"You've done wrong," said Scarborough, shakily, "but I've done much worse, Eddie. And it's over now, and everything'll be all right."
"But I can't take your money, Scarborough. I must pay for what I've done."
"You mean, make your mother pay. No, you must take it back, Brigham. I owe it to you—I owe it to your mother. This, is the butter and egg money that I—I stole from her."
He put the papers into the boy's pocket. "You and I are going to be friends," he went on.
"Come round and see me to-morrow—no, I'll look you up." He put out his hand and held Brigham's hand in a courage-giving grasp. "And—I hope I'll have the honor of meeting your mother some day."
Brigham could only look his feelings. Soon after he left Pierson came. His anger had evaporated and his chief emotion was dread lest Scarborough might still be angry. "I want to take back——" he began eagerly, as soon as his head was inside the door.
"I know you do, but you shan't," replied Scarborough. "What you said was true, what Olivia said was true. I've been acting like a blackguard."
"No," said Pierson, "what I said was a disgraceful lie. Will you try to forget it, Scarborough?"
"FORGET it?" Scarborough looked at his friend with brilliant eyes. "Never! So help me God, never! It's one of three things that have occurred to-day that I must never forget."
"Then we can go on as before. You'll still be my friend?"