' af TO CARIBOO AND BACK $+

fessor, awakened by the noise grabbed him
and held him fast.

From the first Mary Mulligan had been the
staunch friend of the English slum boy and now
she was cut to the heart that he should have
repaid them so.

“What for did ye do it, me lad? You had
no grudge against the colleen nor against anny
of us, had ye?”

No, Arthur had no grudge against any of
them. What he had was an urgent desire to
possess some of the things he needed and lacked.
Mary’s tone was not angry and reproachful ;
it was deep and sad. Unexpectedly the boy’s
heart was melted by it and he broke into sobs
that were almost hysterical.

“Seventeen, and acts like a baby!” Jim was
utterly contemptuous.

“James O’Brien,” his mother spoke severely,
“#ig not for you nor for me nor for anny wan
of us to judge the lad. T’is grieved I am he
did it, but he’s had a hard life and not a body to
teach nor to care for him.” ;

Then Arthur Jane stopped sobbing and he-
gan to talk, in broken sentences, but more
freely than he had ever done before.

Benes ee oe

[77]