Was it that his long ride had failed, and not a friend could be found to help him?
When Martin and the rest were gone, after a single glass of wine, and Ephraim had made excuse of something to be seen to, the Sawyer leaned back in his chair, and his cheerful face was troubled.

I filled his pipe and lit it for him, and waited for him to speak, well knowing his simple and outspoken heart.

But he looked at me and thanked me kindly, and seemed to be turning some grief in his mind.
"It ain't for the money," he said at last, talking more to himself than to me; "the money might 'a been all very well and useful in a sort of way.

But the feelin'-- the feelin' is the thing I look at, and it ought to have been more hearty.

Security! Charge on my land, indeed! And I can run away, but my land must stop behind! What security did I ask of them?
'Tis enough a'most to make a rogue of me." "Nothing could ever do that, Uncle Sam," I exclaimed, as I came and sat close to him, while he looked at me bravely, and began to smile.
"Why, what was little missy thinking of ?" he asked.