sfactory damages. There is the
lamb we struck--and the only beast that is hurt."

The man had given but one glance to the lamb that lay on the grass
beside the girls. He did not look to be any too tender-hearted, and the
little creature's accident did not touch him at all--save in the region
of his pocketbook.

He stepped to the gap in the fence, kicked the bleating ewe out of the
way in a most brutal manner, and proceeded to count his flock. He had to
do this twice before he was assured that none but the lamb was missing.

"You see," Tom said, quietly, "I have turned only one of your sheep into
mutton--for I suppose this lamb must be killed."

"Oh, no, Tom!" cried Ruth, who was bending over the little creature
again. "I am sure its leg will mend."

The farmer snorted. "Don't want no crippled critters erbout. Ye'll
hafter pay me full price for that lamb, boy--then I'll give it to the
dogs. 'Tain't no good the way it is."

Ruth had tied the leg firmly with her own handkerchief--which was of
practical size. "If we could put it in splints, and keep the lamb still,
it would mend," she declared to Helen.

"What do you consider the thing worth, sir?" asked Tom.

"Four dollars," declared the farmer, promptly. It was not worth two,
even at the present price of lamb, for the creature was neither big nor
fat.

"Here you are," said Tom, and thrust four one-dollar notes into his
hand.

The man stared at them, and from them to Tom. He really seemed
disappointed. Perhaps he wished he had said more, when Tom did not
haggle over the price.

"Wal, I'll take it along to the house then," said the farmer. "An' when
ye come this road ag'in, young man, ye better go a leetle slow--yaas, a
leetle slow!"

"I certainly shall--as long as you have gaps in your sheep pasture
fence," returned Tom, promptly.

"Git out'n the way, leetle gal," said the man, brushing Ruth aside.
"I'll take him----"

The lamb struggled to get on its feet. The sudden appearance of the man
frightened the animal.

"Stop that!" cried Ruth. "You'll hurt the poor thing."

"I'll knock him in the head, when I git to the chopping block," said the
farmer, roughly. "Shucks! it's only a lamb."

"Don't you dare!" Ruth cried, standing in front of the quivering
creature. "You are cruel."

"Hoity-toity!" cried the farmer. "I guess I kin do as I please with my
own."

Helen clung to Ruth's hand and tried to draw her away from the rough
man. Even Tom hesitated to