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. The next morning he saddled his mother's horse early. At breakfast she announced that she was going over to the Jones ranch on the other side of Dewey. "And what are you planning to do today?" she said to Dan as he followed her out of the house. "I was going over to old Dewey myself," he answered. "I thought I would like to look the ground over." He smiled down at her. "But now I'm going with you. Just wait a minute until I saddle a horse." She laughed at him. "Oh no, you're not." "But, mother, I want to talk to you. I--I have something to tell you." "Yes, I know," she nodded. "You have already told me--" "Has Doctor--" he burst forth. "No indeed! For shame, Dan. You know Doctor wouldn't. It was in your letters, and--But I have planned for you to tell me the rest this evening. Go with your father and Doctor to look at the stock this morning and write your business letters while I attend to _my_ affairs. Then, the first thing after dinner, you slip away alone over to Dewey and do your planning. Perhaps I'll meet you on the old trail as you come back. You see I have it all fixed." "Yes," he said slowly, "you always have things fixed, don't you? What a mother you are! There's only one other woman in all the world like you." And at this she answered bravely, "Yes, I know dear. I have always known it would come, and I am glad, glad my boy--but--I--I think you'd better kiss me now." So she left him standing at the fence and rode away alone down the old familiar path. After dinner Dan set out. CHAPTER XLIV. THE OLD TRAIL "... Those whose hearts and souls are big enough to follow the trail that is nobody knows how old."