lence.

"But what evidence is there," he finally asked icily, "that you ever
placed any shares of stock in my hand, or even so, that they were not
delivered to you again? Of course you can show my name at the bottom
of a receipt if that is the fact?"

"Is that absolutely necessary, Mr. Culpepper?" she asked, helplessly.

"It is strictly business, madam," the visitor went on, in his cold,
cutting tones that were like the rasping of a file. "I could not think
of handing over anything of value that was in my possession without
receiving in return a receipt."

"But you would not be so cruel as to deprive my children of their bread
simply because of a little technicality, sir? I will do anything the
law demands to insure that you are not held liable whether the lost
receipt is ever found again or not."

"There is only one thing you can do," continued Mr. Culpepper, eagerly,
"that will cause me to waive my rights, and you know what that is.
Those are my only terms of surrender."

"That's just where you're a whole lot mistaken Mr. Culpepper!" cried
Carl, unable to hold in any longer, and thrusting his head and
shoulders through the open window as he spoke.

The widow gave a slight shriek, while Mr. Culpepper said something half
under his breath that no doubt expressed his feelings.

"What do you mean by saying that?" he asked, in a voice that was
unsteady.

"You made a statement that you'll have to take water on," Carl told him
with a broad smile on his face. "Listen! My mother will be down at
your office to-morrow morning with Judge Beatty and myself, and she'll
demand that you deliver the paper that this receipt calls for!"

With that he held up the precious little paper so that those in the
sitting room could see it. Mrs. Oskamp gave a bubbling cry of joy,
while Amasa Culpepper, seizing his hat and stick, hurried out of the
door, entered his buggy and whipped his horse savagely, as though glad
to vent his ill humor on some animate object.

Carl was not another moment in climbing through the open window and
gathering his mother in his strong arms. The whole story was told that
evening with the younger children gathered around. Mrs. Oskamp sat
there and felt her mother heart glow with pride as she heard how Carl
had played his part in the exciting drama connected with the hike of
the Boy Scouts.

"It seems as though some power over which you had no control must have
led you on to the glorious success that came