All through the night he was joined in battle with himself, but when at early dawn he stood on the top of Son-of-a-Gun hill and faced a sky faintly pink with the warning of a coming sun his decision had been made. On his way back he met Moya and Miss Seldon. Joyce pounced upon him with a grievance. "You haven't told me yet how much you're going to give for the new hospital, Mr. Kilmeny. You know we're leaving to-morrow, and you'll have to decide at once. Be generous, please. You said yourself it was a good cause." He nodded agreement. "The most worthy charity I know. I've often wondered why some Andrew Carnegie didn't set the fashion of endowing hospitals by wholesale. They ought to be free to all poor folks out of health. When a man is losing his wages and his family is scrimping he ought not to be facing a thirty-dollar-a-week hospital charge. Yes, I'm for the new hospital, Miss Seldon." "How strong are you for it?" Joyce asked, laughing at her newly acquired American slang. "Mr. Verinder has promised to give me two dollars for every one I can raise among my other friends. So don't be a--a----" "A tightwad," supplied Moya with a smile. She could do a little in the native slang herself. Jack went into his pocket for a checkbook and a fountain pen. He wrote for a few seconds, tore the check from the stub, and handed it to Joyce. That young woman gasped. "Why--you don't really mean--it's for twenty-eight thousand two hundred and fourteen dollars," she cried. "And seventeen cents. Please don't forget that," he added. "But--what on earth do you mean?" Jack was looking at Moya, and she at him with shining eyes in which joy swam. "It's a little thank offering, Miss Seldon." "Because you were rescued from the mine, I suppose. Still...." "Because I'm engaged to be married to the best woman in the world," he corrected. Joyce whirled upon Moya with instant divination. "You little wretch, and you never told me." If Miss Dwight had not known it herself till this moment she gave no sign to that effect. "We're telling you now, dear," she explained. "How long have you been engaged? Was it yesterday in the bucket?" Jack laughed. "Nothing so romantic. We've been engaged a little less than half a minute. You get the first chance to wish Moya joy on having won so great a catch. She's marrying a pauper, you know." "I think we're very rich," differed his sweetheart shyly. Joyce looked from one to the other suspiciously. "I haven't a notion what either of you mean, but I know I'm going to hang on to this check, Mr. Millionaire Pauper." Imps of mischief sparkled in the highgrader's eyes. "Don't forget that Verinder has to write one for twice as much." Miss Seldon could not help laughing. "I'll see to that. He's not a welcher, but ... I wonder how he'll look when I tell him." "You ought to tell him as soon as you can," Jack hinted boldly.