ese surroundings he will go bad。 He is clean as yet； I firmly believe； thank God； but with this Colony near us with their low standard of morality； and to be quite sincere； in the care of such a man as I am； the boy stands a poor chance。 I know this will grieve you； but it is best to be honest。 I think he ought to go to you。 I must refuse responsibility for his remaining here。 I feel like a beast in saying this； but whatever shred of honour is left me forces me to say it。〃
In the postscript there was a word that brought not a little hope and comfort。 〃One thing in addition。 No more Galician festivals for me。〃 It was a miserably cruel letter； and it did its miserably cruel work on the heart of the little white…faced lady。 She laid the letter down； drew from a box upon her table a photo； and laid it before her。 It was of two young men in football garb； in all the glorious pride of their young manhood。 Long she gazed upon it till she could see no more； and then went to pray。
It took Irma some days of thought and effort to prepare the answer to her letter； for to her； as to Kalman； English had become easier than her native Russian。 To Jack French a reply went by return mail。 It was not long； but； as Jack French read； the easy smile vanished； and for days he carried in his face the signs of the remorse and grief that gnawed at his heart。 Then he rode alone to Wakota to take counsel with his friend Brown。
As he read； one phrase kept repeating itself in his mind： 〃The responsibility of leaving Kalman with you； I must take。 What else can I do？ I have no other to help me。 But the responsibility for what you make him； you must take。 God puts it on you； not I。〃
〃The responsibility for making him is not mine；〃 he said to himself impatiently。 〃I can teach him a lot of things； but I can't teach him morals。 That is Brown's business。 He is a preacher。 If he can't do this； what's he good for？〃
And so he argued the matter with himself with great diligence； and even with considerable heat of mind。 He made no pretence to goodness。 He was no saint； nor would he set up for one。 All who knew him knew this； and none better than Kalman。
〃I may not be a saint； but I am no hypocrite； neither will I play the part for any one。〃 In this thought his mind took eager refuge； and he turned it over in various phrases with increasing satisfaction。 He remembered with some anxiety that Brown's mental processes were to a degree lacking in subtlety。 Brown had a disconcertingly simple and direct method of dealing with the most complex problems。 If a thing was right； it was right； if wrong； it was wrong； and that settled the matter with Brown。 There was little room for argument； and none for compromise。 〃He has a deucedly awkward conscience too；〃 said Jack French； 〃and it is apt to get working long shifts。〃 Would he show his sister…in…law's letter？ It might be good tactics； but that last page would not help him much； and besides he shrank from introducing her name into the argument。
As he approached Wakota； he was impatient with himself that he was so keenly conscious of the need of arguments to support his appeal。 He rode straight to the school； and was surprised to find Brown sitting there alone； with a shadow on his usually cheery face。
〃Hello； Brown！〃 he cried； as he entered the building； 〃another holiday； eh！ Seems to me you get more than your share。〃
〃No；〃 said Brown； 〃it is not holidays at all。 It is a breaking up。〃
〃What's the row； epidemic of measles or something？〃
〃I only wish it were；〃 said Brown； 〃small…pox would not be too bad。〃 Brown's good…natured face was smiling； but his tone told of gloom in his heart。
〃What's up； Brown？〃 asked French。
〃I'm blue； I'm depressed； I'm in a funk。 It is my constitutional weakness that I cannot stand〃
〃Oh； let it go at that； Brown； and get on with the facts。 But come out into the light。 That's the thing that makes me fear that something has really happened that you are moping here inside。 Nothing wrong in the home I hope； Brown； wife and baby well？〃 said French； his tone becoming more kind and gentle。
〃No； not a thing； thank God！ both fine and fit；〃 said Brown； as they walked out of the school and down the river path。 〃My school has folded itself up； and； like the Arab； has stolen away。〃
〃Go on with your yarn。 What has struck your school？〃
〃A Polish priest； small and dark and dirty； he can't help the first two； but with the Eagle River running through the country； he might avoid the last。〃
〃What is he up to？〃
〃I wish I knew。 He introduced himself by ordering； upon pain of hell fire； that no child attend my school； consequently； not a Galician child has shown up。〃
〃What are you going to doquit？〃
〃Quit？〃 shouted Brown； springing to his feet。
〃I apologize；〃 said French hastily； 〃I ought to have known better。〃
〃No； I am not going to quit；〃 said Brown； recovering his quiet manner。 〃If he wants the school； and will undertake to run it； why； I'll give him the building and the outfit。〃
〃But；〃 said French； 〃isn't that rather funking it？〃
〃Not a bit〃 said Brown emphatically。 〃I am not sent here to proselytize。 My church is not in that business。 We are doing business； but we are in the business of making good citizens。 We tried to get the Government to establish schools among the Galicians。 The Government declined。 We took it up； and hence this school。 We tried to get Greek Catholic priests from Europe to look after the religion and morals of these people。 We absolutely failed to get a decent man to offer。 Remember； I say decent man。 We had offers； plenty of them； but we could not lay our hands on a single； clean； honest…minded man with the fear of God in his heart； and the desire to help these people。 So； as I say； we will give this man a fair chance； and if he makes good； I will back him up and say； 'God bless you。' But he won't make good；〃 added Brown gloomily； 〃from the way he starts out。〃
French waited； and Brown went on。 〃He was called to marry a couple the other day； got hopelessly drunk； charged them ten dollars； and they are not sure whether they are married or not。 Last Sunday he drummed the people up to confession。 It was a long time since they had had a chance； and they were glad to come。 He charged them two dollars apiece； tried to make it five； but failed； and now he introduces himself to me by closing my school。 He may mean well； but his methods would bear improvement。 However； as I have said； we will give him a chance。〃
〃And meantime？〃 enquired French。
〃Meantime？ Oh！ I shall stick to my pills and plasters；we have ten patients in the hospital now；run the store and the mill； and try to help generally。 If this priest gets at his work and makes good； I promise you I'll not bother him。〃
〃And if not？〃 enquired French。
〃If not？ Well； then；〃 said Brown； sinking back into his easy； good…natured manner； 〃you see； I am constitutionally indolent。 I would rather he'd move out than I； and so while the colony stays here； it will be much easier for me to stay than to go。 And；〃 he added； 〃I shall get back my school； too。〃
French looked at him admiringly。 Brown's lips had come together in a straight line。
〃By George！ I believe you；〃 exclaimed French； 〃and I think I see the finish of the Polish gentleman。 Can I help you out？〃
〃I do not know；〃 said Brown； 〃but Kalman can。 I want him to do some interpreting for me some of these days。 By the way； where is he to…day？ He is not with you。〃
French's face changed。 〃That reminds me；〃 he said； 〃but I hate to unload my burden on you to…day when you have got your own。〃
〃Do not hesitate；〃 said Brown； with a return of his cheery manner； 〃another fellow's burden helps to balance one's own。 You know I am constitutionally selfish and get thinking far too much of myself； habit of mine； bad habit。〃
〃You go to thunder； Brown； with your various and many constitutional weaknesses。 When I look at you and your work for this thankless horde I feel something of a useless brute。〃
〃Hold up there； now； don't you abuse my parishioners。 They are a perfectly good lot if left alone。 They are awfully grateful； and； yes； in many ways they are a good lot。〃
〃Yes； a jolly lot of quitters they are。 They have quit you dead。〃
Brown winced。 〃Let us up on that spot； French；〃 he said。 〃it is a little raw yet。 What's your trouble？〃
〃Well；〃 said French； 〃I hardly know how to begin。 It is Kalman。〃 At once Brown was alert。
〃Sick？〃
〃Oh！ no； not he。 Fit as a fiddle； but the fact is he is not doing just as well as he ought。〃
〃How do you mean？〃 said Brown anxiously。
〃Well； he is growing up into a big chap； you know； getting towards sixteen； and pretty much of a man in many ways； and while he is a fine； clean； straight boy and all that； he is not just what I would like。〃
〃None of us are；〃 said Brown quietly。
〃True； as far as I am concerned；〃 replied French。 〃I do not know about you。 But to go on。 The boy has got a fiendish temper and； on slight provocation； he is into a fight like a demon。〃
〃With you？〃 said Brown。
〃Oh； come；〃 said French； 〃you know better than that。 No； he gets with those Galicians； and then there is a row。 The other week； nowwell〃 French was finding it difficult to get on。
〃I heard about it；〃 said Brown； 〃they told me the boy was half drunk； and you more。〃 Brown's tone was not encouraging。
〃You've hit it； Brown； and that's the sort of thing that makes me anxious。 The boy is getting into bad ways； and I thought you might take him in hand。 I cannot help him much in these matters； and you can。〃
French's arguments had all deserted him。
〃Look here；〃 he said at length desperately； 〃here is a letter which I got a few days ago。 I want you to read that last page。 It will show you my difficulty。 It is from my sister…in…law； and； of course； her position is quite preposterous； but you know a woman finds it difficult to understand some things in a man's life。 You know what I mean； but read。 I think you know who she is。 It was she who sent Kalman out here to save him from going wrong。 God save the mark！〃
Brown took the letter and read it carefully； read it a second time； and then said simply：
〃Th