“Well I never!” she at length declared.  “Why the place is all fixed up, and somebody must surely be living here.  Who can it be, for I never heard a word about it, and I thought that I knew everything that was going on in this parish.  Just look at that table now, with the dishes all washed so clean.  And there are books, too,” she added, “and pictures on the wall.  I never knew a man could keep a room so neat.”

“How do you know that it is a man?” David asked.  “Perhaps it is a woman.”

“Why, that’s easy enough,” and Betty looked around the room.  “Don’t you see a man’s boots there, his clothes hanging up by the stove, and a package of tobacco on the window-sill?  I guess it’s a man all right.”

“Perhaps you are right,” David assented.  “You know more about such things than I do.  Anyway, it’s nice to be here out of the storm.  But do you think the man will mind when he comes back and finds us here?  He might be very angry with us.”

“Let him get angry, then,” and Betty gave her head a slight toss.  “I don’t care for angry men.  If I can match Jim Goban, I guess I can handle any man who comes here.  Leave that to me, and don’t you worry.  I’m going to do a little exploring, anyway.  I want to see what’s in that other room.  Ah, just what I thought,” she continued, when she had opened the door and entered.  “It’s the bed-room, and the bed is not made.  That shows all right that a man lives here.  A woman would never think of going away and leaving the bed like that.  I’m going to open the window and air the room.  Men always keep the windows shut tight, and the house gets so stuffy.  There, that’s better,” she panted, as after some difficulty she forced the window up.  “I’m going to make up that bed just as soon as I get the fire going.”

There was a box full of dry wood behind the stove, and soon she had a fire burning brightly.  She next partly filled a small kettle with water and set it upon the stove.

“You had better take off your wet coat,” she suggested to David.  “You’ll get your death of cold if you keep it on much longer.”

“Can’t I help you?” the old man inquired, as he stood watching with admiration the girl’s light step and the skilful way she did everything.  There was a longing in his eyes as well, for he wanted to be of some use but did not know how.

“Yes, you can help me,” and Betty smiled upon him, “by taking that coat off and sitting down upon that nice cosy place near the stove.  It was certainly made for comfort, and the man who owns this building must spend his evenings there.  What a lot of books he has.  He must read a great deal.”

David was only too glad to obey, so after he had taken off his coat and hung it up back of the stove to dry, he stretched himself at full length upon the settle.

“This does feel good,” and he gave a sigh of relief.

“You’re tired, that’s what’s the trouble with you,” Betty replied.  “You shouldn’t have a bit of work to do.  You’re too old, and you should have some one to look after you all the time.”