. But
at last it was all done, and Glen had already mounted to the seat, while
his companion was putting away his tools, when a cart drove up alongside
and Glen recognized in the driver, Mr. Gates.

"What's the matter?" he asked, as Mr. Gates pulled up his horse.

"What's the matter?" echoed Mr. J. Jervice; "this boy been doing
anything?"

It was not an unnatural question for there was something in Mr. Gates's
look and in Glen's questioning tone that betokened affairs out of the
ordinary; furthermore, Mr. J. Jervice seemed to be so suspicious of
people in general that one might well think he had something to conceal.

"The boy's all right," replied Mr. Gates. "I have something to say to
him, that's all. If he will come over here we will drive on a few feet
while I say it."

Glen's thoughts flew back to the folded newspaper and he was instantly
suspicious.

"I don't want to get down," he said. "This gentleman's agreed to give me
a ride to town and I don't want to keep him."

"But I want you to stay," replied Mr. Gates. "I will take you to town if
you wish, but first I want you to go back home with me and I will tell
you something important."

Glen felt one of his old, unrestrained passions rising within him.

"I know what you want," he cried. "I saw the newspaper. You want to
send me back to the reform school."

"I want to help you make a man of yourself," asserted Mr. Gates, unmoved
by the boy's passion. "It's true I want you to go back to the school,
but I will go with you and speak for you. You must go back because it is
the only right way out. Let me tell you, Glen, you will never get over a
trouble by running away from it. The manly and Christian thing to do is
to go back. And that is why I want you to do it."

"And of course you don't want the reward of ten dollars that's always
paid for returning a boy. You wouldn't take the money, would you?"

If the eyes of Mr. Gates were saddened by this mean sneer those of Mr.
J. Jervice were not. They lightened with a sudden interest, and he
jumped into the battle for the first time.

"This boy's a goin' with me," he told Mr. Gates. "He's earned a ride and
I promised it and I'm a man of my word. You be off, now, and leave him
alone."

"You are spoiling his best chance," said Mr. Gates. "I am not interested
in the school or the reward. I am simply trying to do my duty to the
boy."

"Well, you've done it," cried Mr. J. Jervice, as his car gathered
headway. "