declared, canes were
"miles better than crutches."

"I ain't got no time, gals, an' that's a fac'," said the miller, his
face clouding suddenly. "Ain't ye seen hide nor hair of Ben an' them
mules?"

"Why, Uncle," said the second girl, quietly, "you know how many errands
Ben had to do in town. He couldn't do them all and get back in so short
a time."

"I dunno about that, Niece Ruth--I dunno about that," said the old man,
sharply. "Seems ter me I could ha' gone an' been back by now. An' hi
guy! there's four sacks o' flour to take acrost the river to Tim
Lakeby--an' I kyan't do it by meself--Ben knows that. Takes two' on us
ter handle thet punt 'ith the river runnin' like she is right now."

The girl who had last spoken folded the work in her lap and got up
agilely. Her movements were followed--perhaps a little enviously--by the
gaze of the lame girl.

"How quick you are, Ruthie," she said. When Ruth Fielding looked down
upon Mercy Curtis, her smile started an answering one upon the lame
girl's thin face.

"Quick on my feet, dearie," said Ruth. "But you have so much quicker a
mind."

"Flatterer!" returned the other, yet the smile lingered upon the thin
face and made it the sweeter.

The miller was turning, grumblingly, back into the shadowy interior of
the mill, when Ruth hailed him.

"Oh, Uncle!" she cried. "Let me help you."

"What's that?" he demanded, wheeling again to look at her from under his
shaggy eyebrows.

Now, Ruth Fielding was worth looking at. She was plump, but not too
plump; and she was quick in her movements, while her lithe and graceful
figure showed that she possessed not only health, but great vitality.
Her hair was of a beautiful bright brown color, was thick, and curled
just a little.

In her tanned cheeks the blood flowed richly--the color came and went
with every breath she drew, it seemed, at times. That was when she was
excited. But ordinarily she was of a placid temperament, and her brown
eyes were as deep as wells. She possessed the power of looking
searchingly and calmly at one without making her glance either
impertinent or bold.

In her dark skirt, middy blouse, and black stockings and low shoes, she
made a pretty picture as she stood under the tree, although her
features were none of them perfect. Her cheeks were perhaps a little
too round; her nose--well, it was not a dignified nose at all! And her
mouth was generously large, but the teeth gleaming behind her red lips
w