find
courage to come nearer.

But the man was only very sound asleep, and he did not wake till the
December dawn gleamed through the clear winter's sky and made the
artificial light look dim and smoky; and when he opened his eyes it was
he himself who started to find himself there in the cold before his
great failure, in broad daylight.

Nevertheless, he had slept soundly, and felt better able to face all the
trouble that was in store for him. He stirred the embers in the stove,
put in some kindling and a supply of coal, and warmed himself, still
heavy with sleep, and glad to waken consciously, by degrees, and to feel
that his resolution was not going to break down.

When he felt quite himself he left the room and went upstairs
cautiously, lest he should wake the boy, though it was really time to
get up, and Newton was already dressing.

"I'll walk into town with you," said Overholt when they were at
breakfast in the parlour. "It will do me good to get some air, and I
must see about selling those things. There's no time to be lost."

Newton swallowed his hominy and bread and butter and milk, and reflected
on the futility of the sacrifice he had made, since his father insisted
on selling everything for old metal; but he said nothing, because he was
dreadfully disappointed.

Near the town they met the postman. As a rule Barbara got the mail when
she went to market, and Overholt was not even going to ask the man if
there were any letters for him. But the postman stopped him. There was
one from his wife, and it was registered. He signed the little receipt
for it, the man passed them on his rounds, and they slackened their
pace as Overholt broke the seal.

He uttered a loud exclamation when he had glanced at the contents, and
he stood still in the road. Newton stared at him in surprise.

"A thousand dollars!" he cried, overcome with amazement. "A thousand
dollars! Oh, Helen, Helen--you've saved my life!"

He got to the side of the road and leaned against the fence, clutching
the letter and the draft in his hand, and gazing into his son's face,
half crazy with delight.

"She's saved it all for me, boy. Do you understand? Your mother has
saved all her salary for the Motor, and here it is! Look at it, look at
it! It's success, it's fame, it's fortune for us all! Oh, if she were
only here!"

Newton understood and rejoiced. He forgot his poor little attempt to
help, and his own disappointment, and everything except