Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill; Or, Jasper Parloe's Secret

e sat on the comfortably upholstered seat in the last car of the afternoon Limited, the trai

hed it out upon the railroad timetable, and upon the map printed on the back of the sheet; and as the stations flew by, she had spelled their names

ut she had been fortunate in having a seat all to herself; she was glad this was so, for a pe

he "crying kind," and she had forbidden he

to break the brave compact. "When we knew we had to leave dear old Darrowtown, and Miss True Pettis, and Patsy Ho

kind of an old dear. And to live in a mill-and one painted red

and up quickly. She saw standing beside her the tall old gentleman who had been sitt

hair waved over the collar of his black coat-a regular mane of hair which flowed out from under the brim of his well-brushed, soft-

do it?" he aske

onded, not without a little gulp, fo

nge old gentleman, still speaking softly

now Ruth could call up a little smile, though p

invited him to do so. She was not at all afraid of him

h such an air of confidence and interest

er, however, that he was going to Cheslow, too-in

hear all about Doctor Davison, and you would better know him at first-hand, to avoid

tle way outside of Cheslow," Ruth said

ht eyes of the gentleman. Yet even then his co

mill," he said

hat is my un

r un

exact," said Ruth. "H

en more gently than before, "are

married papa," said Ruth, more ea

t of the window at the fast-darkeni

helped me when he died," pursued Ruth, bravely. "They wrote to Uncle Jab

came back into his ey

d-fashioned, homely pronunciation. "I had forgotten Aun

bez, I understand," Ruth cont

lviry, I think," said Doct

viry, and Ruth had left so many kind friends behind her in Darrowtown that she was gl

n nor known much about) might not have written as kindly for his niece to come to the Red Mill as Miss True could have wished. But

Doctor Davison. He seemed to understand it whe

is five miles out on the Lake Osago Road. It is a pretty country. It will be dark

d come to the station to meet her with a car

continued Doctor Davison. "But when y

asked him

ned, his eyes twinkling more than ever. And

ck into her throat again and the sting of unshed tears t

ast-flying locomotive shrieked its long-drawn warning, and a group of signal lights flashed past.

lights of the locomotive and the mail car far ahead upon the gleaming rails. The

en-with a start, for she knew what it meant-a sharp red flame

again so suddenly that the easily-riding coach jarred through all its parts. The re