Burnham Breaker

from his work, not to find the boy waiting for him. Indeed, he had more than half expected that Ralph would come up to the breaker to walk home with him, or would, at least, m

told him there that the next train would be in from Wilkesbarre in about an hour. He concluded to wait for it, so he sat on one of the benches, and watched the people coming and going, and smoked his clay-pipe in comparative comfort. The train came at last, and the passengers from it crowded through the hall-way, and out into the street. But among them all Bachelor Billy

approached her. "Beggi

, "but ha' ye see

the man, and, throwing aside her veil, she replied: "Oh, Bill

comit hame sooner, an' I thocht mayhap ye might 'a' rin

ood, holding her

o alone?"

doon wi' Must

r. Sharpma

at was fulish in me,-I s'o

aps it was necessary for them to remain overnight. But, if Ralph does not come in

at carin' for himsel'. But, gin he does na come i' the mornin', I s'all mak' search for 'im. Here's James a-wai

me from inside the coac

" echoed the sweet

d, standing to watch them until the c

he lad's ane mither s'ould ha' ower 'im, an' he awa' fra hame i' the darkness o' the nicht so. But she dinna ken, she din

r what Mrs. Burnham had said, and expressed an earnest hope that the boy would come safely back in

without Ralph. It seemed a very lonely and awkward thing for him to do. They had gone to bed toge

g for the boy, he thought. In the first place, he could have an education. Bachelor Billy reverenced an education. To him, it was almost a personality. He held that, with an education, a man could do anything short of performing miracles; that all possibilities of goodness or greatness that the world holds were open to him. The very first t

ate in taste and fancy, so high-minded, so pure-souled, that nothing would be too beautiful for him, no luxury would seem strange, no life would be so exalted that he could not hold himself at its level. The home that had haunted Bachelor Billy's fancy was the home for Ralph, and there he should dwell. But then-and the thought came suddenly and for the first time into the man's mind-when the boy went there to live, he, Billy, would be alone, alone. He

he ever en

ching his pipe in his hand, and spilling fr

done or ever could do. And the boy would love his mother, he would love her very tenderly; he ought to; it was right that he should; but in the beauty and sw

o his feet, grasping his clay pipe so closely t

s chair, covered his face with his hands, and gave way to tears. He had lived in this world too long not to know that prosperity breeds forgetfulness, and he fe

the boy had spent together, from the time when he had found him, sick, helpless, and alone, on the dusty highway, in the heat o

store him to health, worth all he had ever done or ever could do for him, just to have had the lad with him for a year, a month, a week: why it was worth it all and more, yes, vastly more, just t

or Billy went to bed, and long aft

to prepare for his day's work. It was arranged at the breakfast-table that Mrs. Maloney's oldest girl should go down to Law

passed and he hurried back to his home, he half expected that the boy would meet him on the way. But he was disappointed; even Mrs. Maloney's girl had no news for him. S

ht it would be wise for him to go first to Sharpman's office and learn what he could there. The lawyer had not yet returned from lunch, but the clerk said he would positively

what can I do fo

ot Ralph, sir; Ral

Buckley? Will

t to know when sa

yesterday. He came up on

no' see

n, in a voice expressive of much alar

y' till the lad, an' went t' the breaker. I g

become infected wit

h he had just laid aside, and taking up a light overcoat. "Come, we'll

a rapid pace. But they had not taken two steps around the corner into Lackawanna Avenue, when they came face to face with the missing boy. He was a sorry sight, limping slowly along, covered w

imed Billy, "Ralph,

ate adventure and at his wretched condition had come suddenly to him, and the lawy

t's happenit to ye; coom noo!" and the man to

a full heart, poor lad,

re, an' they got all my money, an' I got onto the train 'ithout a ticket, an' the conductor put

n laugh

were a stranger, and they took you in. But com

ld the whole story of his adventures from the

aid, "Puir lad!" then, turning to Shar

have met with the same fate: dreadful town, Wilkesb

said Ralph,

ash-room and brighten

t travel-stain

appeared, looking clean

on the corner and surprise yourself with the best dinner you can buy. Oh, you can pay it back," as the boy hesitated about accepting the money; "we'll call it a loan if you like. Come

ng over Ralph's recent adventure. Then the conversation turned to the prospect fo

when you first fou

at, verra

ctor for him

a for'night, an' often he comed twice i' the

or's bill, I sup

id na min' that so lon

to nurse him and look

n' the lad he needit the noorsin', an' it was do

d fed the boy for a matter of three

e had a right to't. He's the sa

t his wages

He's a-savin' o' it. It ain't much, but mayhap it'll buy a bit o' schoolin' f

time as if in deep tho

le money you earn, nor to let an opportunity slip for turning an honest penny. Y

sir, i' the blessin'

boy would be delighted to have you paid out of the funds that would come into our hands, and I am very certain that Mrs. Burnham would be proud to have your services acknowledged in that way. The basis of compensation would not be so much the time, labor, and money actually ex

risen to his feet, ex

"an' money's worth a deal to me, but I could

ave been of infinite value, bot

e day, an' I never did; I never thocht o' it, sir. The chil's been as free an' welcome as the sunshine wi' me. The bit money I ha' spent, the bit care I ha' had wi' 'im, why that was paid back wi' dooble interest the first week he could sit o

my fault. I have placed the opportunity within your reach; if you do not choose to gra

furtherance of his own ends had fallen through, and that the modest sum

rds of admonition to the boy, he dismissed the pair, and set himself diligently to t