LITMIR.BIZ

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not realize what it meant. Now he found a voice to speak.

      “I don’t think I ought to take it,” he said. “I didn’t do it for money.”

      “Of course you didn’t!” said the clergyman. “If you had, your act would have been far less commendable, though it might have been as effective. I think you need not hesitate to take the money.”

      “Take it, take it!” said more than one.

      So Grant took the hat, and held it awkwardly for a moment, hardly knowing what to do with the contents till some one suggested, “Put it in your own hat!”

      Grant did so, and then the engineer went forward to examine the bridge more carefully, and decide what had better be done.

      There was no further reason for Grant to remain, and he walked a little distance away and began to count his money. There were one hundred and forty dollars in bills, and about twelve dollars in silver.

      “One hundred and fifty-two dollars!” said Grant, elated. “Now,” and his face brightened up, “now I can go to California!”

      But what should he do with the money? He felt that it would not be prudent to carry it home, for his step-father would be sure to claim it. He might hide it somewhere, but there was danger that it would be discovered, and lost. Finally, he decided to carry it to Luke Weldon, and ask him to keep it for him for the present. Luke was a poor man, but he was thoroughly honest. There was no one in town who would not sooner have trusted him than Seth Tarbox, though Seth had twenty dollars to his one.

      When Grant entered the farm-yard again, Luke looked up with surprise.

      “What brings you back, Grant?” he asked.

      “I want to ask a favor of you, Mr. Weldon.”

      “I am always ready to do you a favor, Grant.”

      “Will you keep some money for me?”

      Luke Weldon was surprised. He knew pretty well how Grant was situated, and that money must be a scarce article with him. Perhaps, however, he had a little extra change which he was afraid of losing, he reflected.

      “All right, Grant!” was his reply. “I’ll keep it for you. How much is it?”

      When Grant began to draw the bills out of his pocket, Luke’s eyes opened with amazement.

      “Where did you get all this money, Grant?” he asked. “You haven’t been – no, I can’t believe it possible you’ve been robbing the old man.”

      “I should think not,” returned Grant indignantly. “I haven’t sunk so low as that.”

      “But where did you get it? Why didn’t you ask me to take charge of it when you were here before?”

      “Because I didn’t have it.”

      “Have you got it since?”

      “Yes.”

      “Then you found it somewhere. It must belong to some one who hid it.”

      “No, it doesn’t. It was given to me.”

      “I want to believe you, Grant, and I never knew you to tell a lie, but it aint easy, boy, it aint easy. If you don’t tell me where and how you got it, I can’t agree to keep it for you. It might be stolen money for aught I know.”

      “Then I’ll tell you, Luke. When I crossed the railroad I found the bridge was broken. I signalled the train just in time to stop it’s going across.”

      “Sho! you don’t say! Then but for you the train would have been wrecked?”

      “Yes.”

      “I’m proud of you, Grant! Give me your hand. Why, boy, you’ve saved fifty lives, perhaps.”

      “That’s what the engineer said.”

      “But about the money – ”

      “The passengers took up a contribution, and here it is.”

      “How much is there?”

      “As near as I can tell, for I counted it in a hurry, there’s a hundred and fifty-two dollars.”

      “And you deserve it all, Grant. Yes, I’ll keep it for you, and give it back whenever you ask for it.”

      “I was afraid Mr. Tarbox might try to get it away from me.”

      “So he would, I make no doubt. He won’t get it from me, I’ll tell you that.”

      “Now I must be getting home. I’ve been away a long time.”

      When Grant approached the farm-house, Rodney, who was standing in front of the house, hailed him.

      “Say, there’s a rod in pickle for you. Grandfather’s awfully mad at your staying so long.”

      CHAPTER V

      GRANT ORDERS A NEW SUIT

      Grant listened to what Rodney said, but Mr. Tarbox’s anger did not signify as much to him as it would have done a few hours earlier. The money he possessed made him feel independent.

      Seth Tarbox appeared at the door, ready to empty the vials of his wrath on Grant’s devoted head.

      “So you’ve been loiterin’ on the way, have you?” he said harshly. “You’ve been twice as long as you need to be.”

      “Well, perhaps I have,” Grant admitted coolly.

      “So you own up to it, do you?”

      “Of course I do.”

      “And what excuse have you?”

      “Do you expect me to work all the time?”

      “I expect you to earn your board and clothes.”

      “I earn them both, and more too, but I don’t get the clothes.”

      “Hey? Oh, I see. You loitered because I wouldn’t buy you a suit of clothes,” snarled Seth.

      “You can take it that way if you want to,” said Grant.

      “What’s got into you, Grant Colburn? ’Pears to me you are mighty independent all at once.”

      “That’s the way I feel.”

      “You seem to forget that but for me you wouldn’t have a home.”

      “When you get tired of providing me with a home, Mr. Tarbox, I will find one somewhere else.”

      “So you think, but if you leave my home you’ll become a poor tramp.”

      Rodney laughed.

      “I guess you’re right, grandfather,” he said.

      Grant darted a look at him which showed that he understood the nature of his feelings.

      “Well,” he said, “I’ll take the risk.”

      “I don’t take back the offer of a suit of clothes, Grant,” said Rodney smoothly. “I’ll bring ’em over the next time I come.”

      “Yes, do, Rodney,” put in his grandfather.

      “You needn’t take the trouble, Rodney,” said Grant. “I shan’t wear the suit if you bring it.”

      “I suppose you expect I’ll buy you a new one,” sneered Seth Tarbox.

      “No, I don’t.”

      “Then you are content to go as you are?”

      “No, I shall have a new suit in a few days, if I have to pay for it myself.”

      “You’re welcome to do that,” responded Seth in a tone of satisfaction, for he concluded that Grant’s mother would pay the bill, and that suited him.

      No more was said to Grant on the subject of his delay in returning from the other farm. He had occasion a little later to go on an errand, and called at the village tailor’s.

      “Mr. Shick,” he said, “I want you to make me

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