offering her sympathy. During this week that she had been at the Red
Mill it could not be said that she had gained Uncle Jabez's
confidence-- that she had drawn close to him at all. But it was not
for a will on her part to do so.

The girl now left Aunt Alvirah and Helen on the porch and walked
straight down to the old man. She was beside him, with a hand upon his
arm, before he was aware of her coming.

He stared at her so angrily-- with such an expression of rage and
hopelessness upon his face-- that she was held speechless for a
moment.

"What do you know about it, girl?" he demanded, hoarsely.

"About what, Uncle?" she returned.

"The box-- the cash-box-- my money!" he cried, in a low voice. "Do you
know anything about it? Was it saved?"

"Oh, Uncle! We only got here in the automobile just in time to escape
the flood. The office was wrecked at that very moment. Was the box
there?"

"Gone! Gone!" he murmured, shaking his head; and turning on his heel,
he strode into the mill.

The boy had taken the mules around to the stable. Ruth hesitated, then
followed the old man into the mill. There Jabez confronted Tom
Cameron, sitting on a sack of meal and watching the turbid waters