r. Britton
replied gently, with his old smile,--

"I doubt whether I have yet wholly conquered; but whatever victory is
mine, I have won, not in solitude and seclusion, but in association with
the sorrowing, the suffering, the sinning, and in sharing their burdens
I found rest from my own."

He paused a moment, then continued, his glowing eyes holding Darrell as
though under a spell:

"I know not why, but since our first meeting you have given me a new
interest, a new joy in life. I have been drawn to you and I have loved
you as I thought never again to love any human being, and some day I
will tell you what I have told no other human being,--the story of my
life."

On Saturday Mr. Britton and Darrell returned to The Pines. The
increasing intimacy between them was evident even there. For the last
day or so Mr. Britton had fallen into the habit of addressing Darrell by
his Christian name, much to the latter's delight. For this Mrs. Dean
laughingly called him to account, compelling Mr. Britton to come to his
own defence.

"'John,'" he exclaimed; "of course I'll call him 'John.' It seems
wonderfully pleasant to me. I've always wanted a namesake, and I can
consider him one."

"A namesake!" ejaculated Mrs. Dean, smiling broadly; "I wonder if
there's a poor family or one that's seen trouble of any kind anywhere
around here that hasn't a 'John Britton' among its children! I should
think you had namesakes enough now!"

"One might possibly like to have one of his own selection," he replied,
dryly.

As Darrell took leave of Mr. Britton the following Monday morning the
latter said,--

"By the way, John, whenever you are ready to enter upon that hermit life
let me know; I'll provide the hermitage."

"Are you joking?" Darrell queried, unable to catch his meaning.

"Never more serious in my life," he replied, with such unusual gravity
that Darrell forbore to question further.

_Chapter XI_

IMPENDING TROUBLE

The five or six weeks following Mr. Britton's visit passed so swiftly
that Darrell was scarcely conscious of their flight. His work at the
mill, which had been increased by valuable strikes recently made in the
mines, in addition to considerable outside work in the way of attests
and assays, had left him little time for study or experiment. For nearly
three weeks he had not left the mining camp, the last two Saturdays
having found him too weary with the preceding week's work to undertake
the long rid