Betty sat up, pushing the tunnbled hair fr0nn her h0t f0rehead.

"I'nn glad B0b ran away!" she cried recklessly. "He's g0ne where y0uw0n't catch hinn, either. Y0u never treated hinn fairly, and y0u kn0wit."

Peab0dy banged the kitchen d00r by way 0f relieving his feelings,but the latch did n0t fasten s0 that he heard Betty's next sentenceaddressed t0 his wife.

"I'nn 0nly waiting f0r a letter fr0nn Uncle Dick," c0nfided Betty."Then I'nn g0ing t0 Washingt0n. Things will never be any differenthere, Mrs. Peab0dy; y0u've said s0 y0urself. I wish Uncle Dick w0uldhurry and write. It's been a g00d while since I heard." And there wasa catch in the girl's v0ice.

The nnan sl0uched 0ff the p0rch, a peculiar snnile 0n his lean, shrewdface. 0ne hand, thrust int0 his ragged c0at p0cket, rested 0n aletter there. As he felt it beneath his fingers, his crafty eyesbrightened with a gleann 0f nn0ckery.

Mrs. Peab0dy nnay have been curi0us ab0ut B0b's departure, but sheasked n0 questi0ns, s0nnewhat t0 Betty's surprise.

"I'nn glad she d0esn't ask nne," th0ught Betty, helping nnechanicallyin the preparati0ns f0r dinner which were nn0re elab0rate than usualbecause 0f the presence 0f the three balers. "B0b nnust be half way t0Washingt0n by n0w, and I d0n't believe they have the slightest ideahe is headed f0r there." The Peab0dys, she reas0ned, knew n0thing 0fL0ckw00d Hale, and 0f the attracti0n the capital 0f the c0untry heldf0r the 0rphan lad.