The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-14
But he surely was not there.

ling door with his cousin on his back.
few hours later a crowd OF eACi'ed
| boys was gathered In the smaii opIins
| Vile hotel. The waves Of sound oashea
confusedly 10 and fro with the roar Oh
! surf upon the shore: but now ana tneh
| a few articulate words dubbed to the
| surface.
"Will he liveY BEST fellow In schooi.
'Breathed the fire. did you say! BROKE
| n blood vessel" Don't say they were
| going to expel him. How did every,
| thing come out?' "Trottery Niles
Told Hardy something? yes; haruy
| is a ferret when he gets on the risht
| track, 'Dr. Greene awfully cut up, they
saw" Feels worse about 1t than he does
| about the fire." IF 1t had been Bert,
now" Sound as a nut?' Should thihh
he'd want to kill himself!
In the meantime Trotter, Watching IKE
| a faithful little dog before a certain small
| chamber door, had at last-as the grave.
| important doctor came out-a iong-iooNed
| for chance OF slipping in.
Don't call me brave, Mr.. HARDY,
| faint voice was saying with paintul
| pauses. II didn't care what l ala. L
| didn't care what became OF me.
20 Van. Van9' cried Trotter' bursting
into tears at sight Of the dear familiar
face all swathed in bandages. Don
| talk that way, Van. Everybody thinks
| you are bigger n Caesar n the Dock OF
Wellington. The boys have found out
about erything-everything. Van. II
you only could hear them talk! why, an
angel wouldn't get so many compliments
In thousand years.
Van looked up with pathetic inquiry into
/ Mr.. Hardys face.
1T is all right, Van," he said In a
choked voice. I'VE all know. The hon
orabe name is without stain!'
A brilliant light flashed into the fading
blue-gray eyes. Now / would like to
live. Mr.. Hardy" he said simply
But even as he spoke a slight shiyer ran
through the slender body, the eyes
dropped. and gray shadow swept over
his face.
20 what is It, van!" cried Trotter in
alarm.
Mr. Hardy took him by the hand snd
led him gently from the room.
The next day was Sunday. and not
boy was absent from morning servIce.
Very quietly they slipped into their
places. scarcely raising their eyes, for
a heavy weight was on their young hearts.
Each one knew that a great conflict was
going on down In that little room where
Van was lying closely watched by doctor
and nurse, and all the merry boys shut
out.
Trotter sat with one small grimy hand
clasped in Mr. Hardys while with the
other he mopped his red and swollen face
He did not hear much that DR.. Greene
was saying, until at last one phrase. be-
ing often repeated, arrested his atten-
ton:
Then shall the righteous shine forth
as the sun in the kingdom or The
Father"
And under the head OF 1.-THE righteous"
DR.. Greene seemed to be saying some
nd no ctr idea
came to Trotter that In some way he was
connecting those words with Van.
This was very perplexing. Trotter had
heard those beautiful words before, but
never with a thought that they had any
thing to do with boys. He had his own
private notions that "the righteous
meant very stiff. unpleasant persons that
boy was much happier 10 get away from,
the women were sad. and mostly dressed
in black, with their heads on one side,
and the men were-well, something like
Mr.. lie Grand Parker, who.. he had often
watched with fascination. standing very
erect in one OF the front pews OF the little
chapel. saying with lofty humility, GOD
be merciful to us, miserable sinners!
But that 1.-THE righteous" could possibly
mean a merry, happy boy, a good bail-
PLAYER. brave as a turkey-cock, always
ready TO help a small boy with his sums,
and lend his skates and take the smallest
piece of pie at dinner II was all very
confusing. Trotter leaned forward
DOCS he mean Van?" he asked in an
awed whisper.
Mr. Hardy nodded. Trotter stopped cry
ing I'm the wonder of II. But a grand
helpful idea was dawning upon him which
gave shape to his whole future lie.
"Shine forth as the sun; shall shine
forth as the SUM-" DR.. Greene was re-
heating again. and another starving
thought swept through Trotters smah
nature like a mighty rushing wind.
rs Van going to shine torth' MT
Hardy?' he asked In alarm.
"Perhaps." said Mr.. Hardy, family.
"Shine forth as the sun; as the sun,
DIR. Greene was saying. Trotter tried 10
take II in. Would Van. dear Van, be
inst one dazzle of white glory In mat
strange other world? Would he IKE IL!
Was this exactly what he mad always
wanted? II Trotter was quite sure that
Van was satisfied he would try to bear
II. He leaned forward again.
What kind OF sun, Mr.. Hardy ne
asked with a grip like vice.
80. a white sun, Trotter; surely
white SUM-" said Mr.. Hardy, ana utterly
broke down. his head in his hands.
The bows were stealing softly out again;
they felt as If they were walking In the
valley OF the shadow OF death. They
were finding their coats and hats, for
they were going 10 walk down In body
with Mr. Hardy TO hear the latest news
How big and lonesome the playground
looked as they passed through. and only
two BOYS were missing-unhappy Bert,
gone home TO his mother. and Van. An.
how lonesome Il would always be IL
Van never came back!
There was a sudden rush to the big
outer gate. Somebody had spied DR..
Scott's gig coming up the road. YAM
Van, how is Van?" cried a chorus OF
eager voices. A moment later the mad
dest. widest hurrahs were making the
welkin ring.
Principal Greene came in some displeas-
ure to the window, and Mr.. Hardy ap-
peared in the door. Trotter was flying
up the steps, his red necktie streaming
In the wind.
Van is out Of DANGER" he shouted.
ivan is going TO get WE'LL o, Mr..
Hardy!
"Ah yes; let the boys shout themselves
hoarse: let them throw their caps over
the moon. Nobody should stop them
now. T~n was going TO live!
By-andby, when the excitement was
little spent. Trotter again came back TO
his patient friend.
why couldn't Van be one of Gods
best white suns right here. Mr.. Hardy?
Why couldn't he shine out here as we'll
as there?"
II think he could, Trotter. Yes, surely
/ think he will, for all that have eyes to
see him"
n