ve been because he was in a strange bed, and in a strange house. At any rate, he woke

" was his fi

, but the thought of the pie forced itself upon his mind, and he felt a longing for the slice that was left over from supper. Quick upon this

" or, more properly, his conscience was not very active. He got out of bed, slipped on his stockings, and crept softly downstairs,

not locked, and Sam opened

, so's to see where t

had not as yet explored. But there are dangers in feeling around in the dark. Our hero managed to dislodge a pile of plates, which fell with a

and his wife were calmly reposing. Mrs. Hopkins

nd, sitting up in bed, shook her

n Hopkins!" s

er?" asked the d

. There's robb

acon was b

ed. "Pooh! Nonsense!

in trying to effect his escape, tumbled o

deacon?" demanded hi

said the deacon, turni

situation. Wh

front the villains!" return

me," said her husb

said to be very d

property?" exclaimed his wife, taunt

id the deacon, accepting t

opkins. "You are willin

shoot a woman,"

fe was not

nct of self-defence, she scratched his leg, which was undefended by the customary clothing, and our hero, w

sped the deacon. "Mart

N

lock it. O Lord, wha

d, though he tried to walk softly, t

s. Hopkins. "Lock the door quick, deaco

han he would have accomplished the same fe

," he said, "but the

through t

the bed," suggeste

d. They'll hear. I

the door listening,

the garret," he announ

want up ther

we've got anything

kins, with a sudden idea, "I

What do y

e it isn'

told me it was," said h

ve it's

t,-S

es

d he want

I'll be bound. Light the lamp

ed the deacon, in alarm. "They mi

id his wife, contemptuously. When she indulged in severe

a clear flyin' in the face of Providence. You'd ought t

that you are frighten

p, and I'll g

tter for you to go. Th

nd. It might have been an unconscious action on the pa

r, and, as the door was unfastened, she entered. Of co

aid Mrs.

a counterf

m-s

ok no

shook him with no gentle hand, so that

d, rubbing his eyes

Hopkins, shortly,

sound asleep when you came in. I don't kno

ng downstairs?" demande

been downstai

ou have. I

ve been som

o down. Neither the deacon

it's t

m's manner, that he was the offender, an

said, "and go

py," obje

an to find out all

ied Mrs. Hopkins downstairs. The latter stopped

asked the deaco

his wife, e

you, because you thought there was dange

ut?" asked her husband

that made al

aid Sam, "when I

own with me to see what

. "Do you wa

ee entered the kitchen, which had been the scene of Sam's noisy exploits. It showed traces of his presence in an ove

Mrs. Hopkins. She ha