"Ain't no good ever come of books," muttered the miller.
"Oh, Uncle! Just let me show you," begged the girl, in her earnestness clinging to his arm with both hands.
He looked down for a moment at her hands as though he would fling off her hold. But he thought better of it, and waited fully a minute before he spoke.
"You know your Aunt Alviry needs ye," he said. "If you kin fix it with her, why I don't see as I need object."
"Will it be too much trouble for you to get my trunk, Uncle, so that I can begin going to school next week?" Ruth asked.
"Ain't you got nothin' to wear to school?" he said. "It's dress; is it? Beginning that trouble airly; ain't ye?"
He seemed to be quite cross again, and the girl looked at him in surprise.
"Dear Uncle! You will get the trunk from the station, won't you?"
"No I won't," he said. "Because why? Because I can't."
"You can't?" she gasped, and even Aunt Alvirah looked startled.