y rendered."

"But one that cost your family dear. Oh, I have discovered, you see, how
the incident came to the knowledge of your Southern neighbors and how,
in rage, they burned your father's plantation driving you all from it. I
have looked up all the facts. Your father came North in the hope of
recovering his fortunes; he died; you married, strangely enough, another
Jackson; your husband was unfortunate and before he won a place in life
he, too, was taken from you and you were left with this boy. You strayed
into Milburn--it is needless to go on; you see I know all your story. I
wished, my dear madam, to verify my suspicions. I have verified them.
You and Nat unconsciously came to a haven where you never again shall
have cause to worry. Your son shall be trained to share my son's
fortunes. The Coddingtons can never cancel their debt to the Jacksons,
but at least they shall repay a part of it. You who know so well what
pride is will not, I am sure, deny me this pleasure and satisfaction."

For a few moments there was silence.

Then Mrs. Jackson extended her hand toward Mr. Coddington.

"Let us not consider it a debt between strangers," she said. "Rather let
it be a bond between friends. I will gladly accept your kindness and go
to England with you all."

* * * * *

And so two weeks later Peter, amid the cheers of the workmen, bade
good-bye to the tanneries.

As he and his father stood alone on the deck of the great liner and
watched her make her way out of the harbor Mr. Coddington said:

"Do you recall, Peter, the evening of your failure at school, and how I
told you that although it was hard for me to be so severe I felt I must
make a man of you?"

"Yes, sir."

"I was very confident in my own strength that night; but I see now I was
not so powerful as I thought, and it is you who have shown me my folly.
No one in this world can build the character of another; each of us must
rear his own. You have made a far better man of yourself, my boy, than I
ever could have made of you. I am proud of my son, Peter!"

* * * * *

The stories in this series are:

THE STORY OF COTTON
THE STORY OF GOLD AND SILVER
THE STORY OF LUMBER
THE STORY OF WOOL
THE STORY OF IRON
THE STORY OF LEATHER
THE STORY OF GLASS
THE STORY OF SUGAR
THE STORY OF SILK
THE