down, put his arms on the table, and his head lay an aching weight
upon his arms. After a time he got up, and taking his traveling-bag
from a closet, began to pack it. There was his old pipe, still with a
ribbon tied about the stem. He waited a long time and then went
down-stairs. The library door was closed, and gently he rapped upon
it. Witherspoon's voice bade him enter.

Mrs. Witherspoon was sitting on a sofa; young Henry was on his knees,
and his head was in her lap. Witherspoon and Ellen were standing near.

"He is like my father's people," the mother said, fondly stroking his
hair. "All the Springers were light." She looked at DeGolyer, and her
eyes were soft, but for him they no longer held the glow of a mother's
love. DeGolyer put down his bag near the door.

"Mr. Witherspoon, I hardly know what to say. I came to this house as a
lie, but I shall leave it as a truth. I"--

"Hank!" young Henry cried, getting up, "you ain't going away. You are
going to stay here."

He ran to DeGolyer, seized his hand, and leading him to Ellen, said:
"I have caught you a prince. Take him." And DeGolyer, smiling sadly,
replied, "I love her as a brother." She held out her hands to him. "I
could never think of you as anything else," she said.

"But you must not leave us," Mrs. Witherspoon declared, coming
forward.

"Yes, my mission here is ended."

"You shan't go, Hank," young Witherspoon cried.

"Henry," said DeGolyer, "I did as you requested. Now it is your time
to obey. Keep quiet!" He stood erect; he had the bearing of a master.
He turned to Witherspoon. "Here is a check for the amount of money you
advanced me, with interest added."

Witherspoon stepped back. "I refuse to take it," he said.

"But you _shall_ take it. I have sold the paper at a profit, and it
has made money almost from the first. Do as I tell you. Take this
check."

The merchant took the check, and it shook in his hand. DeGolyer now
addressed Mrs. Witherspoon. "You have indeed been a mother to me. No
gentler being ever lived, and till the day of my death I shall
remember you with affection."

"Oh, this is all so strange!" she cried, weeping.

"Yes, but everything is strange, when we come to think of it. God
bless you. Sister,"--Ellen gave him her hands,--"good-by."

He kissed the girl, and then kissed Mrs. Witherspoon. Henry came
toward him, but DeGolyer stopped him with a wave of his hand. "My dear
boy, I'm not going out of the world. No, you