Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill; Or, Jasper Parloe's Secret

we might as well begin by telling each other all about ourselves. Tom and I are twins and he is an awful tease! But, then, boys are. He is a good brother generally.

n Darrowtown, that she still wore black for her father, and that she had been sent by her friends to Uncle Jabez because he was suppose

, Ruthie. But Jabez Potter isn't liked very well by people in

nd I am surprised that he should have agreed to t

lowly. "And it wasn't as though I couldn't hav

repeated Hele

hful Tomlinson Pettis and she is the dearest li

ulated the a

folks that knew me about Darrowtown had a hard time to get along, and most of them had plenty of children without taking another that wasn't any k

," declared Helen, earnestly. "And he is so g

ard much about him," said Ruth, sl

re are friends enough here to look out for you. I know Doctor Davison thinks yo

cely with Uncle Jabez," she said.

Potter. And she seems kind enough, too. But she acts

o the very bank of the Lumano River. Fenced fields, tilled and untilled, checkered the slope, with here and there a white farmhouse with its group of outbuildings. There was no hamlet in sight, merely scatter

on explained. "I remember seeing this valley covered with water once during the Spring. But we

and the dwelling attached to the other end. There were barns, corn-cribs and other outbuildings as well, and some little tillable land connected with the mill; and a

a hinge loose anywhere. He isn't at all what you consider a miser must be and look like; yet he is always hoarding money and never spends any. But indeed I do not tell

lf our playfellow and dear, dear friend; and there has always been Nurse Babette and Mrs. Murchiston-at least, Mrs. Murchiston has been with us since we can remember. But what Daddy says is law, and he said this morning that he'd like to

said Ruth, with rather a wistful smile. "

claimed Miss Cameron. "See th

ath from one of the open doors of the mill to the road, where a little, one horse wagon stood. He bore a bag of meal or flour on his s

to take toll, Jabe. Let the flour be poor, or good, there's li

asper Parloe," said the miller, in a strong

cried, "here's somebody else that will l'arn ter know ye, too. Didn't know you was ter hev comp'ny; did ye, Jabe? Here's yer niece, Jabe, come ter live on ye an' be an expense to ye," and s

ends, Ruthie," she whispered. "I'm coming by again this afternoon when I drive ov

He was not only tall and stoop-shouldered, and very dusty; but his dusty eyebrows almost met over his light blue eyes. He was lantern-jawed, and it did seem as though his dry, shaven lips ha

aid, in a voice that she controlled well. "I

miller, without so much as returning he

h the station master,"

d you get to

ce did his voice change

he train," he said, with

glad to have me come,"

aid that wrote to me

hought you would like to have me

to this. After a moment, he added: "You can go along to

hout breaking down and weeping, so she only nodded

look at him and he continued: "One thing I want you to understand, if y

throat, and the sting of the tears she wanted to shed, but could