grateful and loving hearts of the Heavenly Father who had so
ordered their ways as to turn their very darkness into brightest light.
As she thought over her mercies, the wonderful promises that had
sustained the widowed mother through so many an hour of trial came back
to her with their fullest force.

That afternoon Derrick felt strong enough to walk out, and went to the
Everts' to see his dear friend and recent companion in suffering. He
found Paul able to see and talk to him, but in bed, and very weak and
languid.

"If I could only get away, far away from it all, Dare," he said. "The
horror of the mine hangs over me all the time, and I'd almost rather
never get well than go down into it again."

Then Derrick bent down and whispered something that brought a new light
into the crippled lad's eyes and a faint flush to his pale cheeks.

"Oh, Dare!" he exclaimed. "Is it true? Really! Do you mean it?"

Derrick answered that it was true, and he meant every word of it.

CHAPTER XX

GOOD-BY TO THE COLLIERY

What Derrick whispered to Paul Evert as he bent over him was: "You
needn't ever go down in the mine again, Polly. I want you to go to
Philadelphia with me to learn to be an artist. The money's ready, and
it's all fixed that I'm to go; and if you only say the word it will be
fixed for you to go too. I'm only waiting for you to get strong to tell
you the whole story. Don't say a word about it yet, though, for it's a
secret."

A hope like this was a wonderful medicine to the delicate lad, and when,
an hour later, his father came in, he was astonished at the change for
the better that had come over him.

"Why, Paul lad, an hour since I was thinking I'd saved thee for naught
but to die, after all," said the miner. "Now I find thee bright and
smiling, and chipper as a tomtit. Whatever's happened?"

"Derrick's been to see me, father."

"Ay; I might ha' know'd it. No other could cheer thee like him. He's a
noble lad, and a true friend o' thine, Paul. I doubt if another would
ha' gone back i' t' face o' t' skirling waters on chance o' saving
thee."

"I'm sure not, father."

While Paul was thus talking of Derrick, Derrick was talking of Paul.

He had gone home full of a newly formed plan. In fact plans had formed
themselves so rapidly in his mind since Mr. Halford's visit that they
were already trying to crowd each other from his memory. The one now
uppermost was in regard to Paul.

Going to his own roo