draw him back to the doorway again. His intention was to take one last look and go away. He knew that he had no right there, and that his father might be very angry if he thought that he was out of bed and listening to the conversation; but some strange will over which he appeared to be powerless, kept him rooted to the spot. The two men talked in such a low tone at first that all he could hear was the mumbling of voices. Presently, however, his father becoming more earnest, said excitedly to the other man in a louder voice:

[35]

“I won’t do it. I tell you I can’t do it. It’s not right to you.”

“Don’t be a fool,” responded the red-haired man in a deep bass voice. “This will save you, and it cannot do me any harm. I’ll never miss it, I can assure you.”

“But it seems so unjust,” urged his father; “it doesn’t seem quite square to act with you in this way. After all these years I should not be placed in the position of taking this from you.”

“I am the best judge of that,” growled the other[36] man in his heavy voice; “take it and say no more about it.”

[36]

As he spoke he pushed a package in the direction of Mr. Harkins, who still with reluctance, picked it up and placed it in his pocket. This act seemed to relieve his feelings, because he said right away in a voice that sounded lighter and more contented:

“Well, I guess it is all for the best. I’ll take it, and you can rest assured that you’ll lose nothing by your kindness.”

Their voices became lower again at this point, and Herbert, sorry for having remained so long, hurried back to bed and was soon in the land of slumber. Father, mother and son met at the breakfast table the next morning, and all seemed to be in a more cheerful frame of mind than they had been for some days. Mr. Harkins was bubbling over with good spirits. He turned to his wife in a laughing manner, and said:

“I’ve got a surprise for you this morning—a bit of good news that will make you feel good.”

“What is it?” asked the wife curiously.

“Simply that I have the money and I am going to pay off that obligation to John Black before the clock strikes another hour.”

The poor woman was so overjoyed at this unexpected news that she ran over and gave her husband a hearty 

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