arating breeze,
which kissed the surface of the azure lake, sleeping so peacefully,
and, awakening immediately into smiles, it lay rippling and dimpling
with laughter in the sunlight.

The vines, transplanted by Miss Gladden and Lyle, under their
fostering care, had transformed the little porch into a bower of
beauty. Here stood Van Dorn, his fair, almost feminine face flushed
with pleasure, and his blue eyes sparkling, as the light breeze played
with the auburn curls clustering about his forehead, and he looked
forth on the beauty of the scene.

"Ah--h!" he exclaimed, drawing a long breath, "isn't this refreshing
after the stifling heat and dust of the journey out here? Isn't it
glorious?"

"It is," responded Houston, "this is one of the mornings when it is a
joy just simply to live and breathe."

Houston was fired with new ambition that morning; he would no longer
have to work alone, keeping his anxieties and doubts, his plans and
discoveries alike to himself; from henceforth he would have
companionship, counsel and assistance, and he felt a new interest and
enthusiasm.

Immediately after breakfast, the two set forth upon their first day's
work. Going first to the mills, Houston secured the services of two or
three men who could be spared from the ordinary work, to assist Van
Dorn in making preparations for the erection of the machinery; then he
left for his early visit to the mines.

It was nearly ten o'clock when, having finished his round of duties at
the mines, and coming up to the surface from the cool, underground
workings, he found the heat almost unendurable, and strolled over to
the mills, to see how Van Dorn was progressing. The latter did not
seem averse to stopping for a few moments, and for a while, the two
chatted and laughed with the old, careless abandon of their college
days, without a thought of the more serious side of life, until,
something being needed for the work, which Houston thought was in the
tool-house, they proceeded together to look for it.

Houston was still searching for the needed implements, when Van Dorn,
who was near the door, called out:

"I say, Everard, here's a small specimen of humanity who seems to be
looking for you in a desperate hurry," and an instant later, he heard
a familiar voice say:

"Is the boss in there, mister? Le'me in quick, I wan'ter see 'im!"

Turning quickly, he saw Bull-dog, breathless, pale and quivering with
excitement.

"Say, boss," he gasp