nt idea," he said. "Let us take the new name, a picture
of the new life which begins to-morrow, when you say before the world,
as for me I will serve the Lord. Be very careful of the new name, dear
brother; don't stain it with any shadow of evil."

Tode walked home slowly and thoughtfully in the gathering twilight,
strange new thoughts stirring in his heart. He felt older and graver and
wiser. He went round by his business stand; he took his knife from his
pocket and carefully pried out the tacks which held his pasteboard sign;
then he held it up in the waning light, and looked earnestly at the
letters, his face working with new thoughts. But the only outward
expression which he gave to these thoughts was to say as he rolled up
the pasteboard:

"I must have a new sign. Good-by, Tode Mall, I'm done with you forever.
After this I'm Theodore S. Mallery."

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XVI.

PLEDGES AND PARTNERSHIPS.

There was a little bit of a white house, cunning and cozy, nestled in
among the larger ones, on a quiet, pleasant street of the city. It was a
warm June day, and the side door was open, which gave one a peep into a
dainty little dining-room. There was a bright carpet on the floor, a
green-covered table between the windows, with books and papers scattered
about on it in the way which betokens use and familiarity instead of
show. The round table was set for three, and ever and anon a dear little
old woman bustled in from the bit of a kitchen and added another touch
to the arrangements for dinner. A young miss of perhaps sixteen was
curled in a corner of the lounge, working rapidly and a little nervously
with slate, and pencil, and brain. The side gate clicked, and a young
man came with quick decided tread up the flower-bordered walk. The
student raised her eyes and found her voice:

"Oh, Theodore! for pity's sake see what is the matter with this example?
I've worked it over so many times that the figures all dance together,
and don't seem to mean anything."

"What is it? Algebra?" And the young man laid his cap on the table,
tossed the curls back from his forehead, and sat down beside her.

"Yes, it's algebra, and I'm thoroughly bewildered. Do you believe I ever
_will_ know much about it, Theodore?"

"Why, certainly you will. You're a good scholar now, if you wouldn't get
into such a flurry, and try to add and multiply and divide all at once.
See here, you've used the wrong terms twice, and that is