

"Si, senora."

Jeff went off into fever, into delirium, into helpless stupor. From
time to time he moaned "Bill" and "the treasure." On the third day, in a
lucid interval, as he lay staring at the wall, Miss Mayfield put in
his hand a letter from the company, acknowledging the receipt of the
treasure, thanking him for his zeal, and inclosing a handsome check.

Jeff sat up, and put his hands to his head.

"I told you it was taken by mistake, and was easily found," said Miss
Mayfield, "didn't I?"

"Yes,--and Bill?"

"You know he is so much better that he expects to leave us next week."

"And--Jessie!"

"There--go to sleep!"

At the end of a week she introduced Jeff to her sister-in-law, having
previously run her fingers through his hair to insure that becomingness
to his curls which would better indicate his moral character; and spoke
of hi