“You are willing to keep him for awhile?” he asked.

“Yes.  Mother will be so pleased to have him, and I will work hard to help her.”

“Where will you work?  At Jim Goban’s?”

“No, I am through there.  But I will get work somewhere.  I will talk it over with mother.  I think we had better be going now.”

Thrusting his hand into his pocket Jasper brought forth several bills.

“Take these,” he said, “they are all I can give you now, but you shall have more later.”

“But you need the money yourself,” the girl replied.

“Not as much as you will need it.  So say nothing more about it.  Good-bye.  I hope to see you again.”

Jasper watched the two as they moved slowly across the field and then disappeared down the road.  He felt lonely when they were gone, and he sat for some time in front of the cabin lost in thought.  At times he called himself a fool for what he had done.  Why should he be burdened with that old man when he could hardly make his own living?  And besides, he had no work to do, and had given away his last dollar.  But notwithstanding all this, a secret feeling of satisfaction stole into his heart that he had helped old David and had taken him out of Jim Goban’s clutches.

As he sat there the bell of the nearby church rang forth, and he realised for the first time that it was Sunday morning.  He did not feel in a mood for attending service.  He needed a long walk to think, and shake off the spirit of depression that was stealing over him.

Entering the cabin, he prepared a small lunch, and then closing the door he struck out across the field in the direction of Break Neck Falls.  He wished to go there to view the scene where David planned to erect his plant and do such wonderful things.  He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of the old man’s delusion.  Reaching the brow of the hill just where the trail started from the main road, he paused and looked down to his left.  He could see clearly Peter Sinclair’s house with the tall trees surrounding it.  Bitter feelings came into his heart as he stood there.  Over yonder lived a man who had the power to do so much good in the world.  He could help old David and give him a comfortable home for the rest of his life.  Why should some men have so much of this world’s goods and others so little? he asked himself.  Then he thought of Dick, and a contemptuous smile curled his lips.  He recalled his feelings the previous day when he had watched the car go by and listened to the salutation of “Spuds.”

And standing there his feelings suddenly underwent a marvellous change, for walking slowly across the field was Lois on her way to church.  She was some distance away so Jasper was sure that she could not see him.  As in the past so now he was forced to worship her afar off.  It was not for him, poor and unknown, to draw any closer.  The trees along the path she walked could bend above her and the bright flowers could smile up into her face.  But for him there could be no such favours.  He was half tempted to hasten back to church.  There he could be quite near and watch her.  He banished this thought, however, as he glanced down at his own rough clothes and coarse boots.