tell her what
your decision was."

Jim caught up his hat. "I'll go!"

But Uncle Denny laid his hand on Jim's arm. "No, me boy. Pen's had all
she can stand tonight. I'll take her your word. What shall it be,
Still?"

Jim brought his fist down on the table. "Tell her, with her help, I'll
keep up the fight!"

Uncle Denny's blue eyes blazed. "I'm prouder of the two of you than I am
of me Irish name," he said, and, seizing his hat, he hurried out.

While he was gone Jim wrote this note:

"My dear Mr. Secretary:--Some time ago I wrote you that I did not think
an engineer should be asked to build the dam and at the same time handle
the human problems connected with the Project. Subsequent events lead me
to believe that as your letter suggests it is the duty of the government
to look on these Projects not as engineering problems so much as the
building of small democracies that may become the living nuclei for the
rebirth of all that America once stood for. I do not believe that I am
big enough for such a job, but I am putting up a fight. I have been
asked to resign within a few weeks from now. I think, looking at the
matter from the point of view I have just expressed, that I am dismissed
with justice. This letter is to ask you to see that my successor is
chosen with the care that you would give to the founder of a colony."

Uncle Denny returned and waited until Jim had finished his letter. Then
he said:

"Sara spoke just once after you left. He denied any knowledge of the
anonymous letter."

"I'm going to put it up to Fleckenstein," said Jim. "The newspaper dope,
of course, was Sara's. I can only ignore that except to answer any
questions the farmers may put to me about it. How is Pen?"

"She cried it out on me shoulder after you left and felt better for the
tears. Your message will send her to sleep. Still Jim, if I had a jury
of atheists and could put Pen on the stand and make her give her
philosophy as she has sweated it out of her young soul, I could make
them all believe in the eternal God and His mighty plans. To be bigger
than circumstance, that's the acid test for human character."

Jim nodded and looked into the fire. This suggestion that he might be
the instrument of a mighty plan, he and Pen and Uncle Denny, awed him.
Uncle Denny eyed the fine drooping brown head for a moment.

"Ah, me boy! Me boy!" he said tenderly. "The old house at Exham is not a
futile ruin. 'Tis the cocoon that gave birth to th