tion that
was akin to the desolation of his boyhood in the wilderness. He felt
that he must leave New York at once, for he could not stay longer with
self-respect under the roof which had been home to him for so many
years. What "little mother," as he had come to call Mrs. Polk, would
say he did not know, but his heart warmed when he thought of her, and
comforted at last by the feeling that she at least would not
misunderstand him, he fell asleep towards morning. And in his fitful
dreaming her sweet face was strangely crowned with soft yellow curls
and she wore a little white pinafore!

The next day Steve had a long talk with Mrs. Polk. She had heard of
the trouble from Mr. Polk, and had done all in her power to bring
about a change in his state of mind. Failing utterly and knowing his
tenacity when an idea was once fixed, she could not encourage Steve
with the hope of any immediate change. Neither could she urge the
young man to abandon his purpose, for she felt that he alone must
decide his future, and though in her heart she approved his course, so
deeply was she grieved over the alienation between him and Mr. Polk
that she held it in restraint. She knew that she had helped to shape
his determination, and woman-like was fearful now she had made a
mistake.

When Steve said that he must go, she did not try to keep him, but her
eyes were brimming with tears when he tenderly kissed her good-bye, as
he had always been in the habit of doing, and she pressed a roll of
money in his hand, whispering, "It is my own."

"No, no, little mother," he said with determined good cheer, "I do
not need it. I was very economical the last few weeks at school, for I
had forebodings of trouble; then,--I earned some money writing little
stories for boys, the past year."

Scarcely noticing the last remark she hesitated a moment, wanting to
insist that he take it, and yet reluctant. Then she held him by the
shoulders with her slender hands, and said earnestly:

"If you ever need, you will let me know, will you not?"

"I certainly will, dearest little mother in the world," he said, his
own eyes glistening with tears.

There was a formal leave-taking with Mr. Polk at the office, and then
he went his way back to the mountains of his birth.

XI

EXPERIENCE

As the train carrying Steve southward reached a point where rugged
peaks began pushing majestically up into the distant firmament he felt
again the old thrill of the mount