mpaign was on again, all
racial and religious prejudices forgotten, in the glory of the fight.
Lawyer Ed was quite content that his young partner should let him do
all the public speaking, and so neither side was offended at the young
man's careful steering in a middle course. Roderick himself hated it,
but there seemed no other way, on the road he was determined to follow.

He was not too busy to watch Helen Murray, and serve her in every way
possible. He tried to atone for his past neglect of the Perkins family
by getting Billy a good position on his return, and was rewarded by
being allowed to walk up to Rosemount with Helen the night Billy came
home. He was so quietly persistent in his devotion to the girl, making
no demands, but always standing ready to serve her, that she could not
but see how matters were with him. But the revelation brought her no
joy. Her heart was still full of bitter memories, and with all
gentleness and kindness, she set about the task of showing Roderick
that his attentions were unwelcome. It was not an easy task, for she
was often very lonely and sometimes she forgot that she must not allow
him to waylay her in Willow Lane and walk up to Rosemount with her.
Again she punished herself for her laxity by being very severe with him
and at such times Roderick allowed himself to seek comfort for his
wounded feelings in Leslie Graham's company, for Leslie was always kind
and charming.

One evening, Roderick and Fred Hamilton had been dining at the Grahams
and had walked home with the Misses Baldwin. They were returning down
the hill together, and Fred, who had been very sulky all evening, grew
absolutely silent. Roderick tried several topics in vain and finally
gave up the attempt at conversation and swung along whistling, his
hands in his pockets.

At last the young man spoke.

"I'm going West this spring."

"Oh, are you?" said Roderick, glad to hear him say something. "You're
lucky. That's where I'd like to be going."

"Yes, likely," sneered the other. "I guess any fellow can see what
direction you're going all right."

"What do you mean?" asked Roderick, nettled at the tone.

"Oh, yes, as if you didn't know," growled his aggrieved rival. "You
don't need to think I'm blind and deaf too, and a fool into the
bargain."

Roderick stopped short in the middle of the snowy side-walk. "Look
here," he said quietly, "if you don't speak up like a man, and tell me
what you're hinti