Part 14 (1/2)

THE RUNAWAY.

By the next morning Ralph felt better. He was able to take the matter of his discharge philosophically, and he was even hopeful that the next week would see him in a better situation than he now occupied.

He went at his duties with a willing spirit, resolved that there should be no cause for complaint during his last days on the bridge. Only one thing made him feel bad, and that was that he could not prove that Percy and not himself had been to blame for the row.

But Ralph soon learned that many of the village folks who used the bridge daily sided with him. Some of these were very outspoken in their opinion of the committee's actions.

”Under the squire's thumb, all of 'em!” said Bart Hayc.o.c.k, the village blacksmith. ”We ought to have a new committee, and maybe we will have at the coming election.”

But all this talk did not help Ralph. He had received notice, and in three days his duties on the bridge would come to an end. And the change would also hurt Bob Sanderson, who would now have either to pay for his board or go elsewhere.

”Who is to take your place?” asked Sanderson, when he came to relieve Ralph in the evening.

”I don't know, Mr. Sanderson,” returned the young bridge tender. ”But I hope, whoever it is, he keeps you as helper.”

”Well, that depends,” returned the old man. ”I wouldn't care to work for everybody, say Dan Pickley, for instance.”

”Do you think Dan Pickley is after the job?” questioned Ralph, quickly.

”He was after it before, and he ain't doing much now.”

”I imagine Squire Paget will give him the position if he wishes it,” mused Ralph. ”He and the squire are quite thick.”

”That's because Dan is willing to do any work the squire wishes done,”

responded Bob Sanderson. ”That fellow will do anything for pay.”

That evening Ralph and his mother had a talk, in which it was decided that old Bob Sanderson should be allowed to remain at the cottage at the nominal amount of a dollar per week for board, until he managed to obtain another situation, or until jobs in his line became more numerous.

When Sanderson was told of this he was very grateful. As he had no other boarding-place in view, he gladly accepted the offer, and promised that the widow and her son should lose nothing by their kindness.

On the following morning Ralph was collecting toll, when a man approached the bridge, and began to watch proceedings. The man was Dan Pickley.

”What brings you, Pickley?” asked Ralph, after the latter had been watching him for some time.

”Came down to get the run of things,” returned Pickley.

”Then you are to have the job after I leave?”

”Reckon I am. The squire said as much.”

”The squire and you are rather thick,” remarked the young bridge tender, coolly.

”Oh, I don't know,” returned the man, uneasily. ”He knows a good hand to hire when he wants him.”

”It was you who were at the squire's house when I called, a few nights ago.”

”Yes; I had an errand for him.”

As he uttered the last words, Dan Pickley looked at Ralph closely. He was wondering if the boy had overheard much of the conversation which had pa.s.sed between Squire Paget and himself that night in the library.