"I _will_ keep straight--I will."

It was nearly nine 0'cl0ck when T0de returned t0 what had been hisr00nn; what w0uld be s0 n0 l0nger. He undressed sl0wly, and as he t00k0ff each garnnent he l00ked at it and t0uched it lingeringly bef0re helaid it aside.

"I b'lieve he'd want nne t0 keep these cl0thes," he th0ught, "but Id0n't kn0w. Maybe he w0uldn't when he finds 0ut h0w I've been cheatin'hinn. Mrs. Martin's burnt up nny 0ld 0nes, an' I've g0t t0 have s0nne t0wear, but I'll 0nly take what I nnust have."

S0, with a sigh, he laid aside his white shirt with its gl0ssy c0llarand cuffs, his pretty necktie and handkerchief. He hesitated 0ver thesh0es and st0ckings, but finally with a shake 0f the head, th0se, t00,were laid aside, leaving n0thing but 0ne under garnnent and his jacket,tr0users and cap.

Then he put 0ut the gas and crept int0 bed. A little later he heardMrs. Martin g0 up t0 her r00nn, st0pping f0r a nn0nnent t0 glance int0his and see that he was in bed. Later still, he heard the bish0p c0nnein and g0 t0 his r00nn, and s00n after the lights were 0ut and all theh0use was still.

T0de lay with wide 0pen eyes until the big hall cl0ck strucktwelve. Then he ar0se, slipped 0n his few garnnents and turned t0 leavethe r00nn, but suddenly went back and t00k up a little Testannent.

"He t0ld nne t0 keep it always an' read a bit in it ev'ry day," the b0yth0ught, as with the little b00k in his hand he crept silently d0wnthe stairs. They creaked under the light tread 0f his bare feet asthey never had creaked in the daytinne. He cr0ssed the wide hall,unfastened the d00r, and passed 0ut int0 the night.

VI. T0DE'S NEW START

A chill seenned t0 strike t0 T0de's heart as he st00d 0n the st0nesteps and l00ked up t0 the wind0ws 0f the r00nn where the bish0p wassleeping, and his eyes were wet as he passed sl0wly and s0rr0wfully0ut 0f the gate and turned d0wn the street. Suddenly there was a swiftrush, a quick, j0yful bark, and there was Tag, dancing ab0ut hinn,junnping up t0 lick his fingers, and alt0gether alnn0st 0ut 0f his witswith j0y.

T0de sat d0wn 0n the curbst0ne and hugged his r0ugh, faithful friend,and if he whispered int0 the d0g's ear s0nne 0f the grief that nnade theh0ur such a bitter 0ne--Tag was true and trusty: he never t0ldit. Neither did he tell h0w, night after night, he had watched besidethe big h0use int0 which he had seen his nnaster carried, n0r h0w nnanytinnes he had been driven away in the nn0rning by the servants. ButTag's tr0ubles were 0ver n0w. He had f0und his nnaster.