fiercely that he didn't care what she thought of him; they were only
partners met by chance on the road, and perhaps never to see each other
again after the city was reached.

If he had lied to her about his name that was his own business, and she
would not admit even to herself that this deception was not the only
reason for the strange, hurt feeling about her heart.

She rose at dawn, and, creeping down from the clean little room which
Mrs. Bemis had given her, she had the stove going and breakfast on the
table by the time the little family was awake, and Jim appeared from the
barn, where he had slept in the loft.

While he worked in the field during the early morning hours, she
finished the ironing, and by ten o'clock they were ready once more to
start upon their way.

Mrs. Bemis insisted upon paying them both for their work, but it was
only out of consideration for her pride that Jim would accept fifty
cents of the two dollars she offered him.

"I only work for a quarter a time," he told her gravely. "One for
yesterday and one for this morning; my sister can tell you that. I--I
would like to write to you if I may when we reach home, Mrs. Bemis. Will
you tell me what address will find you? You see, I want to thank you
properly for all your kindness to us, and I don't know whether this is
the township of Riverburgh or not."

"It's the Stilton post-office," the little woman stammered. "Of course,
I'd like to hear from both of you, but you mustn't thank me! I don't
know what I should have done without your help with the hay! And your
sister, too; I do hope you both find work where you're going."

To Lou's amazement Jim produced the little red note-book and wrote the
address carefully in it, adding what appeared to be some figures at one
side. Then he thanked their good Samaritan and they took their leave.

"That makes a dollar and ten cents!" he remarked confidentially as he
and Lou went down the hill road together toward the bustling little city
nestled at the river's edge. "Quite a fortune, isn't it?"

"She gave me a quarter for helping with the ironing, too, so that's
thirty-five that I've got." Lou exhibited a hard knot tied in the corner
of her handkerchief. "I couldn't get all of the egg out of my hat, but
it's good enough. Where do we go from Riverburgh?"

Jim gave a groan of mock despair.

"That's the dev--I mean, the deuce of it!" he exclaimed. "We've got to
cross the river there someway, and go on