"But, Doctor, haven't you forgotten a very important part of your story?" the mother asked.
"What have I forgotten?" he questioned.
"Why, the girl of course. What is a story without a girl?" she laughed merrily.
To which the Doctor answered, "I reckon Dan will tell you about that himself."
At this they all joined in a hearty laugh.
The next day Dan arrived and after a brief time, given up to the joy of family reunion, he took up the story where the Doctor had left off.
From Corinth Dan had gone directly to the president of the big steel works, whom he had met at the time of the convention. With the assistance and advice of this man of affairs he had been visiting the big mines and smelters and studying zinc and lead. He had worked out his plan and had interested capital and had come home to consult with his parents concerning the opening and development of the mine on Dewey Bald.
Then he talked to them of the power of wealth for good, of the sacredness of such a trust—talked as they had never heard him talk before of the Grace Conners, and the crippled Dennys, who needed elder brothers willing to acknowledge the kinship.
When he had finished his mother kissed him and his father said, "It is for this, son, that mother and I have held the old hill yonder. It is a part of our religious belief that God put the wealth in the mountains, not for us alone, but for all men. So it has been to us a sacred trust, which we have never felt that we were fitted to administer. We have always hoped that our first born would accept it as his life work—his ministry."
So Dan found his garden—and entered the ministry that has made his life such a blessing to men.