'I tell you what it is, master Christopher. If you ask me many more questions, I shall run away;' but in spite of her assumed severity, her tone softened. 'I won't ask you many more, Josey,' I said, and I felt the tears rising to my eyes, 'but you might have some pity for me.' 'Bless the dear child!' she said, with a motherly air, I _have_ some pity for you! Why, you stupid boy, I'm as fond of you as though you were my own brother!' 'Then tell me if it was because of me Jessie went away.' 'You had nothing to do with it.' It was a relief to me to hear this, for I had in some way got it in my mind that Jessie had run away to escape the proposal she suspected I intended to make to her. I approached a more delicate subject. 'You have heard the stories the neighbours are telling each other, Josey, about Jessie and Mr. Glover.' 'Oh, yes, I've heard them! The scandal-mongers! I'd like to wring their ears for them.' That was sufficient for me; a great weight was lifted from my heart. There was another question that I must ask. 'Did Jessie in her letter say anything about me? Did she send me any message?' 'She did, and I wasn't to give it to you unless you asked for it. Perhaps I'd better read it.' She took the letter from her pocket and read: '"Chris will be sure to miss my box"--you see,' said Josey interrupting her reading, 'Jessie sent the letter to my house; she didn't know I was here; and I was to ask your mother to let me have her box, so that I might send it to Jessie without your knowing.' 'Then there's a message to mother in that letter?' 'There is, but I can't give it to her, poor dear!' 'Go on with what Jessie says about me, Josey.' '"Chris will be sure to miss my box, and if he asks you if I have sent him any message, say that I hope he will not try to discover where I am, and that I hope also he will not think worse of me than I am. If we meet again----"' here Josey broke off with, 'But that's not for you, I should say.' 'It _must_ be for me, Josey. You have no right to keep it from me.' 'Well, if you will have it. "If we meet again, it must be at my own time and in my own way. Whether I am right or wrong in what I have done and what I intend to do, I have quite made up my mind, and no one can advise me." Now I hope you are satisfied.'