t just shakes his head and grins if
you ask him why not."

"I know the reason," said Lee firmly. "It is a good one, too. Do you
know his mother? No? Well, she is more like an angel than a human
being." Lee took off his campaign hat as he spoke, as though he could
not talk of Mrs. Sherman while he remained covered.

"She is perfect," he continued. "So gentle, so sweet; and such a true
friend! But she has a very weak heart. There is something wrong, very
wrong about it, and Major Sherman has told me that a shock might kill
her. And what greater shock could there be than something happening to
her only son? Major Sherman told me that he had explained it to Bill,
and that Bill never did one thing to worry his mother. If he says he
will come home at a certain time, he gets there. When he is away, at
Lawton or Medicine Park or any place like that, he telephones her a
couple of times to let her know he is all right. That boy is a peach, I
can tell you! There are dozens of things he doesn't do on her account.
And he never complains. He doesn't wait for her to ask him not to,
either. It is awfully hard on him, I can tell you, because he is the
most fearless and daring boy of his age I have ever seen. He wants to
try everything going." Lee looked wistful. "I wish _I_ could hear
someone say Bill is a coward!"

"They don't go as far as that," said Chauncey soothingly. "They just guy
him a little."

"They will stop guying if _I_ hear them," said Lee doggedly. "The boy
has every kind of courage that there is and some day will prove it. But
never, never if it will distress his mother. He will bear all the slurs
and insults in the world rather than hurt her."

"Jimminy, old fellow, you take it too hard!" said Lem, laughing. "All
the fellows do is guy him, and we will see to it that they stop that,
you can bank on it. Chance here and me will never see the kid abused. I
am some scrapper myself, if it comes to that!"

He pounded Lee cheerfully on the back and that young man smiled in spite
of himself. Turning, he caught Lem, a six footer and heavy, and with
what seemed a playful little clasp raised him from the ground and tossed
him over his shoulder where he hung balanced for a minute before Lee
gently eased him to the ground. Chauncey was round-eyed with amazement
and Lem sputtered, "Lee, you wizard, you! How in the world did you do
that? Why, I am twice your size!"

"Just a little Indian trick that I learned a good while ago wh