“ ’Tis just this, sir. It can’t be reasoned out of his head by any powers of mine but what that he can do right by your kind lady and gentleman and do his work for me, both together. Now he can’t. To give himself up to being put in the way of arning a good living and getting on, he must give me up. Well; he won’t.”

“I respect him for it,” said Rokesmith.

“ Do ye, sir? I don’t know but what I do myself. Still that don’t make it right to let him have his way. So as he won’t give me up, I’m a-going to give him up.”

“How, Betty?”

“I’m a-going to run away from him.”

With an astonished look at the indomitable old face and the bright eyes, the Secretary repeated, “Run away from him?”