e details completing the transaction, going over
with a notary public for the old folks to sign the papers, getting
everything ready for Mr. Polk's signature as purchaser since he was
coming and one transfer would be sufficient. He did not stop at the
Follets, but returned at once to meet his old friend.

When Mr. Polk stepped from the train and looked again upon the boy he
had loved as his own, he put an arm about him, as he used to in the
old days, and said:

"How are you, son?"

"Well, thank you," answered Steve, and both voices trembled a
little.

That was all, but it restored the old frank relations. They talked
with great interest about the purchase and went as soon as possible
with the expert to get his opinion upon it. When careful tests of the
property had been made, the expert was enthusiastic.

"I believe it will prove to be a rich coal deposit, and if well
managed ought to bring you a small fortune."

That night when they returned to the little "hotel," so named, Mr.
Polk and Steve talked long and interestedly over plans for developing
the mine. Mr. Polk had pretty well-defined ideas for the immediate
organization of a company and the beginning of operations.

Finally he turned to Steve and said:

"Son, I have grown since you left,--I hope, some wiser, and that
little woman made me see before I left home that I had no right to
dictate to you what you should do with your life. I know you have
worked hard these three years, or you never could have saved money
enough to buy this piece of land, even at so small a price, and I
don't doubt you have done good at the same time. But I still feel that
you might do just as good work perhaps by earning money for the cause
you are so greatly interested in, so I am going to make a proposition
to you. Suppose you take the oversight of this mining business,
handling the money and seeing that everything goes straight. We could
well afford to pay you a good salary for this service and give you
some shares in the company too. Then you can live right here and exert
your influence upon your people, as you call them, at the same time."

Steve listened intently, and the thought of money, and Nancy and music
lessons, while he remained in the mountains, made his brain whirl.

Finally he put out his hand. "You hev allus been kind an' generous ter
me," he said uncertainly, with emotion which carried him back for an
instant to the old-time speech. Then lifting his head he s