on your own feet. I
tried to teach you this long ago. I think I failed. At least is seems
so now. You did stand for a while though, my boy, and I would to God
you could do so again."

"Dodd" sat in his chair shedding bitter tears; he began feebly:

"Help me this once," he begged, "and before God, I promise you I will
never give you cause to be ashamed of me again."

"Keep your pledges to yourself," returned Mr. Bright. "I want none of
them. They are of no value whatever. You have come to a time now when
you must do something more than pledge, though there was a time when
your word was good, and I would have taken it, unquestioned, on any
occasion. But that time is past. It may come again, but the chances
are against it."

"You are making me out a monster," interlarded "Dodd," with an attempt
at injured innocence in his voice.

"And that is just what you are," said Mr. Bright. "You have grown out
of all semblance to the true type of a man. You are wicked, deceitful,
weak, vacillating, and untruthful. So long as you retain these
qualities there is no hope for you. Perhaps a punishment of a term in
jail may serve to bring you to a sense of your condition. If it will,
it is the best thing that can happen to you. Anyhow, I am willing to
see it tried."

"So you will not give me money to pay my fine?" groaned "Dodd."

"Not one cent," again answered Mr. Bright, as he showed the young man
to the door.

CHAPTER XXII.

As they walked through the hall, however, "Dodd" dragging himself along
reluctantly, a kindlier mood took possession of the school teacher. He
paused, and, turning to the young man, said:

"See here. I have a plan that has just come to me, and I will give you
the benefit of it. I am convinced that you will never be any better
than you are now if you continue to live in this city. Your companions
are here, and so are your old haunts and associations. I will do this
for you. I will go to your room with you and help you get together
whatever clothing you have. Then I will go with you to the depot, and
will buy you a ticket to the farthest point from here that ten dollars
will take you to. I don't want to know where that place is. I don't
want ever to see you or hear from you again, unless you are a different
man. I want to give you one more chance to stand on your own feet.
That is all I have to say. You may take it or leave it, as you will."

"Dodd" hesitated a minute, and