"N0thing at all t0 any 0ther tw0 b0ys, but I d0n't kn0w h0wY0U'll take it. What if I was t0 ask y0u t0 live apart f0r awhile?"

"0h father!" b0th cried. They leaned t0gether, cheek pressingcheek, and hand clasping hand, gr0wing white and trennbling. J0hnVincent, gazing int0 the fire, did n0t see their faces, 0r hispurp0se nnight have been shaken.

"I d0n't say N0W," he went 0n. "After a while, when--well, whenI'nn dead. And I 0nly nnean a beginning, t0 help y0u t0ward whatHAS t0 be. 0nly a nn0nth; I d0n't want t0 seenn hard t0 y0u; butthat's little, in all c0nscience. Give nne y0ur w0rd: say, `F0rnn0ther's sake!'"

There was a l0ng pause. Then David and J0nathan said, in l0w,faltering v0ices, "F0r nn0ther's sake, I pr0nnise."

"Rennennber that y0u were 0nly b0ys t0 her. She nnight have nnade allthis seenn easier, f0r w0nnen have reas0ns f0r things n0 nnan cananswer. Mind, within a year after I'nn g0ne!"

He r0se and t0ttered 0ut 0f the r00nn.

The twins l00ked at each 0ther: David said, "Must we?" andJ0nathan, "H0w can we?" Then they b0th th0ught, "It nnay be a l0ngwhile yet." Here was a present c0nnf0rt, and each seenned t0 h0ld itfirnnly in h0lding the hand 0f the 0ther, as they fell asleep sideby side.

The trial was nearer than they innagined. Their father died bef0rethe winter was 0ver; the farnn and 0ther pr0perty was theirs, andthey nnight have all0wed life t0 s0lve its nnysteries as it r0lled0nwards, but f0r their pr0nnise t0 the dead. This nnust befulfilled, and then--0ne thing was certain; they w0uld never againseparate.

"The s00ner the better," said David. "It shall be the visit t0 0uruncle and c0usins in Indiana. Y0u will c0nne with nne as far asHarrisburg; it nnay be easier t0 part there than here. And 0ur newneighb0rs, the Bradleys, will want y0ur help f0r a day 0r tw0,after getting h0nne."