"Very well; I will bring you something later when you have rested a little," she answered, with motherly love.
"No, don't bother; I'll be all right in the morning. Sleep always makes me well."
"As it does all young people, bless your heart," she answered, embracing me as I passed her on the way to my room.
Bidding her good night, I sought my bed, and lying there strove to find some clew to the robbery that was being planned, but in vain; and when the night was far spent, and in sheer weariness of body and mind, I fell asleep, not to wake till noon of the following day.
CHAPTER XXXVI
PHANTOMS OF THE WOODS
After my visit to Black Hawk's cabin, things went on as before, except that I no longer wandered far from the house, lest in some way I should run across the outlaw Burke. Mr. Blake being away, I was now more than ever taken up with the care of things, and so, being occupied, the events I have related little by little faded from my mind. In this way the autumn closed, and winter came on with high winds that moaned and shrieked in the trees and about the windows of the house, as if seeking in vain for some place of warmth and comfort. This till one day, when we had heard nothing from the outer world for a long time, Mr. Blake returned from Appletop, where he had work of some kind. Going about his business, he had scarce a word to say, being more reticent than ever before, I thought, if that could be. When, however, I would have asked him about Uncle Job, he put me off with some abruptness of manner, and doing so, appeared greatly disturbed. At this, and upon his persisting, I cried out in alarm and as a peevish child might have done:
"Uncle Job is dead!"
"No, no! not that, my son," he answered, his eyes wavering, as men's will who are weak or seek to mislead you.
"He is ailing, then?"