t was going at Christmas.

They did not have any sight tests then. But the new Directory meant
to be thorough. Mr. Wagoner had become a Director, had his eye on the
presidency. Jim was one day sent for, and was asked about his eyes. They
were bad. There was not a doubt about it. They were inflamed; he could
not see a hundred yards. He did not tell them about the extra trips and
putting the tobacco in them. Dick Rail must have told about him. They
said he must go. Jim turned white. He went to his little room, close up
under the roof of a little dingy house in a back street, and sat down in
the dark; thought about his mother and Kitty, and dimly about some
one else; wrote his mother and Kitty a letter; said he was coming
home--called it "a visit"; cried over the letter, but was careful not to
cry on it. He was a real cry-baby--Jim was.

"Just run to seed," he said to himself, bitterly, over and over; "just
run to seed." Then he went to sleep.

The following day he went down to the railroad. That was the last day.
Next day he would be "off." The train-master saw him and called him. A
special was just going out. The Directors were going over the road in
the officers' car. Dick Rail was the engineer, and his fireman had been
taken sick. Jim must take the place. Jim had a mind not to do it. He
hated Dick. He thought of how he had pursued him. But he heard a voice
behind him and turned. Carry was standing down the platform, talking
with some elderly gentlemen. She had on a travelling cap and ulster. She
saw him and came forward--a step:

"How do you do?" she held out her little gloved hand. She was going out
over the road with her father. Jim took off his hat and shook hands with
her. Dick Rail saw him, walked round the other side of the engine, and
tried to take off his hat like that. It was not a success; Dick knew it.

Jim went.

"Who was that?" one of the elderly gentlemen asked Carry.

"An old friend of mine--a gentleman," she said.

"Rather run to seed--hey?" the old fellow quoted, without knowing
exactly why; for he only half recognized Jim, if he recognized him at
all.

They started.

It was a bad trip. The weather was bad, the road was bad, the engine
bad; Dick bad;--worse than all. Jim had a bad time: he was to be off
when he got home. What would his mother and Kitty do?

Once Carry came (brought by the President) and rode in the engine for a
little while. Jim helped her up and spread his coat for her to