wonder at himself. Every day seemed to find a lower level for his
setting. Nixon had correctly guessed his thoughts. Already he was
turning over in his mind the feasibility of Nixon's plan of escape and
wondering if he could himself take advantage of it. He had been in the
reform school over a year, but it had not reformed him. The new
superintendent, with his kindness, had won the hearts of many of the
most wayward boys, but no impression had he made on Glen. As a matter of
fact the boy rather laughed at his foolishness. To put boys on their
honor, to trust the merit boys to go into town without guard, all was
new policy, and the only interest Glen had in it was to take advantage
of it. Let him get one single chance to go to town alone and the reform
school would see no more of him. Just what he would do he did not know.
Sometimes a fleeting thought of going home to see the mother whose heart
must be almost broken by his waywardness and the young sister and
brother who were carefully guarded from knowledge of the disgrace he had
brought upon them would come to him. But though he was supposed to be
dead to impulses for reform there always crept into his mind the desire
that his return home should be only when he had enough money and enough
honor so that he should not be welcomed as a penitent but as a
conquering hero. Glen was much given to great thoughts of the mighty
things he would do and the high stations he would occupy. Unfortunately
his pride of thought had never made him insist that his inclination
yield to right instead of to desire. Glen Mason's fault was easily
summed up--he desired always his own way and had so allowed this
inclination to fill his life that he was utterly regardless of others.
Given his own way he was a pleasant chum, a good friend and a brave
comrade.

When Glen wanted a thing very badly he would go to great lengths to get
it. Having set for his goal the thirty days of good behavior marks he
was bound to win it, though greatly to the surprise of the officers who
had never known Glen to pass so long a time without fracturing a great
number of rules. No sooner was his time up than he asked leave to go to
town to visit the dentist.

The Superintendent was rather disturbed by the request. He had been both
pleased and surprised by Glen's good behavior. Now that the boy had
earned the privilege of going to town without guard he did not wish to
spoil his good work by a refusal to trust him. Yet