As Ben left the house and walked down the street his mind was filled with conflicting emotions. He had been reproved, commended and admonished. And now, at the end of it all, he felt neither angry nor resentful. His self-respect was not diminished, but there seemed to have been added to his mental equipment a new sense of the responsibilities of manhood. When Ben reported to his father that evening the result and the details of his visit to the McCormack home, the grim smile that occasionally illumined Mr. Barriscale’s face spread perceptibly over it. “And what uncomplimentary thing,” he asked, “did Miss Halpert have to say about me this time?” “Why, she said you thought you were always right and the other fellow wrong; that I patterned too much after you, and that if I wanted to get on with people I’d have to cut it out.” A slight flush overspread Mr. Barriscale’s face, but he showed no resentment. On the contrary his smile deepened into a perceptible chuckle. Sarah Halpert was the only person in the city, or in any other city for that matter, who dared to tell him unpleasant things about himself. And, strange as it may seem, he never resented her criticism nor opposed her will. Indeed, he seemed to appreciate her frankness and esteem her friendship. “Well,” he said, after a moment, “she told you to fix things up with young McCormack, did she?” “Yes. And she told me that if he ever called me a puppy again I should smash his face, and she’d back me up in it.” At this the elder Barriscale laughed outright. But Ben hastened to add: “That is, if I didn’t deserve to be called a puppy.” “A very wise condition. Miss Halpert usually sees both sides of every question. You take her advice and you won’t go far wrong.” But it was a week before Ben had an opportunity to carry out Miss Halpert’s suggestion concerning Hal. Not that the injured boy was laid up that long; but the shock had been considerable, and it was thought not advisable to put him at his regular tasks too quickly, let alone the extra task at the armory. On the following Monday morning, however, he reported to Mr. McCrae for work. When he arrived Ben had not yet reached the armory, but he came soon afterward. “Now then,” said the superintendent when he had the boys together, “if you two young fellows have any uncomplimentary things to say to one another, I want you to say ’em now, and get through with it while I’m here, and then forget it and be friends.” “I’ve nothing much to say,” replied Ben, “except that I’ve been thinking it over, and I guess Hal was more than half right about not giving away the fellow that wrote on the sign. I’ll admit I was a little hasty in pitching into him, but I was pretty mad about that sign and my anger got the best of me. I’m sorry I hurt him as much as I did, though. I didn’t intend to hurt him that much.”