"Yes, at once."
Soon our hero was ushered into the sick room. He was dressed in his best, and cut far from a mean figure as he stood there, hat in hand.
"You are Nelson?" said Mark Horton slowly.
"Yes, sir."
"I must thank you for all you have done for my niece. I shall not forget it."
"That's all right," said Nelson rather awkwardly. "I'd do a good deal for Gertrude, any day."
"You are a brave boy, Nelson. I believe I once misjudged you."
"You did, sir. I'm no thief."
"I am willing to believe that I was mistaken." Mark Horton paused for a moment. "Gertrude tells me you live with a man named Sam Pepper," he went on slowly.
"I used to live with him, but we parted some time ago. I didn't want anything to do with drink or with a saloon, and I did want to make a man of myself."