"I'd like to, too," said young Holmes, with a quick flush on his face.
"Can I, miss--can I?"

"Perhaps," said Helena gently. "Who knows what there may be that you can
do?"

"Dear boy," said Mrs. Thornton, stroking the lad's head. She looked
quickly at Helena. "We, too, are grateful, more than there are words to
tell, and we, too, would like to show our gratitude. We are rich and
money--"

"Money!" the word came in shocked, hurt interruption from Helena, as a
signal flashed from Madison's eyes. "The Patriarch does not do these
things for money--it would be a bitter grief to him to be misjudged in
that way, even in thought. It is the love in his heart for the suffering
ones, and his power goes out to all who ask it freely, with no thought
of recompense or gain, and his joy and happiness is the joy and
happiness of others."

"And right off the bat too!" said Madison admiringly to himself. "Now,
wouldn't that get you! Say, could you beat it--could you beat it!"

"Oh, I did not mean that," said Mrs. Thornton almost piteously. "Please,
please do not think so, for I know so well that money in a personal
sense could have no place here, that it would indeed be sacrilege. It is
in quite another way--Robert, Mr. Madison, you explain what we would
like to do."

It was Madison who explained.