His words enraged the foreman. He broke into a storm of abuse, and advanced with clenched fist as though he would strike Reuben. But recollecting himself, he dropped his arm and turned away with a sneer. "I suppose you are one of the pious sort. You set up for being better than any one else. I know the style. But I'd have you understand, we don't want any psalm-singing hypocrites here. You can go; I can find some one else to do my errand." Reuben went away feeling very unhappy. He had made a brave stand for the right, but the circumstances were such as could yield him no glad sense of victory. He had the approval of his conscience, but that failed to overcome the sense of foreboding that oppressed him. There could be no doubt that he had made an enemy of Mr. Savage. He had been harsh enough before, but Reuben foresaw that in future, the foreman's treatment of him would be marked by a special vindictiveness. And so it was. The feeling of Savage towards the lad who had dared to oppose him now amounted to positive hatred, and he watched for an opportunity of doing him an injury. He was anxious to get him ousted from the works. He spoke disparagingly of him to Mr. Akenside, intimating, with an air of regret, that the lad was so unruly and impudent that he feared he should never be able to do anything with him. Mr. Akenside was surprised and disappointed. What he had seen of Reuben Roy had given him a very different impression. But he reflected with a sigh that one may very easily make a mistake in judging of character. Reuben cared less about the harshness of Savage as Christmas approached, and he could look forward to spending three whole days at home. Kate, the girl who had given him the flowers, and with whom ever since he had been on friendly terms, envied him as she marked his bright look when he spoke of going home. "You've got a good mother, I reckon," she said to him one day, "or you would not be so mighty pleased at going home." "Ay, my mother's a right good sort," said Reuben, with a smile. "And mine was a bad lot, but she's dead now, so I won't speak agin her," said Kate quickly. "Maybe if I'd had a good mother, I'd have been a different sort of girl. But what's the good of talking about it now? Folks must take me as I am. And if they don't like me, it's all the same to me." With that she began to sing, accompanying her song with a kind of wild dance. Kate was never serious long. Indeed, this was the first time Reuben had seen her display any kind of feeling.