man, his
eyes twinkling. "He seems to be always following her about. And he
managed to get young Fred Hamilton to take Billy up to the camp. Fred
is going up to his father's shanties with a gang of men in about a
week."

Roderick's heart sank. Here was a lost opportunity indeed. He had
failed to help his father, and had missed such a splendid chance to
help her.

"If you've got anybody else who needs a job, Dad, I'll try to do better
next time," he said humbly.

"Oh, indeed, there will always be some one needing help," his father
said radiantly. "Eh, eh, it will be a fine thing for me to know you
are helping to care for the poor folk on the Jericho Road. Jist being
neighbour to them. It's a great business, the law, for helping a man
to be neighbour." The old man sat and gazed happily into the fire.

Roderick fidgeted. He was thinking that some of the work of a lawyer
did not consist so much in rescuing the man who had fallen among
thieves as falling upon him and stripping him of his raiment.

"Law is a complicated business, Dad," he said, with a sigh.

There were prayers after that, and a tender farewell and benediction
from the old people, and Roderick went away, his heart strangely heavy.
He was to be absent only a short time, perhaps not over two weeks, but
he had a feeling that he was bidding his father a lifelong
farewell--that he was taking a road that led away from that path in
which the man had so carefully guided his young feet.

It was not entirely by accident that Roderick should be walking into
Algonquin just as Helen Murray was coming out of the Hurd home. He had
been very wily, for such an innocent young man. A shadow on the blind,
showing the outline of a trim little hat and fluffy hair, had sent him
back into the shadows of the Pine Road to stand and shiver until the
shadow left the window and the substance came out through the lighted
doorway. Gladys came to the gate, her arm about her teacher's waist.
They were talking softly. Gladys's voice was not so loud nor her look
so bold as it once was. She ran back calling good-night, and the
little figure of the teacher went on swiftly up the shaky frosty
sidewalk. A few strides and Roderick was at her side. She was right
under the electric light at the corner when he reached her and she
turned swiftly with such a look of annoyance that he stopped aghast.

"Oh, I beg your pardon--" he stammered, but was immensely relieved when
she in