said.

Drew waited for her a moment, still standing behind the chair. Then he
spoke clearly and firmly:

"Ruth, in Phil's going he left our love to us; for we are permitted to
remember the splendid man in spite of the weakness which crippled him.
We must carry out every wish of his. I think when this is done--his
brave soul will be free from every earthly stain. The good he did; the
man he was, must claim recognition as well as the sin that stamped him.
Both are actual and real.

"We'll find John Dale if he is to be found. We'll give him all that is
his own--his own. But I pray God he is still man enough to claim no
more.

"And now, go to bed. You may sleep safely, for you have made yourself
ready even for--sacrifice."

"No! no! Ralph."

"Yes! yes!"

He opened the door of the study, and with bowed head she passed out.
Then Drew turned and mechanically banked the fire, and left the room
orderly, as was his habit.

As he followed a few moments later, the little clock struck the
half-hour of one. Much had been lost and gained in an hour's time.

CHAPTER XVI

Billy arose the morning after his eventful evening, with a feeling of
physical discomfort. He attributed it to his neglected duty, when in
reality it was merely a disordered stomach.

The past day or two, ending in a feast of unwonted dainties, had created
havoc with Billy's newly acquired, higher nature.

He was sulkily belligerent with Maggie, but Maggie viewed the lapse with
considerable relief. Billy of the night before awed her in spite of
herself. Billy of the morning after cast no reflections on her own
inferiority.

Poor Peggy wondered, in her dull way, if she had been dreaming the
astonishing things that had set her heart beating. To reassure herself
she took a candle and went out to the wood-shed. No; there, in the dim
shadows of the cobwebby place, was the stanza that was proof of her
son's genius. Then Peggy reflected with a glad heart that it was the
accepted belief of the world that geniuses were always cranky and
uncomfortable, and, womanlike, Peggy gave thanks that it was permitted
her to have a genius for her own.

Soon after breakfast Billy began his life work with a dull pain in the
region of his heart.

He went up to Filmer's shack and found him out; he then hauled and
pulled the tagged bundles of pine trees, which Jock had left standing by
the door, down to the Station.

"What in the name"--Tom Smith paused to expecto