"I saw that fellow come up the road," said Durgan. "I do not know, of course, what his errand is here; but I thought I ought to tell you that Adam told me that he had got no regular job, and that he had found him idling around a month ago with no apparent reason." "Yes, sir; I was trying to discover from Adam's wife who it was that lived up here; but she told me so many fixings out of her head about these ladies that I come to the conclusion they wasn't the ladies I was looking for. Miss Smith knows me, sir; and I've been very ill lately--the doctor tells me I'm not long to live." "Oh, you folks always think you're dying if you've got a cold. You're begging, I see." "Yes, sir; I was asking this lady to help me. I'm dying of consumption, sir." The man's manner was quiet enough. Durgan saw that both the sisters were intensely excited. The elder had her emotion perfectly under control; the younger looked almost fierce in the strain of some distress. What surprised him was that his protection was equally unwelcome to both. He could see, spite of their thanks, that, in trouble as they were, their first desire now was that he should be gone. "I do not trust this man," Durgan said. "I would rather stay within call till you dismiss him." "I'm all right, sir," said the darkie, again respectfully. "He won't do us any harm," cried Bertha eagerly. "I know who he is," said Miss Smith; "I know him to be unfortunate, Mr. Durgan." Yet Durgan saw dismay written on Bertha's face as surely as if they had been attacked by open violence. "Birdie, go out with Mr. Durgan and wait. You cannot be afraid to leave me while he is near." "I will not! I will not!" cried the younger, with more vehemence than seemed necessary. So excited was she that she stamped her foot as she spoke. The tension was relieved by what seemed propriety on the stranger's part. "I'll go away, then," he said. "I don't want to make the young lady cry. I sha'n't make you any trouble, ladies." He backed out to where Durgan stood on the verandah. "Wait, I'll give you something," said Miss Smith. "You ought to have good food." She went to her desk, and came out giving him a folded bank-note. "Thank you, ma'am. Good-day." He went on a few steps and looked back, as if expecting Durgan to conduct him off the premises. "I'd be much obliged, sir, if you'd show me the short way--I'm weak, sir." Durgan indicated the trail, and followed to make sure that the negro did not return through the bushes. As they went, Durgan saw him unfold the bank-note and take from inside a slip of written paper. The mulatto went steadily down the mountain, without so much as looking at the kitchen door, whence Eve was regarding him with eager interest.