wondered. Then he saw Eperson driving a poor horse drawing a ramshackle
buggy around from the public hitching-rack. Tilly stood waiting for him
alone on the edge of the sidewalk. Eperson got out, helped her into the
seat, and then got in beside her and drove her homeward.

John lingered about the foundations for half an hour. Then he saw
Eperson returning in the buggy alone. He had to pass close to where John
stood, but John refused to look up as he went by and turned into the
country road. There was a vague look of placid content on the earnest
face of the man which portended things John dared not think about.

CHAPTER VIII

The work on the new building went on apace. John was always tired when
night came, but a new expectation at the end of each day had come into
his hitherto uneventful life. It was not often that he saw Tilly alone,
but he had come to look forward eagerly even for the mere sight of her
in the evening, at the supper-table, on the veranda, or in the yard with
the others. Both he and Cavanaugh immediately changed their clothing
when the day's work was over, and this formality was a new and pleasant
thing for the young mason. The change always made him feel more
respectable. It gave him the sense of throwing off the grime and toil of
the day. It was the first ordering of his life on any social plane, and
it charmed him.

"You are certainly a wonder," the old man remarked to him one afternoon
as they were dressing in John's room.

"In what way?" John asked, curiously.

"Why, you are different, that's all"--the contractor laughed--"as
different from what you used to be down at home as night from day. You
used to have a grouch on you nearly all the time, but now you are as
pleasing as a basket of chips. Your mind seems brighter. You often say
funny things, and you ain't as rough with the boys that work under you
as you used to be. If they are a little slow with brick or mortar you
don't fuss so much, and--say--you have mighty nigh quit cursing. I'm
glad of that, too, I must say I am, for taking the Lord's name in vain
never helped a man get ahead. You see it is a slap in the face to so
many well-meaning folks. Gee! ain't we having a fine time? It is about
as hard to understand myself as to understand you--I mean this
combination picnic and hard labor we are at. There is one point about it
that I wouldn't dare tell my wife. By gum! I don't know that I'm ready
to admit it even to myself yet, bu