amratherglad；UncleReubenwelldeservesthathispetschemeshouldmiscarry。Hewhocalledmyboyacoward，anignoblecoward，becausehewouldnotjoinsomecrack-brainedplanagainstthevalleywhichshelteredhisbelovedone!Andallthetimethisdreadful“coward“riskinghislifedailythere，withoutawordtoanyone!HowgladIamthatyouwillnothave，forallhermiserablemoney，thatlittledwarfishgranddaughteroftheinsolentoldmiser!’
Sheturned，andbyhersidewasstandingpoorRuthHuckabackherself，white，andsad，andlookingsteadilyatmymother’sface，whichbecameasredasaplumwhileherbreathdesertedher。
’Ifyouplease，madam，’saidthelittlemaiden，withherlargecalmeyesunwavering，’itisnotmyfault，butGodAlmighty’s，thatIamalittledwarfishcreature。Iknewnotthatyouregardedmewithsomuchcontemptonthataccount；neitherhaveyoutoldmygrandfather，atleastwithinmyhearing，thathewasaninsolentoldmiser。WhenIreturntoDulverton，whichItrusttodoto-morrowforitistoolateto-day，I
shallbecarefulnottotellhimyouropinionofhim，lestIshouldthwartanyschemesyoumayhaveuponhisproperty。Ithankyouallforyourkindnesstome，whichhasbeenverygreat，farmorethanalittledwarfishcreaturecould，forherownsake，expect。I
willonlyaddforyourfurtherguidanceonemorelittletruth。Itisbynomeanscertainthatmygrandfatherwillsettleanyofhismiserablemoneyuponme。IfI