Bill Briggs, with some sense
of delicacy in his nature, brought some fresh water from the far end of
the passageway. For this act he was reviled by his companions.
"It's no easy job to get water here, Briggs," roared Sam. "We got to be
savin' with it."
"Well, don't let it hurt you," retorted Bill. "I'll carry it up from the
river to-night. You won't have to do it."
"She ain't any better'n I am," snorted Maude, "and nobody goes out to
bring me a private bath, I take notice. Get up here and eat something,
you rat! Do you want us to force it down you--"
"If she don't want to eat don't coax her," said Sam. "She'll soon get
over that. We was only hired to get her here and get her away again, and
not to make her eat or even wash. That's nothing to us."
"Well, she's got to eat or she'll die, and you know, Sam Welch, that
ain't to be," retorted the old woman.
"She'll eat before she'll die, Maudie; don't worry."
"I'll never eat a mouthful!" cried Rosalie, a brave, stubborn light in
her eyes. She was standing in the far corner drying her face with her
handkerchief.
"Oho, you can talk again, eh? Hooray! Now we'll hear the story of her
life," laughed big Sam, his mouth full of bacon and bread. Rosalie
flushed and the tears welled to her eyes.
All day long she suffered taunts and gibes from the gang. She grew to
fear Davy's ugly leers more than the brutal words of the others.
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