o see him this afternoon. I asked Gwendolyn to tell
him I was coming, but I suppose he thinks it is about selling Balaam.
He's ready to take him off your hands if you want to part with him. That
seventy-five dollars he paid for Pepita and the saddle and harness was
such a blessing. It carried us through; we couldn't have done without
it, unless we'd let Mr. Wingate help."

"Never! Well, I suppose he'll have to take him. If I can't work, I can
give up, as well as you."

"No, Hal, I don't want to sell him yet. Wait till the last thing and we
can't help it. Do try to think kindly of what I'm doing, dear. Down in
my heart I'm pretty proud, too. But you start home. I'll take a bit of
lunch and then start out to seek my fortune. Wish me luck, laddie; or,
rather, bid me God-speed."

She lifted her face for his kiss, and he gave it heartily. It was to the
sensitive, proud, undisciplined boy the very hardest moment of his life,
save and apart from his bereavement.

"To think, Amy, little sister, that I, who should be your protector and
supporter, am just--this!"

"Hush! you shall not point so contemptuously to those poor legs. I think
they are very good legs, indeed. There's nothing the matter with them
except that they won't move. They've been indulged so long--"

"Amy, I don't understand you. First you seem so cheerful; then you make
light of my lameness. Are you forgetful, or what?"

"Not forgetful, nor hard-hearted. Just 'what,' which means that I
believe you could learn to walk if you would."

"Amy! _Amy!!_"

"Hallam!"

"Do you suppose I wouldn't if I could?"

"Hal, do you ever try?"

He looked at her indignantly; then he reflected that, in fact, he never
did try. But to convince her he made an effort that instant. Tossing his
crutches to the ground, he tried to force his limbs forward over the
ground. They utterly failed to respond to his will, and he would have
fallen had not Amy's arms caught and supported him.

"There, you see!"

"For the first attempt it was fine. Bravo! _Encore!_"

Yet she picked up his "other legs" and gave him, then led Balaam away
from the late thistle blooms he was browsing. Hallam mounted, crossed
his crutches before him, and lifted his cap. Amy tossed him a kiss and
turned millward, while he ascended the hill road. But no sooner was she
out of sight than her assumed cheerfulness gave way, and for a time it
was a sad-faced girl who trudged diligently onward toward duty and a
l