I say."

It was the first time he had ever called her by her name. She could not
understand how he dared. She wished Carl would come in.

"Will you do it?" asked Quigg eagerly, his cunning face and mean eyes
turned toward her.

Jennie never raised her head. Her cheeks were burning. Quigg went on,--

"I've been keepin' company with ye, Jennie, all winter, and the fellers
is guyin' me about it. You know I'm solid with the Union and can help
yer mother, and if ye'll let me speak to Father McCluskey next Sunday"--

The girl sprang from her chair.

"I won't have you talk that way to me, Dennis Quigg! I never said a word
to you, and you know it." Her mother's spirit was now flashing in her
eyes. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself to come here--and"--

Then she broke down.

Another woman would have managed it differently, perhaps,--by a laugh,
a smile of contempt, or a frigid refusal. This mere child, stung to
the quick by Quigg's insult, had only her tears in defense. The Walking
Delegate turned his head and looked out of the window. Then he caught up
his hat and without a word to the sobbing girl hastily left the room.

Tom was just entering the lower gate. Quigg saw her and tried to dodge
behind the tool-house, but it was too late, so he faced her. Tom's keen
eye caught the sly movement and the quickly altered expression. Some
new trickery was in the air, she knew; she detected it in every line of
Quigg's face. What was McGaw up to now? she asked herself. Was he after
Carl and the men, or getting ready to burn the other stable?

"Good-morning, Mr. Quigg. Ain't ye lost?" she asked coldly.

"Oh no," said Quigg, with a forced laugh. "I come over to see if I could
help about the fire."

It was the first thing that came into his head; he had hoped to pass
with only a nod of greeting.

"Did ye?" replied Tom thoughtfully. She saw he had lied, but she led
him on. "What kind of help did ye think of givin'? The insurance company
will pay the money, the two horses is buried, an' we begin diggin'
post-holes for a new stable in the mornin'. Perhaps ye were thinkin' of
lendin' a hand yerself. If ye did, I can put ye alongside of Carl; one
shovel might do for both of ye."

Quigg colored and laughed uneasily. Somebody had told her, then, how
Carl had threatened him with uplifted shovel when he tried to coax the
Swede away.

"No, I'm not diggin' these days; but I've got a pull wid the insurance
adjuster, and might git an