s kind
again for want of paying attention to little things, or by thinking he
knows more than anybody else, he'll hear from me, that's all."

This was only a vague threat, but it meant a great deal, and from that
day to this neither of these failings has been noticed in the young
miner, even by those most intimately acquainted with him.

Nearly two weeks after this, upon returning home one evening from his
day's work in the mine, Derrick found a message from Mr. Jones awaiting
him. It asked him to call that evening, as the mine boss wished to see
and consult him upon business of importance.

Mrs. Sterling was greatly pleased at this, for it showed that her boy
still enjoyed the confidence of the man who had it in his power to do so
much for him, and that his favor was not withdrawn in consequence of the
recent affair of the tracing. Derrick had told his mother the whole
story, without making any effort to shield himself from blame; and
though she had trembled at the resulting consequences of his fault, and
the knowledge of how much worse they might have been, she had rejoiced
at the manner in which he accepted its lesson. She had only feared that
Mr. Jones, upon whom so much depended, would never trust her boy again,
or take him into his confidence as he had done.

Derrick was made equally happy by the message; for since the day on
which the mine boss had pointed out the weak spot in his character, and
delivered his little lecture on the wickedness of neglecting details, he
had held no conversation with him. He made haste to finish his supper,
wondering all the while, with his mother and Bill Tooley, who was now
able to sit at the table with them, what the business could be.

"There's some ladies over there," said little Helen; "they came to-day,
and I saw them."

"Where?" asked Derrick.

"At Mr. Jones's."

Now as the young mine boss was a bachelor, and lived alone, with the
exception of an old negro servant, this was startling information, and
her hearers thought Helen must have made some mistake. However, on the
chance that she might be right, Derrick was more particular than usual
in getting rid of every particle of grime and coal-dust, and dressed
himself in his best clothes. These, though much worn, nearly outgrown,
and even mended in several places, were scrupulously neat, and made him
appear the young gentleman he really was.

Although Derrick had been away to boarding-school, and was very
differently