ment," Mr. Nichols told him. "But see
here--you're our guest."

"I'll be glad to do a little to earn my breakfast. I like to work."

"I can see you do," Mr. Nichols smiled. He studied the young man for a
moment. Then he asked abruptly, "How would you like a steady job for a
few days?"

"Doing what?"

"All the odd jobs I'm supposed to do. Can you drive a car?"

"Yes."

"Then you could drive to town for our groceries, see that we have a
daily wood supply, and repair all the things around here that are
falling to pieces."

"Our landlord is expected to see that the place is in livable
condition," Penny said quickly. She felt a little troubled because her
father wished to engage the strange young man.

"If we wait for him to take care of things, we'll never be comfortable
here," returned Mr. Nichols. He turned again to Michael Haymond.
"Perhaps I have spoken out of turn. Probably you aren't in need of a
job."

"But I am," replied the young man quickly. "I'll be glad to work for
my board and room."

"I think we can do better than that for you," smiled Mr. Nichols.
"Your salary won't be large, but we'll keep you in spending money at
least."

"What shall I do first? Chop the wood?"

"You might look at the stove and see if you can discover what is wrong
with it."

"O.K.," laughed the young man. "I know a little about cook stoves. We
had one at the----"

He stopped abruptly and then finished in confusion: "We had a cook
stove at the place where I lived."

"And where was that, young man?" asked Mrs. Masterbrook tartly.

"It doesn't matter in the least," interposed Mr. Nichols smoothly.
"Mr. Haymond's affairs are his own."

"There's no great mystery about my past," said the young man. "I came
from the West. My parents are dead."

"I'm sorry to hear that," replied Mr. Nichols sympathetically.

Michael Haymond stood gazing thoughtfully toward the ravine for a
moment. Then, recovering himself, he followed Mrs. Masterbrook into
the house to look at the cook stove.

"Now Penny--don't say it," declared Mr. Nichols when he was alone with
his daughter.

"Don't say what, Dad?"

"That I'm making a big mistake to hire young Haymond. I can see you
feel that way."

"Well, yes, I do," Penny admitted. "I like Michael a lot, but I don't
exactly trust him. He hasn't told us much about himself----"

"That's his own business. I haven't any patience with folks who go
prying into other persons' priv