ime of Uncle Jabez Potter's grandfather-and that was early tim

current of the river. Here and there, along the water's edge, a tall tree

dow and looking out upon the awakening world-as she had done many and many another ea

ht robe. Ruth loved linen like other girls, and although Uncle Jabez gave her spending money with a rather niggardly han

. The moment she heard Uncle Jabez rattle the stove-shaker in the kitchen, Ruth slipped into this robe, and thrust her bare feet into th

neither Uncle Jabez nor Aunt Alvirah; and she had been so tired and sleepy on her arrival th

ways looked gray of face, and dusty. The mill-dust se

of her presence, the arms o

flames flashing under the lids, and turned to face the girl who held him so lovingly.

z was much softer under the surface than he appeared. He claimed to be only jus

en angry, and for years the family had been separated. But when Uncle Jabez had taken Ruth in "just out of charity,"

ittle old woman who had been so long housekeeper for the miller. "He saved me from the

thought would be her home till she come to death's door. An' so he opened his house and his hand to her.

helping to pay Mercy Curtis's tuition at Briarwood. He still loved money; he always would love it, in all probability. But he had le

any affection, however. And that apparent

er rosy lips to be kissed. "I didn't scarcely say 'how-do' to you la

inded to stay l

Uncle Jabez," declared Ruth, still clinging to

t mean that,

d old face finally began to change

" she breathed, softly.

o break her firm hold; then he stooped shamefa

, and clung a moment longer. His rough ha

much schoolin' goin' ter do ye? Other gals like you air helpin' in their mothers' kitchen

as had been his wont in the old t

you the worth of it. Give me the education I crave, and I'll suppo

for the mill. "Gals, as well as boys, is lots more expense now than they

is hand upon the door-latch. "You kin go to that Sunrise place for a while, if ye w

re now?" asked Ruth, prepa

! how that young 'un could eat! Never saw the beat of her

eared. Before that happened, however, the newly returned schoolg

ightfully in another pan. Fluffy biscuits were ready to take out of the

o the room. "You an' Jabez air in a conspiracy to spile me-right from the start.

ready, my pretty? Jest blow the horn, then, and yer uncle will come in. My!

will," laughed Ruth, kis

lvirah, with twinkling eyes. "He's as

he said so once in a wh

miller and his hired man had tramped out again, the

Jabez let me take in that trampin' gal for a week an' mo

id," chuc

at. But I reckon the poor little thing was plumb starved. They n

th sudden interest born of her reme

adn't the heart to blame her. An' she was cl

o get her?" queried

shoes, if ye could call 'em shoes. I made her take 'em off by the fire, an' then I

. Your Uncle Jabez wouldn't ha' turned a dog out in sec

y to talk to-and as that somebody was 'her pret

help rid the house up. You know, you wrote me to wait till you come home for house-cleanin'

rl was?" asked Ruth, still curi

e. But I gathered she had been an orphan a

name?" asked

was her true one, I reckon," Aunt