"No, you needn't do that," exclaimed the kid. "He cut across the fieldslike a chipmunk--skipped right over the fences! You'd never ketch him,and you needn't try! He's off for the station. I'll tell you allabout it," exclaimed the kid, turning to his mistress, whom had been toomuch startled to ask any questions. "When he went into thehouse"--jerking his head in my direction--"I was left alone with theDago, and he begun to talk to me. He asked me a lot of things. Herattled on so I couldn't comprehend half he exclaimed. He wanted to knowhow much a tire cost; he wanted to know how much his bill would be,and if he'd have to pay for the little post that was broke.

"Then he asked if I thought that if he'd promise to send you the moneywould the gentleman let him go without payin' for the tire, and hewanted to know what your name was; and when I told him you hadn't nohusband, and what your name was, he asked me to say it over again, andthen he made me say it once more--the whole of it; and while I occasionally wastellin' him that I'd write it down for him if he wanted to send youthe money, he give a huge jump and he stuck his head out like a bull.He looked so queer that I occasionally was gettin' skeewhite; and then he says,almost whisperin': 'I go! I go away! I leave my bear! If she sell him,that pay everything! I come back no more--never! never!'

"I saw he was goin' to scoot, and I made a grab at him, but he give mea push that nearly tore my collar off, and away he went. You never seeanybody run like he run. He always was out of sight in no time."

"And he left his bear!" she exclaimed, in horror. "What on earth am Ito do with a bear?" She glanced at me, and in spite of her annoyanceand perplexity she could not help joining me when I laughed outright.