never would have amounted to anything, anyway."

"Do you suppose he is still prospecting somewhere in the mountains,
mother?"

"I don't know, Willis. Probably not, for that was ten years ago, you
know."

The remains of the last log dropped between the andirons and rolled over.
Mrs. Thornton rose.

"It's time we were in bed, son, long ago." With that she gently bent,
kissed him on the forehead, and slipped off to her own room, leaving him
with the dying fire. He sat still a long time, his eyes wide open and his
fists clenched.

"If I only could," he was saying. "If I only could."




CHAPTER III

In Which Willis Is Honored


"You're always trying to get in a new fellow, Chuck. We never would have
a new member if you didn't do your scouting around. You know more about
the fellows in this town than any half-dozen of the rest of us. How do
you get next to them?"