saying that, Mr. Kelley. How long has he been in this
business?"

"A little less than a year."

"And you want me to go away without trying to get him out of this awful
trade?"

"I don't see how you could safely try it. I think he is going to quit it
himself. Your coming has been a terrible jolt to him. Now I'll tell you
what you do. You take the old lady and pull out over the hill and I'll
undertake to get the boy out of this gambling myself."

She was deeply affected by his quiet and earnest manner, and studied him
with reflective glance before she said: "You're right. Mother must never
know of this. She was brought up to believe that saloons and gambling
were the devil's strongest lure for souls, and it would break her heart
to know that Fred has become a gambler. I will do as you say, Mr.
Kelley. I will take this train. But you must write me and tell me what
you do. You will write, won't you?"

"Yes," replied Kelley, hesitatingly. "I'll write--but I ain't much of a
fist at it. Of course, I may not make a go of my plan, but I think it
will work out all right."

She reached her hand to him, as if to seal a compact, and he took it.
She said: "I don't know who you are or what you are, Mr. Kelley. But
you've been a loyal friend to my brother and very considerate of my
mother and me, and I appreciate it deeply."

Kelley flushed under the pressure of her small fingers, and replied as
indifferently as he could: "That's all right, miss. I've got a mother
and a sister myself."

"Well, they'd be proud of you if they could know what you have done
to-day," she said.

His face took on a look of sadness. "They might. But I'm glad they don't
know all I've been through in the last ten years."

III

Morse was surprised, almost delighted, when his sister announced her
decision to take the afternoon train. "That's right," he said. "You can
stop on your way back in the spring. Perhaps Kelley and I will have our
own house by that time."

The train was on the siding, nearly ready to start, and there was not
much chance for further private conference, but Florence succeeded in
getting a few final words with Kelley.

"I wish you would tell me what your plan is," she said. "You needn't if
you don't want to."

Kelley seemed embarrassed, but concluded to reply. "It is very simple,"
said he. "I'm going to make him an actual partner in the mine. I'm going
to deed him an interest, so that when you come back in the spring he
w