ndle a fire out here, Joe! Will not the smoke be seen, and lead to
our discovery?" inquired Lyon Berners, glancing at the slender column of
smoke from the fire in the church, that he himself had kindled, and now
for the first time struck with the sense of the danger of discovery to
which it might have exposed Sybil.

"Lord, Marse!" replied Joe, showing his teeth, "we are too far off from
any human being for any eye to see our smoke. And even if it wasn't so,
bless you, there are so many mists rising from the valley this morning,
that one smoke more or less wouldn't be noticed."

"That is true," admitted Mr. Berners.

Meanwhile Joe busied himself with lighting a fire. When it was burning
freely, he took the kettle and filled it from the little stream that
flowed through the church-yard.

"Now, Marse Lyon, in about ten minutes I will set you down to as good a
breakfast, almost, as you could have got at home," said Joe, as he
raised three cross-sticks over the fire, and hung the kettle over the
blaze, gipsy fashion.

While Joe was at work, Mr. Berners went into the church to look after
Sybil.

She was still sleeping the heavy sleep of utter mental and bodily
prostration. For a few minutes he stood contemplating her with an
expression of countenance full of love and pity, and then after
adjusting the covering over her, and collecting together the brands of
the expiring fire to light up again, he left the church.

On going outside, he found that Joe had spread a cloth and arranged a
rude sort of picnic breakfast upon the ground.

"The coffee is ready, Marse Lyon; but how about the Missis?" inquired
the man, as he stirred down the grounds from the top of the pot.

"She is still sleeping, and must not be disturbed," answered Mr.
Berners.

"Well, Marse Lyon, I reckon as how you can relish a cup of coffee as
well as she; so please to let me wait on you, sir."

Mr. Berners thanked Joe, and threw himself down upon the ground, and
made such a breakfast as a hungry man _can_ make, even under the most
deplorable circumstances.

"Now you know, sir, when the Missus wakes up, be it longer or shorter, I
can make fresh coffee for her in ten minutes," said Joe, cheerfully.

"But you cannot stay here very long. You'll be missed from the house,"
objected Mr. Berners.

"Please, sir, I have so well provided for all that, that I can stay till
night. Bless you, sir, I told my fellow-servants as I was going to take
some corn to