Under Sealed Orders | Page 9

part, though, so he seems to be somewhat

under your care."
"And why shouldn't I? He deserves great credit for what he has done,
and it is very unbecoming of you to make fun of him."
"I wish you could have seen him this afternoon, though," and Dick
glanced across the table at Sammie. "We were speeding along in the car
when we saw him hoeing potatoes in a field by the road. His clothes
were all soiled, his sleeves rolled up, and he looked like a regular
bushman. I called out to him as we sped past, and you should have seen
the expression on his face when he saw us. It was like a thunder cloud.
I guess he felt pretty well cut up at being caught at such work, ha, ha."
"Whom are you talking about, anyway?" Mr. Sinclair demanded.
"What's all this about 'Spuds,' I'd like to know?"
"Oh, it's only that country chap we met several years ago, don't you
remember?" Dick explained. "His real name, I believe, is Jasper
Randall, though we have always called him Spuds, because he was
digging potatoes when we first met him."
"You don't mean that big overgrown boy who helped us to carry Lois
home the day she sprained her ankle at Daltan Creek?"
"The very same, dad. And you remember what fun we had at the way
he sat and drank his tea out of the saucer?"
"But I didn't." Lois spoke sharply, while a flush mantled her cheeks.
"Oh, no, you didn't make fun," Dick laughed. "You were mad through
and through, and gave us a good solid lecture afterwards."
Lois made no reply, so while the men talked, she let her mind dwell
upon that scene of years ago. She saw again the lank awkward lad who
was so concerned about her accident. While helping to carry her home,
he had been much at his ease, and his eyes glowed with a sympathetic
light. But when once in the house, his natural shyness had come upon
him, and he did not know what to do with himself in the presence of

strangers. One thing stood out above everything else, and that was his
look of indignant defiance when Dick laughed because he drank his tea
out of the saucer. She liked the way he had straightened himself
suddenly up, while his eyes flashed with a peculiar light. The next that
she heard of him was several years later when he entered college in
Dick's year. Then every time her brother had come home he had such
stories to tell her about Spuds. And so he was now living near working
on a farm. Why did he not go home? she asked herself. She wondered
also what he looked like now. Was he lank and awkward as when she
saw him? She longed to ask Dick several questions, but desisted,
knowing that it would be to little purpose. Her brother would only
make fun of him, and she would be sure to get angry.
When supper was over, the men sauntered out upon the verandah for a
smoke. Lois went, too, but sat somewhat apart with a piece of
needlework in her hands. She preferred to be alone that she might think.
She thought first of old David, and his pitiable condition. What could
she do to help him? she asked herself. It was not right that he should be
kept as a pauper while there were several people in the parish who
could provide for him without the least trouble. Her father was one of
them, and she was determined to speak to him just as soon as she could.
From old David it was only natural that her mind should turn to Jasper
Randall. She recalled his animated face the day her ankle had been
sprained. He was but a big overgrown boy then, and she had just
graduated from school. She had never forgotten him, and had followed
his career while at college as well as she could from what her brother
told her. And so he was now working on a farm nearby. A longing
came upon her to see him, and to learn if he had changed much since
that day years ago. As she glanced toward her brother and Sammie, so
effeminate in their manner, and dressed with such scrupulous care, a
feeling of contempt smote her. They disdained honest toil, and would
scorn to soil their soft white hands with manual labor. But over there
was a young man toil-worn, and no doubt sunburnt, clad in rough
clothes earning his living by the sweat of his brow. Such a person
appealed to her. He would form an interesting study, if nothing else.
There must be some connection between that potato patch