“I remembered what I had promised you for this year, and I took it—­think of it, mother—­took it, and never touched him!  I just looked into his eyes, and said, ’If I should strike you back, I should lower myself to your level.’

“He laughed a great, scornful laugh, and said, ’You hear, boys, Morgan’s turned preacher.  You’d better wait, sir, before you lecture me on my behavior to the little ones, till you have pluck enough to defend them.  I’ve heard about the last impudence I shall from a coward like you.’

“The boys laughed, and some of them said, ‘Good for you, Osgood!’ and I came home.  I had done it for the sake of my promise to you! for I’m stronger than he is, any day; and you know, mother, whether there’s a drop of coward’s blood in my veins.  I thought you were the one to comfort me; though it isn’t comfort I want so much, either.  I just want you to release me from that promise, and let me go back and thrash him.”

Mrs. Morgan’s heart thrilled with silent thanksgiving.  Her boy’s temper had been her greatest grief.  His father was dead, and she had brought him up alone, and sometimes she was afraid her too great tenderness had spoiled him.

She had tried in vain to curb his passionate nature.  It was a power which no bands could bind.  She had concluded at last that the only hope was in enlisting his own powerful will, and making him resolve to conquer himself.  Now he had shown himself capable of self-control.  In the midst of his anger he had remembered his pledge to her, and had kept it.  He would yet be his own master,—­this brave boy of hers,—­and the kingdom of his own mind would be a goodly sovereignty.

“Better heap coals of fire on his head!” she said quietly.

“Yes, he deserves a good scorching,”—­pretending to misunderstand her,—­“but I should not have thought you would be so revengeful.”

“You know well enough what kind of coals I mean, and who it was that said, ‘If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink.’  I can not release you from your promise till the year for which you made it is over.

“I think that the Master who told us to render good for evil, understood all the wants and passions of humanity better than any other teacher has ever understood them.  I am sure that what He said must be wise and right and best.  I want you to try His way first.  If that fails, there will be time enough after this year to make a different experiment.”

“Well, I promised you,” he said, “and I’ll show you that, at least, I’m strong enough to keep my word until you release me from it.  I think, though, you don’t quite know how hard it is.”

Mrs. Morgan knew that it was very hard for a true, brave-hearted boy to be called a coward; but she knew, also, that the truest bravery on earth is the bravery of endurance.

“Look out for the coals of fire!” she said smilingly, as her boy started for school the next morning.  “Keep a good watch, and I’m pretty sure you’ll find them before the summer is over.”