Under Sealed Orders | Page 6

keep, an' I expect ye to git a hustle on to help pay fer yer
grub an' washin'."
"Don't be too hard on him, Jim," Mrs. Goban remarked. "He doesn't
look very strong."
"Don't ye worry, Kitty, I'll attend to that. I know a wrinkle or two."
David was accordingly taken to the wood-house and Jim explained to
him how and where he was to pile the wood. "Ye needn't kill yerself,"
he told him in conclusion. "But I want ye to keep busy, fer when that
job's through I've got something else on hand. Ye can sit down when ye
feel a little tired, but don't sit too long or too often, see?"
For about half an hour David worked patiently at the wood, piling it as
neatly as possible. The work was not hard, and he was quite satisfied
with his task. He was alone, anyway, and could think about his beloved
falls. His hands, however, were soft, and ere long they were bruised
and bleeding from the rough sticks. At length a sharp splinter entered
his finger, and he sat down upon a stick to pull it out. In trying to do

this, it broke off leaving a portion deeply embedded in the flesh, which
caused him considerable pain. Not knowing what to do, he sat looking
upon the finger in a dejected manner.
"What's the matter? You seem to be in trouble."
At these words David looked quickly around, and saw a young girl
standing by his side. Though her dress was old and worn, her face was
bright, and her eyes sparkled with interest.
"Here, let me take that splinter out," she ordered, as she sat down by his
side, and drawing forth a needle, began to probe into the flesh. "There,
I've got it!" she cried in triumph. "My! it's a monster. You'll have to be
more careful after this. You should have gloves."
"Thank you very much," David replied. "To whom am I indebted for
this kindness?"
"Oh, I'm Betty Bean, that's all."
"And you live here?"
"No. I'm just dying here."
"Dying!" David exclaimed in surprise. "Why, you don't look like a
dying person."
"Maybe I don't, but I am. I'm just staying here because I have to. My
mother's a widow, and I want to earn some money to help her, and as
this was the only place I could get I had to take it."
"So you do not like it, then?"
"Who would like any place where there is such a brute as Jim Goban?
My, I'm sorry for you. To think of any man getting into his clutches."
"But surely I won't be any worse off than you are."
"I'm not so sure about that. You see, I'm about boss here, and do and

say just what I like."
"How's that?"
"Well, I'm the only person Jim can get to work here. All the girls for
miles around know what kind of a creature he is, and they wouldn't
come for any amount of money. They're scared to death of him. But I'm
not, and I tell him right to his face what I think of him, and the way he
treats his poor wife. He would like to horsewhip me, but he knows that
if I leave no one else would come in my place. But I'm glad now that I
am here so I can look after you."
"Look after me!"
"Yes. I guess you'll need me all right. I know who you are, and I'm
sorry for you. I'm going to stand between you and Jim Goban. He's
scared to death of me, for I'm the only one who dares give him a
tongue-lashing, and I do it whenever it is necessary, which is quite
often."
"You're a brave girl," and David looked with admiration upon the slight
form by his side. "How old are you?"
"Fifteen last March. But one's age is nothing. I've done a woman's work
ever since I was ten. I stand up for my rights now, though. When I first
came here Jim was bound that I should work all the time. But at last I
told him that I was going to have every Saturday afternoon off,
especially in summer, so I could go home or out upon the river. Can
you row?" she suddenly asked.
"A little," was the reply.
"That's good. Now, look, I'm going to take you out in the boat next
Saturday, and you're going to meet somebody there you'll like."
"Somebody I like," David repeated. "Who is it?"
"It's a woman, that's who it is. But I'm not going to tell you her name.

She only came here last week, and she is so fond of the water, and
spends so much time upon it. Oh, you'll