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Candacecriedout：“Ohlook，hispoorfeet！Theyareblisteredandbleeding！“
Mothermoveddownalittle，gatheredtheminherarms，andbegankissingthem。FatherwetLeon’slipsandarose。Heheldouthishand，andMr。Pryortookit。
“IwillprayGod，“hesaid，“thatitmayhappen`evenso’toyou。“
Leonopenedhiseyesandcaughtonlythelastwords。
“Youhadbetterlookoutforthe`EvenSo’s，’father，“hesaid。
Andfatherhadtolaugh，butMr。Pryorwentout，andslammedthedoor，untilIlookedtoseeifithadcrackedfromtoptobottom；
butwedidn’tcareifithad，weweresohappyoverhavingLeonback。
Iwentandpickedupthemoneyandcarriedittofathertoputaway，andthattimehetookit。Buteventhenhedidn’tstoptoseeifhehadallofit。
“Yousee！“Isaid，“Itoldyou——“
“Youdidindeed！“saidfather。“Andyoualmostsavedourreason。
Therearetimeswhenthingswehavecometofeelwecan’tlivewithout，sopressus，thatmoneyseemsofthegreatestimportance。Thisisourlesson。Hereafter，Iandallmyfamily，whohavebeenthroughthis，willknowthatmoneyisnotevenworththinkingaboutwhenthelifeandhonourofoneyoulovehangsinthebalance。Whenhecanunderstand，yourbrothershallknowofthewondrousfaithhisLittleSisterhadinhim。“
“Maybehewon’tlikewhatyouandmotherthought。Maybewebetternottellhim。Icankeepsecretsrealwell。IhaveseveralbigonesI’venevertold，andIdidn’tsayawordabouttheStationwhenLeonsaidIshouldn’t。“
“Afterthistherewillbenomoneykeptontheplace，“saidfather。“It’ssavingtimeattoogreatcost。Allwehavegoesintothebank，andsomeofuswillcheerfullyrideforwhatwewant，whenweneedit。AsfornottellingLeon，thatisasyourmotherdecides。Formyself，IbelieveI’dfeelbettertomakeacleanbreastofit。“
Motherheard，forshesobbedasshebathedLeon’sfeet，andwhenhiseyescameopensothey’dstayalittlewhile，hekeptlookingathersofunny，betweensipsofhotmilk。
“Don’tCRY，mammy！“hesaid。“I’Mallright。Sorrysucharumpus！Lethimfoolme。Besmartasthenextfellow，afterthis！Knowhowgladyouaretogetthemoney！“
MothersatbackonherheelsandroaredasIdowhenIstepinabumblebee’snest，andtheygetme。Leonwasgrowingbettereveryminute，andhestaredather，andthenhisdealish，funnyoldgrinbegantotwisthislipsandhecried：“Ohgolly！Youthought_I_helpedtakeitandwentwithhim，didn’tyou？“
“Ohmyson，myson！“wailedmotheruntilshemademethinkofAbsalomundertheoak。
“Well，Ibeding-busted！“saidLeon，sortofslowandwondering-
like，andfatherneveropenedhisheadtotellhimthatwasnowaytotalk。
Mothercriedmorethanever，andbetweensobsshetriedtoexplainthatIheardwhatthetravellermanhadsaidabouthowbaditwastoliveinthecountry；andhowLeonwasnowatanagewhereshe’dknownboystogetwrongideas，andhowthingslooked，andinthemiddleofitheraisedonhiselbowandtookherinhisarmsandsaid：“Wellofallthegeese！AndI’sposefatherwasinittoo！Butsinceit’sthefirsttime，andsinceitisyou——！Gotobednow，andletmesleep——Butseethatyoudon’teverletthishappenagain。“
Thenhekissedheroverandoverandclungtohertightandatlastdroppedbackandgroaned：
“Myreputation，Omyreputation！
I’velostmyreputation！“
Shehadtolaughwhilethetearswerestillrunning，andfatherandLaddielookedateachotherandshouted。IguesstheythoughtLeonwasaboutrightafterthat。Laddiewentandbentoverhimandtookhishand。
“Don’tbeinquitesuchahurry，oldman，“hesaid。“BeforeyouwinkoutIhavegottotellyouhowproudIamofhavingabrotherwhoisarealCrusader。TheLordknowsthistooknerve！
You’regreat，boy，simplygreat！“
LeongrabbedLaddie’shandwithbothofhisandheldtightandlaughed。Youcouldseethebigtearssqueezeout，althoughhefoughttowinkthemback。HeheldtoLaddieandsaidlow-like，onlyforhimtohear：“It’sallrightifyoustaybyawhile，oldman。“
Hebegantotalkslowly。
“ItwasalongtimebeforeIcaughtup，andthenIhadtohide，andfollowuntilday，andhewasn’tsoveryeasytohandle。OnceIthoughthehadmesure！Itwasanawfulload，butifithadn’tbeenforthegoodoldgun，I’dneverhavegothim。Whenwemixedup，Ihadfineluckgettingthatchinpunchonhim；goodthingI
workeditoutsoslickonAbsalomSaunders，andwhileoldEvenSowasgroggyIgotthemoneyawayfromhim，tookthegun，andstoodbacksomedistance，beforehecameoutofit。Oncewehaditsettledwhowalkedahead，andwhocarriedthemoneyandgun，wegotalongbetter，butIhadtokeepaneyeonhimeveryminute。
Tocomethroughthewoodswast
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