But Mr. Bright finished the work at the board, and then went up the
aisle. He stooped and picked up the pencil, took the slip from the
desk, with a courteous "Thank you," and moved on to his own table. He
had tallied one point.

I wonder if he did this all by himself, or if there was another hand
behind it all. Certain it is this man did not plan all this campaign
that ended so successfully. He had not counted on the boy's refusing
to write his name. It was like a flash, that it came to him to answer
"Dodd's" refusal as he did. Nor did he really intend to put the pencil
into the boy's hand when he offered it to him. But, somehow, he did
just that, and it was the saving fact in the case. Had he laid the
pencil on the table, "Dodd" would never have picked it up. Much less
would he have reached for it, or taken it from Mr. Bright's hand. But,
with the pencil in his hand, he wrote.

We say Mr. Bright did as he did "instinctively." That may be a good
word for it. But I wonder if such "instinct" as this doesn't reach
away over to the other side, even into the realm of inspiration, whose
fountain head is the spirit of the great "I AM."

Be this as it may, though, Mr. Bright had won. He was thankful for his
victory--thankful, but not proud. Perhaps this is another thing that
goes to show that there was help from without that made for him in the
fight.

"Dodd" was disappointed that Mr. Bright did not compliment him on his
writing, for he had written very well and knew that he had. But this,
Mr. Bright took as a matter of course, and gave no word of commendation