your chance. Being so young and
inexperienced--for you don't look eighteen, no--I reckon you'd be
willing to work without any more wages than jest your board and
lodging until you had kind o' got trained into doing things our way."

"I'm afraid that I should never earn any wages at anything--not if I
were to live a thousand years, if I had to be trained to do things
your way first!" Jessie told him, with flashing eyes.

"Oh, that's all right; you'll get over some of your high notions when
you get to be a hired girl. You'll prob'ly acquire the ornament of a
meek and quiet spirit, same's the Bible speaks of, and it's one that
you ain't got at present. As for you"--he turned on me savagely, and
it was evident that he held me in even less esteem than he did my
sister--"you can get out, and that brat"--he glared at Ralph, who had
drawn near, and was regarding him with a kind of solemn, impersonal
interest--"you can get shet of him easy enough--you can send him to
the poor-house."

CHAPTER XX

GUARD MAKES A MISTAKE

Mr. Horton was returning to the charge when I eagerly caught at an
opportunity that now presented itself, of speeding his departure. He
was standing with his back to the open door, and had not observed,
as we did, that his horse--contrary to the usual habit of mountain
ponies--was not standing patiently where his master had left him.

Weary of waiting, he was walking away along the homeward road as
rapidly as the dangling bridle reins would allow.

"Mr. Horton," I said, "your horse is leaving." A wicked impulse forced
me to add: "I am sure you would hate to lose your horse here--as you
did a coat button, one night not so long ago."

It was a reckless speech to make, as I felt when I looked at him. His
face turned of a livid pallor; he looked murderous as he stood in his
tracks, glaring at me. He was, I am certain, afraid to trust himself
to speak, or to remain near me. He bounded out of the house shouting
"Whoa! Whoa!" as he ran. Guard was dozing by the doorstep. Mr.
Horton's action and call were so sudden that he sprang up, wide awake,
looking eagerly around, under the impression that his services were in
requisition. Though nearly full grown he was still a puppy, with many
things to learn. The horse, also startled by Mr. Horton's outcry,
raised his head, turning it from side to side as he looked back in
search of the creature that had made such a direful noise. He
quickened his pace into a trot