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 and you have saved Gerald—from I know not what. In every thing and every moment I can see—not by what you say about yourself—you have been a sort of a hero. You don't like praise to your face? I sha'n't bore you with it. But if I can only keep you with Gerald here for the rest of your life and his, and find him growing up just like such a friend as you, that is all I want now. I'll talk of that with you, though, later."

They kept on sitting there together, in the light of the new rising moon and the gentle glow of the wood fire until there came a knock at the door. Philip went out into the hall.

"If you please, sir," asked the man standing there, "are you young Mr. Touchtone?"

"I am."

"You don't recognize me. I am one of the officers in charge of that man Jennison down at the court-house."

"Yes; what of it?"

"He wants to see you very much, sir. We must take him off by the morning train, and there's really not much time, unless you care to come down with me to-night."

"He wants to see me? To-night?" re-