back was sufficiently
restored to permit of his being raised in bed to a sitting posture,
and Miss Grace felt it was time she tried to win his consent to
Steve's remaining at school. With woman's intuition she divined the
best method of approach. Steve was not there and she told with simple
pathos of the boy's love for his mother. Jim Langly had loved his wife
with all the mountain man's lack of expression, but the natural
portrayal of the boy's affection did not displease him. The old self
in fact seemed to pass out with that day of terrible fury and the
softer spirit which had taken its place seemed to linger. She went on
to tell how the boy's mother had longed for him to have a chance to
learn, and that only a few minutes before her death she had made him
promise to go where he could learn.

"It was this," she ended, "which made Steve leave home and not the man
who sent the watch."

Jim Langly lay silent a long while after hearing this, and then he
said:

"I was agin that in her alive, I reckon I won't be agin her dead."

After a little he inquired with resentment in his voice, "How come
that man whut give him the watch ter be with him here?"

"The boy happened to find the man," she said, "and the man was good to
him when he needed a friend. But we will get Steve to tell us all
about it," she ended brightly, as Steve came just then to the door.
And with a glad heart the boy told all his story from the day he left
Hollow Hut till his father's appearance a few days before.

The president of the school then visited Langly, told of the boy's
progress and begged earnestly that he be allowed to stay. Nothing was
said as to how the boy's expenses were to be met, and since Jim Langly
knew as little as a child about the cost of such things, he asked no
questions. When strong enough at last Langly walked out a free man,
the president having withdrawn all charges against him, and after
looking about the buildings with strange interest he started back to
Hollow Hut, with no good-bye for his boy after the manner of the
mountains, but with an understanding that when school closed Steve
should return to his old home for the summer.

It was some two months later when Mr. Polk carried out this promise
which had been made the father, by taking the boy back to the woods
where they had first met. He expected to camp there for a few days'
fishing, and to arrange for Steve's safe return to the school in the
fall, as happy plans