TRUE RICHES;

 OR, WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 

 BY T. S. ARTHUR. 

 BOSTON: L. P. CROWN & CO. , 61 CORNHILL. 

 1852. 

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by

J. W. BRADLEY, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States inand for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 

STEREOTYPED BY L. JOHNSON AND CO. 

PHILADELPHIA. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The original title chosen for this book was "Riches without Wings;"but the author becoming aware, before giving it a permanent form, thata volume bearing a similar title had appeared some years ago, of whicha new edition was about to be issued, thought it best to substitutetherefor, "True Riches; or, Wealth without Wings, " which, in fact, expresses more accurately the character and scope of his story. 

The lessons herein taught are such as cannot be learned too early, nordwelt on too long or too often, by those who are engaged in theactive and all-absorbing duties of life. In the struggle for naturalriches--the wealth that meets the eye and charms the imagination--howmany forget that _true_ riches can _only_ be laid up in the heart; andthat, without these true riches, which have no wings, gold, the godof this world, cannot bestow a single blessing! To give this trutha varied charm for young and old, the author has made of it a newpresentation, and, in so doing, sought to invest it with all thewinning attractions in his power to bestow. 

To parents who regard the best interests of their children, and toyoung men and women just stepping upon the world's broad stage ofaction, we offer our book, in the confident belief that it containsvital principles, which, if laid up in the mind, will, like good seedin good ground, produce an after-harvest, in the garnering of whichthere will be great joy. 

TRUE RICHES. 

CHAPTER I. 

"A fair day's business. A _very_ fair day's business, " said LeonardJasper, as he closed a small account-book, over which he had beenporing, pencil in hand, for some ten minutes. The tone in which hespoke expressed more than ordinary gratification. 

"To what do the sales amount?" asked a young man, clerk to the dealer, approaching his principal as he spoke. 

"To just two hundred dollars, Edward. It's the best day we've had fora month. "

"The best, in more than one sense, " remarked the young man, with ameaning expression. 

"You're right there, too, " said Jasper, with animation, rubbing hishands together as he spoke, in the manner of one who is particularlywell pleased with himself. "I made two or three trades that toldlargely on the sunny side of profit and loss account. "

"True enough. Though I've been afraid, ever since you sold that pieceof velvet to Harland's wife, that you cut rather deeper than wasprudent. "

"Not a bit of it--not a bit of it! Had I asked her three dollars ayard, she would have wanted it for two. So I said six, to begin with, expecting to fall extensively; and, to put a good face on the matter, told her that it cost within a fraction of what I asked to make theimportation--remarking, at the same time, that the goods were toorich in quality to bear a profit, and were only kept as a matter ofaccommodation to certain customers. "

"And she bought at five?"

"Yes; thinking she had obtained the velvet at seventy-five cents ayard less than its cost. Generous customer, truly!"

"While you, in reality, made two dollars and a half on every yard shebought. "

"Precisely that sum. "

"She had six yards. "

"Yes; out of which we made a clear profit of fifteen dollars. Thatwill do, I'm thinking. Operations like this count up fast. "

"Very fast. But, Mr. Jasper"--

"But what, Edward?"

"Is it altogether prudent to multiply operations of this character?Won't it make for you a bad reputation, and thus diminish, instead ofincreasing, your custom?"

"I fear nothing of the kind. One-half the people are not satisfiedunless you cheat them. I've handled the yardstick, off and on, for thelast fifteen or twenty years, and I think my observation during thattime is worth something. It tells me this--that a bold face, a smoothtongue, and an easy conscience are worth more in our business thanany other qualities. With these you may do as you list. They tell farbetter than all the 'one-price' and fair-dealing professions, in whichpeople have little faith. In fact, the mass will overreach if theycan, and therefore regard these 'honest' assumptions with suspicion. "

The young man, Edward Claire, did not make a reply for nearly aminute. Something in the words of Mr. Jasper had fixed his thought, and left him, for a brief space of time, absorbed in his ownreflections. 

Lifting, at length, his eyes, which had been resting on the floor, hesaid--

"Our profit on to-day's sales must reach very nearly fifty dollars. "

"Just that sum, if I have made a right estimate, " replied Jasper; "andthat is what I call a fair day's business. "

While he was yet speaking, a lad entered the store, and laid upon thecounter a small sealed package, bearing the superscription, "LeonardJasper, Esq. " The merchant cut the red tape with which it was tied, broke the seal, and opening the package, took therefrom severalpapers, over which he ran his eyes hurriedly; his clerk, as he did so, turning away. 

"What's this?" muttered Jasper to himself, not at first clearlycomprehending the nature of the business to which the communicationrelated. "Executor! To what? Oh! ah! Estate of Ruben Elder. Humph!What possessed him to trouble me with this business? I've no time toplay executor to an estate, the whole proceeds of which would hardlyfill my trousers' pocket. He was a thriftless fellow at best, andnever could more than keep his head out of water. His debts willswallow up every thing, of course, saving my commissions, which Iwould gladly throw in to be rid of this business. "

With this, Jasper tossed the papers into his desk, and, taking up hishat, said to his clerk--"You may shut the store, Edward. Before youleave, see that every thing is made safe. "

The merchant than retired, and wended his way homeward. 

Edward Claire seemed in no hurry to follow this example. His firstact was to close the window-shutters and door--turning the key in thelatter, and remaining inside. 

Entirely alone, and hidden from observation, the young man seatedhimself, and let his thoughts, which seemed to be active on somesubject, take their own way. He was soon entirely absorbed. Whatever were his thoughts, one thing would have been apparent toan observer--they did not run in a quiet stream. Something disturbedtheir current, for his brow was knit, his compressed lips had adisturbed motion, and his hands moved about at times uneasily. Atlength he arose, not hurriedly, but with a deliberate motion, threwhis arms behind him, and, bending forward, with his eyes cast down, paced the length of the store two or three times, backward andforward, slowly. 

"Fifty dollars profit in one day, " he at length said, half audibly. "That will do, certainly. I'd be contented with a tenth part of thesum. He's bound to get rich; that's plain. Fifty dollars in a singleday! Leonard Jasper, you're a shrewd one. I shall have to lay asidesome of my old-fashioned squeamishness, and take a few lessons from soaccomplished a teacher. But, he's a downright cheat!"

Some better thought had swept suddenly, in a gleam of light, acrossthe young man's mind, showing him the true nature of the principlesfrom which the merchant acted, and, for the moment, causing his wholenature to revolt against them. But the light faded slowly; a state ofdarkness and confusion followed, and then the old current of thoughtmoved on as before. 

Slowly, and now with an attitude of deeper abstraction, moved theyoung man backward and forward the entire length of the room, of whichhe was the sole occupant. He _felt_ that he was alone, that no humaneye could note a single movement. Of the all-seeing Eye he thoughtnot--his spirit's evil counsellors, drawn intimately nigh to himthrough inclinations to evil, kept that consciousness from his mind. 

At length Claire turned to the desk upon which were the account-booksthat had been used during the day, and commenced turning the leaves ofone of them in a way that showed only a half-formed purpose. There wasan impulse to something in his mind; an impulse not yet expressed inany form of thought, though in the progress toward something definite. 

"Fifty dollars a day!" he murmurs. Ah, that shows the direction of hismind. He is still struggling in temptation, and with all his inheritedcupidities bearing him downward. 

Suddenly he starts, turns his head, and listens eagerly, and with astrange agitation. Some one had tried the door. For a few moments hestood in an attitude of the most profound attention. But the trial wasnot repeated. How audibly, to his own ears, throbbed his heart! Howoppressed was his bosom! How, in a current of fire, rushed the bloodto his over-excited brain!

The hand upon the door was but an ordinary occurrence. It might nowbe only a customer, who, seeing a light within, hoped to supply someneglected want, or a friend passing by, who wished for a few words ofpleasant gossip. At any other time Claire would have stepped quicklyand with undisturbed expectation to receive the applicant foradmission. But guilty thoughts awakened their nervous attendants, suspicion and fear, and these had sounded an instant alarm. 

Still, very still, sat Edward Claire, even to the occasionalsuppression of his breathing, which, to him, seemed strangely loud. 

Several minutes elapsed, and then the young man commenced silently toremove the various account-books to their nightly safe deposite inthe fire-proof. The cash-box, over the contents of which he lingered, counting note by note and coin by coin, several times repeated, nexttook its place with the books. The heavy iron door swung to, the keytraversed noiselessly the delicate and complicated wards, was removedand deposited in a place of safety; and, yet unrecovered from his moodof abstraction, the clerk left the store, and took his way homeward. From that hour Edward Claire was to be the subject of a fiercetemptation. He had admitted an evil suggestion, and had warmed it inthe earth of his mind, even to germination. Already a delicate roothad penetrated the soil, and was extracting food therefrom. Oh! whydid he not instantly pluck it out, when the hand of an infant wouldhave sufficed in strength for the task? Why did he let it remain, shielding it from the cold winds of rational truth and the hot sun ofgood affections, until it could live, sustained by its own organs ofappropriation and nutrition? Why did he let it remain until its lustygrowth gave sad promise of an evil tree, in which birds of night findshelter and build nests for their young?

Let us introduce another scene and another personage, who will claim, to some extent, the reader's attention. 

There were two small but neatly, though plainly, furnished rooms, inthe second story of a house located in a retired street. In one ofthese rooms tea was prepared, and near the tea-table sat a youngwoman, with a sleeping babe nestled to-her bosom. She was fair-facedand sunny-haired; and in her blue eyes lay, in calm beauty, sweettokens of a pure and loving heart. How tenderly she looked down, nowand then, upon the slumbering cherub whose winning ways and murmurs ofaffection had blessed her through the day! Happy young wife! these arethy halcyon days. Care has not thrown upon thee a single shadow fromhis gloomy wing, and hope pictures the smiling future with a sky ofsunny brightness. 

"How long he stays away!" had just passed her lips, when the sound ofwell-known footsteps was heard in the passage below. A brief time, andthen the room-door opened, and Edward Claire came in. What a depth oftenderness was in his voice as he bent his lips to those of his youngwife, murmuring--

"My Edith!" and then touching, with a gentler pressure, the whiteforehead of his sleeping babe. 

"You were late this evening, dear, " said Edith, looking into the faceof her husband, whose eyes drooped under her earnest gaze. 

"Yes, " he replied, with a slight evasion in his tone and manner; "wehave been busier than usual to-day. "

As he spoke the young wife arose, and taking her slumbering child intothe adjoining chamber, laid it gently in its crib. Then returning, shemade the tea--the kettle stood boiling by the grate--and in a littlewhile they sat down to their evening meal. 

Edith soon observed that her husband was more thoughtful and lesstalkative than usual. She asked, however, no direct question touchingthis change; but regarded what he did say with closer attention, hoping to draw a correct inference, without seeming to notice hisaltered mood. 

"Mr. Jasper's business is increasing?" she said, somewhatinterrogatively, while they still sat at the table, an expression ofher husband's leading to this remark. 

"Yes, increasing very rapidly, " replied Claire, with animation. "Thefact is, he is going to get rich. Do you know that his profit onto-day's sales amounted to fifty dollars?"

"So much?" said Edith, yet in a tone that showed no surprise orparticular interest in the matter. 

"Fifty dollars a day, " resumed Claire, "counting three hundredweek-days in the year, gives the handsome sum of fifteen thousanddollars in the year. I'd be satisfied with as much in five years. "

There was more feeling in the tone of his voice than he had meant tobetray. His young wife lifted her eyes to his face, and looked at himwith a wonder she could not conceal. 

"Contentment, dear, " said she, in a gentle, subdued, yet tender voice, "is great gain. We have enough, and more than enough, to make ushappy. Natural riches have no power to fill the heart's most yearningaffections; and how often do they take to themselves wings and flyaway. "

"Enough, dear!" replied Edward Claire, smiling. "O no, not enough, byany means. Five hundred dollars a year is but a meagre sum. What doesit procure for us? Only these two rooms and the commonest necessariesof life. We cannot even afford the constant service of a domestic. "

"Why, Edward! what has come over you? Have I complained?"

"No, dear, no. But think you I have no ambition to see my wife take ahigher place than this?"

"Ambition! Do not again use that word, " said Edith, very earnestly. "What has love to do with ambition? What have we to do with the worldand its higher places? Will a more elegant home secure for us apurer joy than we have known and still know in this our Eden? Oh, my husband! do not let such thoughts come into your mind. Let us becontent with what God in his wisdom provides, assured that it is bestfor us. In envying the good of another, we destroy our own good. Thereis a higher wealth than gold, Edward; and it supplies higher wants. There are riches without wings; they lie scattered about our feet;we may fill our coffers, if we will. Treasures of good affections andtrue thoughts are worth more than all earthly riches, and will bearus far more safely and happily through the world; such treasures aregiven to all who will receive them, and given in lavish abundance. Letus secure of this wealth, Edward, a liberal share. "

"Mere treasures of the mind, Edith, do not sustain natural life, donot supply natural demands. They build no houses; they provide notfor increasing wants. We cannot always remain in the ideal world; thesober realities of life will drag us down. "

The simple-hearted, true-minded young wife was not understood by herhusband. She felt this, and felt it oppressively. 

"Have we not enough, Edward, to meet every real want?" she urged. "Dowe desire better food or better clothing? Would our bodies be morecomfortable because our carpets were of richer material, and ourrooms filled with costlier furniture? O no! If not contented with suchthings as Providence gives us to-day, we shall not find contentment inwhat he gives us to-morrow; for the same dissatisfied heart will beatin our bosoms. Let Mr. Jasper get rich, if he can; we will not envyhis possessions. "

"I do not envy him, Edith, " replied Claire. "But I cannot feelsatisfied with the small salary he pays me. My services are, I know, of greater value than he estimates them, and I feel that I am dealt byunjustly. "

Edith made no answer. The subject was repugnant to her feelings, and she did not wish to prolong it. Claire already regretted itsintroduction. So there was silence for nearly a minute. 

When the conversation flowed on again, it embraced a different theme, but had in it no warmth of feeling. Not since they had joined hands atthe altar, nearly two years before, had they passed so embarrassed andreally unhappy an evening as this. A tempting spirit had found its wayinto their Paradise, burning with a fierce desire to mar its beauty. 

CHAPTER II. 

"Oh, what a dream I have had!" exclaimed Mrs. Claire, startingsuddenly from sleep, just as the light began to come in dimly throughthe windows on the next morning; and, as she spoke, she caught hold ofher husband, and clung to him, frightened and trembling. 

"Oh, such a dream!" she added, as her mind grew clearer, and she feltbetter assured of the reality that existed. "I thought, love, thatwe were sitting in our room, as we sit every evening--baby asleep, Isewing, and you, as usual, reading aloud. How happy we were! happier, it seemed, than we had ever been before. A sudden loud knock startledus both. Then two men entered, one of whom drew a paper from hispocket, declaring, as he did so, that you were arrested at theinstance of Mr. Jasper, who accused you with having robbed him of alarge amount of money. "

"Why, Edith!" ejaculated Edward Claire, in a voice of painfulsurprise. He, too, had been dreaming, and in his dream he had donewhat his heart prompted him to do on the previous evening--to actunfaithfully toward his employer. 

"Oh, it was dreadful! dreadful!" continued Edith. "Rudely they seizedand bore you away. Then came the trial. Oh, I see it all as plainlyas if it had been real. You, my good, true, noble-hearted husband, who had never wronged another, even in thought--you were accusedof robbery in the presence of hundreds, and positive witnesses werebrought forward to prove the terrible charge. All they alleged wasbelieved by those who heard. The judges pronounced you guilty, andthen sentenced you to a gloomy prison. They were bearing you off, when, in my agony, I awoke. It was terrible, terrible! yet, thank God!only a dream, a fearful dream!"

Claire drew his arms around his young wife, and clasped her with astraining embrace to his bosom. He made no answer for some time. Therelation of a dream so singular, under the circumstances, had startledhim, and he almost feared to trust his voice in response. At length, with a deeply-drawn, sighing breath, nature's spontaneous struggle forrelief, he said--

"Yes, dear, that was a fearful dream. The thought of it makes meshudder. But, after all, it was only a dream; the whispering of amalignant spirit in your ear. Happily, his power to harm extends nofurther. The fancy may be possessed in sleep, but the reason liesinactive, and the hands remain idle. No guilt can stain the spirit. The night passes, and we go abroad in the morning as pure as when welaid our heads wearily to rest. "

"And more, " added Edith, her mind fast recovering itself; "with aclearer perception of what is true and good. The soul's disturbedbalance finds its equilibrium. It is not the body alone that isrefreshed and strengthened. The spirit, plied with temptation aftertemptation through the day, and almost ready to yield when the nightcometh, finds rest also, and time to recover its strength. In themorning it goes forth again, stronger for its season of repose. Howoften, as the day dawned, have I lifted my heart and thanked God forsleep!"

Thus prompted, an emotion of thankfulness arose in the breast ofClaire, but the utterance was kept back from the lips. He had asecret, a painful and revolting secret, in his heart, and he fearedlest something should betray its existence to his wife. What would henot have given at the moment to have blotted out for ever the memoryof thoughts too earnestly cherished on the evening before, when he wasalone with the tempter?

There was a shadow on the heart of Edith Claire. The unusual mood ofher husband on the previous evening, and the dream which had hauntedher through the night, left impressions that could not be shaken off. She had an instinct of danger--danger lurking in the path of one inwhom her very life was bound up. 

When Edward was about leaving her to go forth for the day, shelingered by his side and clung to him, as if she could not let himpass from the safe shelter of home. 

"Ah! if I could always be with you!" said Edith--"if we could evermove on, hand in hand and side by side, how full to running over wouldbe my cup of happiness!"

"Are we not ever side by side, dear?" replied Claire, tenderly. "Youare present to my thought all the day. "

"And you to mine. O yes! yes! We _are_ moving side by side; our mutualthought gives presence. Yet it was the bodily presence I desired. Butthat cannot be. "

"Good-bye, love! Good-bye, sweet one!" said Claire, kissing his wife, and gently pressing his lips upon those of the babe she held in herarms. He then passed forth, and took his way to the store of LeonardJasper, in whose service he had been for two years, or since the dateof his marriage. 

A scene transpired a few days previous to this, which we will brieflydescribe. Three persons were alone in a chamber, the furnitureof which, though neither elegant nor costly, evinced taste andrefinement. Lying upon a bed was a man, evidently near the time of hisdeparture from earth. By his side, and bending over him, was a womanalmost as pale as himself. A little girl, not above five years of age, sat on the foot of the bed, with her eyes fixed on the countenance ofher father, for such was the relation borne to her by the sick man. A lovely creature she was--beautiful even beyond the common beauty ofchildhood. For a time a solemn stillness reigned through the chamber. A few low-spoken words had passed between the parents of the child, and then, for a brief period, all was deep, oppressive silence. Thiswas interrupted, at length, by the mother's unrestrained sobs, as shelaid her face upon the bosom of her husband, so soon to be taken fromher, and wept aloud. 

No word of remonstrance or comfort came from the sick man's lips. Heonly drew his arm about the weeper's neck, and held her closer to hisheart. 

The troubled waters soon ran clear: there was calmness in theirdepths. 

"It is but for a little while, Fanny, " said he, in a feeble yet steadyvoice; "only for a little while. "

"I know; I feel that here, " was replied, as a thin, white hand waslaid against the speaker's bosom. "And I could patiently await mytime, but"----

Her eyes glanced yearningly toward the child, who sat gazing upon herparents, with an instinct of approaching evil at her heart. 

Too well did the dying man comprehend the meaning of this glance. 

"God will take care of her. He will raise her up friends, " said hequickly; yet, even as he spoke, his heart failed him. 

"All that is left to us is our trust in Him, " murmured the wife andmother. Her voice, though so low as to be almost a whisper, was firm. She realized, as she spoke, how much of bitterness was in the partinghours of the dying one, and she felt that duty required her to sustainhim, so far as she had the strength to do so. And so she nerved herwoman's heart, almost breaking as it was, to bear and hide her ownsorrows, while she strove to comfort and strengthen the failing spiritof her husband. 

"God is good, " said she, after a brief silence, during which she wasstriving for the mastery over her weakness. As she spoke, she leanedover the sick man, and looked at him lovingly, and with the smile ofan angel on her countenance. 

"Yes, God is good, Fanny. Have we not proved this, again and again?"was returned, a feeble light coming into the speaker's pale face. 

"A thousand times, dear! a thousand times!" said the wife, earnestly. "He is infinite in his goodness, and we are his children. "

"Yes, his children, " was the whispered response. And over and overagain he repeated the words, "His children;" his voice falling lowerand lower each time, until at length his eyes closed, and his in-goingthought found no longer an utterance. 

Twilight had come. The deepening shadows were fast obscuring allobjects in the sick-chamber, where silence reigned, profound almost asdeath. 

"He sleeps, " whispered the wife, as she softly raised herself fromher reclining position on the bed. "And dear Fanny sleeps also, " wasadded, as her eyes rested upon the unconscious form of her child. 

Two hours later, and the last record was made in Ruben Elder's Book ofLife. 

For half an hour before the closing scene, his mind was clear, andhe then spoke calmly of what he had done for those who were to remainbehind. 

"To Leonard Jasper, my old friend, " said he to his wife, "I have leftthe management of my affairs. He will see that every thing is donefor the best. There is not much property, yet enough to insure a smallincome; and, when you follow me to the better land, sufficient for thesupport and education of our child. "

Peacefully, after this, he sank away, and, like a weary child fallinginto slumber, slept that sleep from which the awakening is in anotherworld. 

How Leonard Jasper received the announcement of his executorship hasbeen seen. The dying man had referred to him as an old friend; but, asthe reader has already concluded, there was little room in his sordidheart for so pure a sentiment as that of friendship. He, however, lostno time in ascertaining the amount of property left by Elder, whichconsisted of two small houses in the city, and a barren tract of aboutsixty acres of land, somewhere in Pennsylvania, which had been takenfor a debt of five hundred dollars. In view of his death, Elder hadwound up his business some months before, paid off what he owed, andcollected in nearly all outstanding accounts; so that little workremained for his executor, except to dispose of the unprofitable tractof land and invest the proceeds. 

On the day following the opening of our story, Jasper, who still feltannoyed at the prospect of more trouble than profit in the matter ofhis executorship, made a formal call upon the widow of his old friend. 

The servant, to whom he gave his name, stated that Mrs. Elder was soill as not to be able to leave her room. 

"I will call again, then, in a few days, " said he. "Be sure you giveher my name correctly. Mr. Jasper--Leonard Jasper. "

The face of the servant wore a troubled aspect. 

"She is very sick, sir, " said she, in a worried, hesitating manner. "Won't you take a seat, for a moment, until I go up and tell her thatyou are here? Maybe she would like to see you. I think I heard hermention your name a little while ago. "

Jasper sat down, and the domestic left the room. She was gone but ashort time, when she returned and said that Mrs. Elder wished to seehim. Jasper arose and followed her up-stairs. There were some strangemisgivings in his heart--some vague, troubled anticipations, thatoppressed his feelings. But he had little time for thought ere he wasushered into the chamber of his friend's widow. 

A single glance sufficed to tell him the whole sad truth of the case. There was no room for mistake. The bright, glazed eyes, the rigid, colourless lips, the ashen countenance, all testified that the hourof her departure drew nigh. How strong, we had almost said, howbeautiful, was the contrasted form and features of her lovely child, whose face, so full of life and rosy health, pressed the same pillowthat supported her weary head. 

Feebly the dying woman extended her hand, as Mr. Jasper came in, saying, as she did so--

"I am glad you have come; I was about sending for you. "

A slight tremor of the lips accompanied her words, and it was plainthat the presence of Jasper, whose relation to her and her child sheunderstood, caused a wave of emotion to sweep over her heart. 

"I am sorry, Mrs. Elder, to find you so very ill, " said Jasper, with as much of sympathy in his voice as he could command. "Has yourphysician been here to-day?"

"It is past that, sir--past that, " was replied. "There is no furtherany hope for me in the physician's art. "

A sob choked all further utterance. 

How oppressed was the cold-hearted, selfish man of the world! Histhoughts were all clouded, and his lips for a time sealed. As thedying woman said, so he felt that it was. The time of her departurehad come. An instinct of self-protection--protection for hisfeelings--caused him, after a few moments, to say, and he turnedpartly from the bed as he spoke--

"Some of your friends should be with you, madam, at this time. Let mego for them. Have you a sister or near relative in the city?"

The words and movement of Mr. Jasper restored at once the consciousself-possession of the dying mother, and she raised herself partly upwith a quick motion, and a gleam of light in her countenance. 

"Oh, sir, " she said eagerly, "do not go yet. I have no sister, no nearrelative; none but you to whom I can speak my last words and give mylast injunction. You were my husband's friend while he lived, and toyou has he committed the care of his widow and orphan. I am called, alas, too soon! to follow him; and now, in the sight of God, andin the presence of his spirit--for I feel that he is near us now--Icommit to you the care of this dear child. Oh, sir! be to her as afather. Love her tenderly, and care for her as if she were your own. Her heart is rich with affection, and upon you will its treasures bepoured out. Take her! take her as your own! Here I give to you, inthis the solemn hour of my departure, that which to me is above allprice. "

And as she said this, with a suddenly renewed strength, she liftedthe child, and, ere Jasper could check the movement, placed her in hisarms. Then, with one long, eager, clinging kiss pressed upon thelips of that child, she sank backward on the bed; and life, which hadflashed up brightly for a moment, went out in this world for ever. 

CHAPTER III. 

Leonard Jasper would have been less than human had he borne such anassault upon his feelings without emotion; less than human had hisheart instantly and spontaneously rejected the dying mother's wildlyeloquent appeal. He was bewildered, startled, even deeply moved. 

The moment he could, with propriety and a decent regard forappearances, get away from the house where he had witnessed so painfula scene, he returned to his place of business in a sobered, thoughtfulstate of mind. He had not anticipated so direct a guardianship ofRuben Elder's child as it was evident would now devolve upon him, in consequence of the mother's death. Here was to be trouble forhim--this was his feeling so soon as there was a little time forreaction--and trouble without profit. He would have to take uponhimself the direct charge of the little girl, and duly provide for hermaintenance and education. 

"If there is property enough for this, well and good, " he mutteredto himself; he had not yet become acquainted with the real state ofaffairs. "If not, " he added, firmly, "the loss will be hers; that isall. I shall have sufficient trouble and annoyance, without being putto expense. "

For some time after his return to his store, Jasper refrained fromentering upon any business. During at least fifteen or twenty minutes, he sat at his desk, completely absorbed in thought. At length hecalled to Edward Claire, his principal clerk, and said that he wishedto speak a few words with him. The young man came back from thecounter to where he was sitting, wondering what had produced the veryapparent change in his employer's state of mind. 

"Edward, " said Mr. Jasper, in a low, serious voice, "there is alittle matter that I must get you to attend to for me. It is not verypleasant, it is true; though nothing more than people are required todo every day. You remember Mr. Elder, Ruben Elder, who formerly keptstore in Second street?"

"Very well. "

"He died last week. "

"I noticed his death in the papers. "

"He has appointed me his executor. "

"Ah?"

"Yes; and I wish to my heart he had appointed somebody else. I've toomuch business of my own to attend to. "

"Of course, " said Claire, "you will receive your regular commissionsfor attending to the settlement of his estate. "

"Poor picking there, " replied Jasper, shrugging his shoulders. "I'dvery cheerfully give up the profit to be rid of the trouble. But thatdoesn't signify now. Elder has left his affairs in my hands, and Imust give them at least some attention. I'm not coming to the point, however. A little while ago I witnessed the most painful scene thatever fell under my eyes. "

"Ah!"

"Yes, truly. Ugh! It makes the chills creep over me as I think ofit. Last evening I received regular notification of my appointment asexecutor to Elder's estate, and to-day thought it only right to callupon the widow, and see if any present service were needed by thefamily. Such a scene as I encountered! Mrs. Elder was just at thepoint of death, and expired a few moments after my entrance. Besidesa single domestic and a child, I was the only witness of her lastextremity. "

"Shocking!"

"You may well say shocking, Edward, unprepared as I was for such anoccurrence. My nerves are quivering yet. "

"Then the widow is dead also?"

"Yes; both have gone to their long home. "

"How many children are left?"

"Only one--a little girl, not, I should think, above four years ofage. "

"Some near relative will, I presume, take charge of her. "

"In dying, the mother declared that she had no friend to whom shecould leave the child. On me, therefore, devolves the care of seeingto its maintenance. "

"No friend. Poor child! and of so tender an age!"

"She is young, certainly, to be left alone in the world. "

Jasper uttered these words, but felt nothing of the sad meaning theyinvolved. 

"What disposition will you make of her?" asked Claire. 

"I've had no time to think of that yet. Other matters are first to beregarded. So let me come to the point. Mrs. Elder is dead; and, as faras I could see, there is no living soul, beyond a frightened servant, to do any thing. Whether she will have the presence of mind to call inthe neighbours, is more than I can say. I left in the bewilderment ofthe moment; and now remember me that something is to be done for thedead. Will you go to the house, and see what is needed? In the nextblock is an undertaker; you had better call, on your way, and ask himto go with you. All arrangements necessary for the funeral can be leftin his hands. Just take this whole matter off of me, Edward, and Iwill be greatly obliged to you. I have a good many things on my mind, that must receive close attention. "

The young man offered no objection, although the service was far frombeing agreeable. On his return, after the absence of an hour, Jasperhad, of course, many inquiries to make. Claire appeared serious. Thefact was, he had seen enough to touch his feelings deeply. The griefof the orphaned child, as he was a witness thereto, had brought tearsupon his cheeks, in spite of every manly effort to restrain them. Herextreme beauty struck him at the first glance, even obscured as it wasunder a vail of sorrow and weeping. 

"There were several persons in, you say?" remarked Jasper, afterClaire had related a number of particulars. 

"Yes, three or four. "

"Ladies, of course?"

"Yes. "

"Did any of them propose to take the child home with them?"

"Not directly. One woman asked me a number of questions about thelittle girl. "

"Of what nature?"

"As to whether there were any relatives or particular friends whowould take charge of her?"

"And you told her there were none?"

"Yes; none of whom I had any knowledge. "

"Well? What had she to say to that?"

"She wanted to know if there would be any thing for the child'ssupport. I said that there would, in all probability. "

"Well?"

"Then she gave me to understand, that if no one took the child, shemight be induced to board her for a while, until other arrangementswere made. "

"Did you give her to understand that this was practicable?"

"No, sir. "

"Why not? She will have to be boarded, you know. "

"I neither liked the woman's face, manner, nor appearance. "

"Why not?"

"Oh, she was a vulgar, coarse, hard-looking creature to my eyes. "

"Kind hearts often lie concealed under unpromising externals. "

"True; but they lie not concealed under that exterior, be wellassured, Mr. Jasper. No, no. The child who has met with so sad a lossas that of a mother, needs the tenderest guardianship. At best, thecase is hard enough. "

Jasper did not respond to this humane sentiment, for there was no pityin him. The waves of feeling, stirred so suddenly a few hours before, had all subsided, and the surface of his heart bore no ripple ofemotion. He thought not of the child as an object claiming his regard, but as a trouble and a hinderance thrown in his way, to be disposed ofas summarily as possible. 

"I'm obliged to you, Edward, for the trouble you have taken in mystead, " he remarked, after a slight pause. "To-morrow, I may wishyou to call there again. Of course, the neighbours will give needfulattention until the funeral takes place. By that time, perhaps, thechild will have made a friend of some one of them, and secure, throughthis means, a home for the present. It is, for us, a troublesomebusiness at best, though it will soon be over. "

A person coming in at the moment, Claire left his employer to attendat the counter. The new customer, it was quickly perceived by theclerk, was one who might readily be deceived into buying the articlesfor which she inquired, at a rate far in advance of their real value;and he felt instantly tempted to ask her a very high price. Readily, for it was but acting from habit, did he yield to this temptation. Hissuccess was equal to his wishes. The woman, altogether unsuspiciousof the cheat practised upon her, paid for her purchases the sum often dollars above their true value. She lingered a short time aftersettling her bill, and made some observation upon a current topicof the day. One or two casually-uttered sentiments did not fall likerefreshing dew upon the feelings of Claire, but rather stung him likewords of sharp rebuke, and made him half regret the wrong he had doneto her. He felt relieved when she retired. 

It so happened that, while this customer was in, Jasper left thestore. Soon after, a clerk went to dinner. Only a lad remained withClaire, and he was sent up-stairs to arrange some goods. 

The hour of temptation had again come, and the young man's mind wasovershadowed by the powers of darkness. 

"Ten dollars clear gain on that transaction, " said he to himself, ashe drew open the money-drawer in which he had deposited the cash paidto him by his late customer. 

For some time his thoughts were busy, while his fingers toyed with thegold and bills in the drawer. Two five-dollar pieces were included inthe payment just received. 

"Jasper, surely, ought to be satisfied with one of these. " Thus hebegan to argue with himself. "I drove the bargain; am I not entitledto a fair proportion of the profit? It strikes me so. What wrong willit be to him? Wrong? Humph! Wrong? The wrong has been done already;but it falls not on his head. 

"If I am to do this kind of work for him, "--the feelings of Clairenow commenced running in a more disturbed channel; there were deepcontractions on his forehead, and his lips were shut firmly, --"thiskind of work, I must have a share of the benefit. If I am to sell mysoul, Leonard Jasper shall not have the whole price. "

Deliberately, as he spoke this within himself, did Claire take fromthe drawer a five-dollar gold piece, and thrust it into his pocket. 

"Mine, not his, " were the words with which he approved the act. Atthe same instant Jasper entered. The young man's heart gave a suddenbound, and there was guilt in his face, but Jasper did not read itstrue expression. 

"Well, Edward, " said he, cheerfully, "what luck did you have with theold lady? Did she make a pretty fair bill?"

"So-so, " returned Claire, with affected indifference; "about thirtydollars. "

"Ah! so much?"

"Yes; and, what is better, I made her pay pretty strong. She was fromthe country. "

"That'll do. " And Jasper rubbed his hands together energetically. "Howmuch over and above a fair percentage did you get?"

"About five dollars. "

"Good, again! You're a trump, Edward. "

If Edward Claire was relieved to find that no suspicion had beenawakened in the thoughts of Jasper, he did not feel very stronglyflattered by his approving words. The truth was, at the very moment hewas relating what he had done, there came into his mind, with amost startling distinctness, the dream of his wife, and the painfulfeelings it had occasioned. 

"What folly! What madness! Whither am I going?"

These were his thoughts now, born of a quick revulsion of feeling. 

"It is your dinner-time, Edward. Get back as soon as possible. I wantto be home a little earlier than usual to-day. "

Thus spoke Mr. Jasper; and the young man, taking up his hat, left thestore. He had never felt so strangely in his life. The first step incrime had been taken; he had fairly entered the downward road to ruin. Where was it all to end? Placing his fingers, almost without thought, in his pocket, they came in contact with the gold-piece obtained bya double crime--the robbery both of a customer and his employer. Quickly, as if he had touched a living coal, was the hand of Clairewithdrawn, while a low chill crept along his nerves. It required someresolution for the young man to meet his pure-hearted, clear-mindedwife, whose quick intuitions of good or evil in others he had over andover again been led to remark. Once, as he moved along, he thrust hishand into his pocket, with the suddenly-formed purpose of casting thepiece of money from him, and thus cancelling his guilt. But, ere theact was accomplished, he remembered that in this there would be norestoration, and so refrained. 

Edward Claire felt, while in the presence of his young wife, that sheoften looked into his face with more than usual earnestness. This notonly embarrassed but slightly fretted him, and led him to speak oncein a way that brought tears to her eyes. 

Not a minute longer than necessary did Claire remain at home. The factthat his employer had desired him to return to the store as quicklyas possible, was an all-sufficient reason for his unusual hurry to getaway. 

The moment the door closed upon him, his wife burst into tears. Onher bosom lay a most oppressive weight, and in her mind was a vague, troubled sense of approaching evil. She felt that there was danger inthe path of her husband; but of its nature she could divine littleor nothing. All day her dream had haunted her; and now it reproduceditself in her imagination with painful distinctness. Vainly she stroveto drive it from her thoughts; it would not be gone. Slowly the hourswore on for her, until the deepening twilight brought the periodwhen her husband was to return again. To this return her mind lookedforward with an anxiety that could not be repressed. 

The dreaded meeting with his wife over, Claire thought with lessrepugnance of what he had done, and was rather inclined to justifythan condemn himself. 

"It's the way of the world, " so he argued; "and unless I do as theworld does, I must remain where I am--at the bottom of the ladder. Butwhy should I stay below, while all around me are struggling upward? Asfor what preachers and moralists call strictly fair dealing, it may beall well enough in theory, pleasant to talk about, and all that; butit won't do in practice, as the world now is. Where each is graspingall that he can lay his hands on, fair or foul, one must scramblewith the rest, or get nothing. That is so plain that none can deny theproposition. So, Edward Claire, if you wish to rise above your presentpoor condition, if you wish to get rich, like your enterprisingneighbours, you must do as they do. If I go in for a lamb, I might aswell take a sheep: the morality of the thing is the same. If I take alarge slice off of a customer, why shall not a portion of that slicebe mine; ay, the whole of it, if I choose to make the appropriation?All Jasper can fairly ask, is a reasonable profit: if I, by myaddress, get more than this, surely I may keep a part thereof. Whoshall say nay?"

Justifying himself by these and similar false reasonings, the youngman thrust aside the better suggestions, from which he was at firstinclined to retrace the false step he had taken; and wilfully shuttinghis eyes, resolved to go forward in his evil and dangerous course. 

During the afternoon of that day a larger number of customers thanusual were in, and Claire was very busily occupied. He made three orfour large sales, and was successful in getting several dollars inexcess of fair profit from one not very well skilled in prices. Inmaking an entry of this particular transaction in the memorandumsales-book, the figures recorded were three dollars less than theactual amount received. So, on this, the first day of the youngman's lapse from honesty, he had appropriated the sum of eightdollars--nearly equal to his entire week's salary! For such a recenttraveller in this downward road, how rapid had already become hissteps!

Evening found him again alone, musing and debating with himself, erelocking up the store and returning home. The excitement of businessbeing over, his thoughts flowed in a calmer current; and the stillnessof the deserted room gave to his feelings a hue of sobriety. He wasnot altogether satisfied with himself. How could he be? No man everwas satisfied with himself, when seclusion and silence found him afterhis first departure from the right way. Ah, how little is therein worldly possessions, be it large or small, to compensate for atroubled, self-accusing spirit! how little to throw in the balanceagainst the heavy weight of conscious villany!

How tenderly, how truly, how devotedly had Edward Claire loved theyoung wife of his bosom, since the hour the pulses of their spiritsfirst beat in joyful unity! How eager had he ever been to turn hisface homeward when the shadows of evening began to fall! But now helingered--lingered, though all the business of the day was over. Thethought of his wife created no quick impulse to be away. He felt morelike shunning her presence. He even for a time indulged a motion ofanger toward her for what he mentally termed her morbid sensitivenessin regard to others' right--her dreamy ideal of human perfection. 

"We are in the world, and we must do as it does. We must take it as itis, not as it should be. "

So he mused with himself, in a self-approving argument. Yet he couldnot banish the accusing spirit; he could not silence the inward voiceof warning. 

Once there came a strong revulsion. Good impulses seemed about togain the mastery. In this state of mind, he took from his pocket hisill-gotten gains, and threw them into the money-box, which had alreadybeen placed in the fire-closet. 

"What good will that do?" said he to himself, as the wave of betterfeelings began to subside. "All the sales-entries have been made, andthe cash balanced; Jasper made the balance himself. So the cashwill only show an excess to be accounted for; and from this maycome suspicion. It is always more hazardous to go backward thanforward--(false reasoner!)--to retrace our steps than to press boldlyonward. No, no. This will not mend the matter. "

And Claire replaced the money in his pocket. In a little whileafterward, he left the store, and took his way homeward. 

CHAPTER IV. 

As on the previous evening, Mrs. Claire was alone for some time laterthan usual, but now with an anxious, almost fearful looking for herhusband's return. Suddenly she had taken the alarm. A deep, broodingshadow was on her heart, though she could not see the bird of nightfrom whose wings it had fallen. Frequently, during the afternoon, tears had wet her cheek; and when an old friend of her mother's, wholived in the country, and who had come to the city in order to makea few purchases, called to see her, it was with difficulty she couldhide her disturbed feelings from observation. 

The absent one came in at last, and with so much of the old, frank, loving spirit in his voice and manner, that the troubled heart of Mrs. Claire beat with freer pulsations. And yet something about her husbandappeared strange. There was a marked difference between his state ofmind now, and on the evening before. Even at dinner-time he was silentand abstracted. 

In fact, Edward Claire was, for the first time, acting a part towardhis wife; and, as in all such cases, there was sufficient over-actionto betray the artifice, or, at least, to awaken a doubt. Still, Edithwas greatly relieved by the change, and she chided herself for havingpermitted doubt and vague questionings to find a harbour in herthoughts. 

During tea-time, Claire chatted freely, as was his custom; but he grewserious as they sat together, after the table was cleared away, andEdith had taken her sewing. Then, for the first time, he thought outof himself sufficiently to remember his visit to the house of death inthe morning, and he said--

"I witnessed something this morning, dear, that has made me feel sadever since. "

"What was that, Edward?" inquired the wife, looking instantly into hisface, with a strongly manifested interest. 

"I don't think you knew Mr. Elder or his family--Ruben Elder?"

"I have heard the name, nothing more. "

"Mr. Elder died last week. "

"Ah! What family did he leave?"

"A wife and one child. "

Mrs. Claire sighed. 

"Did he leave them comfortably off in the world?" she asked, after abrief silence. 

"I don't know; but I'm afraid, he's not left much, if any thing. Mr. Jasper has been appointed the executor. "

"Mr. Jasper!"

"Yes. This morning he called to see Mrs. Elder, and found her in avery low state. In fact, she died while he was there. "

"Edward! Died?"

"Yes, died; and her only child, a sweet little girl, not five yearsold, is now a friendless orphan. "

"How very sad!"

"Sad enough, Edith, sad enough. Mr. Jasper, who has no taste forscenes of distress, wished me to look after the funeral arrangements;so I went to the house, and attended to matters as well as I could. Ahme! It has cast a gloom over my feelings that I find it hard to castoff. "

"Did you see the child?" inquired Mrs. Claire, the mother's impulsegiving direction to her thoughts. 

"Yes; and a lovely child it is. Poor thing!"

"There are near relatives, I presume?"

"None; at least, so Jasper says. "

"What is to become of the child?"

"Dear above knows! As for her legal guardian, she has nothing to hopefrom his humanity. She will naturally find a home somewhere--a homeprocured for money. But her future comfort and well-being will dependmore on a series of happy accidents than on the good-will of thehard-hearted man to whose tender mercies the dying parents havecommitted her. "

"Not happy accidents, Edward, " said Mrs. Claire, with a tender smile;"say, wise providences. There is no such thing as chance. "

"As you will, dear, " returned the husband, with a slight change in histone. "I would not call that providence wise by which Leonard Jasperbecame the guardian of a friendless child. "

"This is because you cannot see the end from the beginning, Edward. The Lord's providence does not regard merely the external comfort andwell-being of his creatures; it looks far beyond this, and regardstheir internal interests. It permits evil and suffering to-day, butonly that good, a higher than earthly good, may come on the morrow. It was no blind chance, believe me, my husband, that led to theappointment of Mr. Jasper as the guardian of this poor child. Eternalpurposes are involved therein, as surely as God is infinitely wise andgood. Good to one, perhaps to many, will grow out of what now seems adeeply to be regretted circumstance. "

"You're a happy reasoner, Edith. I wish I could believe in soconsoling a philosophy. "

"Edward!" There was a change in Mrs. Claire's voice, and a lookblending surprise with a gentle rebuke in her countenance. "Edward, how can you speak so? Is not mine the plain Christian doctrine? Is itnot to be found everywhere in the Bible?"

"Doubtless, Edith; but I'm not one of the pious kind, you know. "

Claire forced a smile to his face, but his wife looked serious, andremarked--

"I don't like to hear you talk so, Edward. There is in it, tome, something profane. Ah, my dear husband, in this simple yetall-embracing doctrine of providence lies the whole secret of humanhappiness. If our Creator be infinite, wise, and good, he will seekthe well-being of his creatures, even though they turn from him to doviolence to his laws; and, in his infinite love and wisdom, will soorder and arrange events as to make every thing conspire to the endin view. Both bodily and mental suffering are often permitted to takeplace, as the only agencies by which to counteract hereditary evilsthat would otherwise destroy the soul. "

"Ah, Edie! Edie!" said Claire, interrupting his wife, in a fond, playful tone, "you are a wise preacher, and as good as you are wise. I only wish that I could see and feel as you do; no doubt it would bebetter for me in the end. But such a wish is vain. "

"Oh, say not so, dear husband!" exclaimed Edith, with unexpectedearnestness; "say not so! It hurts me almost like words of personalunkindness. "

"But how can I be as good as you are? It isn't in me. "

"I am not good, Edward. There is none good but God, " answered the wifesolemnly. 

"Oh yes, yes! You are an angel!" returned Claire, with a suddenemotion that he could not control. "And I--and I--"

He checked himself, turned his face partly away to conceal itsexpression, sat motionless for a moment, and then burying his faceon the bosom of his wife, sobbed for the space of nearly a minute, overcome by a passion that he in vain struggled to master. 

Never had Edith seen her husband so moved. No wonder that she wasstartled, even frightened. 

"Oh, Edward, dear Edward! what ails you?" were her eager, agitatedwords, so soon as she could speak. "What has happened? Oh, tell me, myhusband, my dear husband!"

But Claire answered not, though he was gaining some control over hisfeelings. 

"Oh, Edward! won't you speak to me? Won't you tell me all yourtroubles, all your heart? Am I not your wife, and do I not love youwith a love no words can express? Am I not your best and closestfriend? Would I not even lay down my life for your good? Dear Edward, what has caused this great emotion?"

Thus urged, thus pleaded the tearful Edith. But there was no reply, though the strong tremor which had thrilled through the frame ofClaire had subsided. He was still bowed forward, with his face hidon her bosom, while her arm was drawn lovingly around him. So theyremained for a time longer. At length, the young man lifted himselfup, and fixed his eyes upon her. His countenance was pale and sad, andbore traces of intense suffering. 

"My husband! my dear husband!" murmured Edith. 

"My wife! my good angel!" was the low, thrilling response; and Clairepressed his lips almost reverently upon the brow of his wife. 

"I have had a fearful dream, Edith!" said he; "a very fearful dream. Thank God, I am awake now. "

"A dream, Edward?" returned his wife, not fully comprehending him. 

"Yes, love, a dream; yet far too real. Surely, I dreamed, or wasunder some dire enchantment. But the spell is gone--gone, I trust, forever. "

"What spell, love? Oh, speak to me a plainer language!"

"I think, Edith, " said the young man, after remaining thoughtfullysilent for some time, "that I will try and get another place. I don'tbelieve it is good for me to live with Leonard Jasper. Gold is the godhe worships; and I find myself daily tempted to bend my knee in thesame idolatry. "

"Edward!" A shadow had fallen on the face of Edith. 

"You look troubled at my words, Edith, " resumed the young man; "yetwhat I say is true, too true. I wish it were not so. Ah! thispassage through the world, hard and toilsome as it is, has many, manydangers. "

"If we put our trust in God, we need have no fear, " said Edith, in agentle yet earnest and penetrating voice, laying her hand lovingly onthe hot forehead of her husband, and gazing into his eyes. 

"Nothing without can harm us. Our worst enemies are within. "

"Within?"

"Yes, love; within our bosoms. Into our distrusts and unsatisfieddesires they enter, and tempt us to evil. "

"True, true, " said Claire, in an abstracted manner, and as if speakingto himself. 

"What more do we want to make us happy?" asked Edith, comprehendingstill more clearly her husband's state of mind. 

Claire sighed deeply, but made no answer. 

"More money could not do it, " she added. 

"Money would procure us many comforts that we do not now possess, "said the young man. 

"I doubt this, Edward. It might give more of the elegancies of life;but, as I have often said, these do not always produce correspondingpleasure. If they come, without too ardent seeking, in the goodpleasure of Providence, as the reward of useful and honest labour, then they may increase the delights of life; but never otherwise. If the heart is set on them, their acquirement will surely end indisappointment. Possession will create satiety; and the mind tooquickly turns from the good it has toiled for in hope so long, to fretitself because there is an imagined higher good beyond. Believe me, Edward, if we are not satisfied with what God gives us as the rewardof useful toil to-day, we will not be satisfied with what he givesto-morrow. "

"Perhaps you are right, Edith; I believe you are. My mind has aglimpse of the truth, but to fully realize it is hard. Ah, I wish thatI possessed more of your trusting spirit!"

"We are both cared for, Edward, by the same infinite love--cared for, whether we doubt and fear, or trust confidingly. "

"It must be so. I see it now, I feel it now--see it and feel it inthe light of your clearer intuitions. Ah, how different from this purefaith is the faith of the world! Men worship gold as their god; theytrust only in riches. "

"And their god is ever mocking them. To-day he smiles upon hisvotary, and to-morrow hides his face in darkness. To-day he givesfull coffers, that are empty to-morrow. But the true riches offered sofreely to all by the living God are blessed both in the getting andin the keeping. These never produce satiety, never take to themselveswings. Good affections and true thoughts continually nourish andre-create the mind. They are the soul's wealth, the perennialfountains of all true enjoyment. With these, and sufficient for thebody's health and comfort, all may be happy: without them, the richesof the world have no power to satisfy. "

A pause ensued, during which the minds of both wandered back a little. 

"If you feel, " said Edith, recalling the words of her husband, "thatthere is danger in remaining where you are"--

"That was hastily spoken, " Edward Claire interrupted his wife, "and ina moment of weakness. I must resist the evil that assaults me. I muststrive with and overcome the tempter. I must think less of this worldand its riches; and in my thoughts place a higher value upon theriches without wings of which you have spoken to me so often. "

"Can you remain where you are, and be out of danger?" asked Edith. 

"There is danger everywhere. "

"Ay; but in some positions more imminent danger. Is it well to courttemptation?"

"Perhaps not. But I cannot afford to give up my place with Jasper. "

"Yet, while remaining, you will be strongly tempted. "

"Jasper is dishonest at heart. He is ever trying to overreach indealing, and expects every one in his employment to be as keen ashimself. "

"Oh, Edward, do not remain with him a day longer! There is death tothe spirit in the very atmosphere around such a man. You cannot servesuch a master, and be true to yourself and to God. It is impossible. "

"I believe you are right in that, Edith; I know you are right, " saidthe young man, with a strong emphasis on the last sentence. "Butwhat am I to do? Five hundred dollars a year is little enough for ourwants; I have, as you know, been dissatisfied with that. I can hardlyget as much in another situation. I know of but one opening, and thatis with Melleville. "

"Go back to him, Edward, " said his wife. 

"And get but four hundred a year? It is all he can pay. "

"If but three hundred, it were a situation far to be preferred to theone you now hold. "

"A hundred dollars a year, Edith, taken from our present income, woulddeprive us of many comforts. "

"Think of how much we would gain in true inward enjoyment, Edward, bysuch a change. Have you grown happier since you entered the store ofMr. Jasper?"

The young man shook his head sadly, and murmured, "Alas! no. "

"Can anything compensate for the anguish of mind we have both sufferedin the last few hours, Edward?"

There was a quick flushing of the face, as Edith said this. 

"Both suffered!" exclaimed Edward, with a look of surprise. 

"Ay, both, love. Can the heart of my husband feel a jar of discord, and mine not thrill painfully? Can he be in temptation, without anovershadowing of my spirit? Can he be in darkness, and I at the sametime in light? No, no; that were impossible. You have been in greatperil; I knew that some evil threatened you, even before you confessedit with your lips. Oh, Edward, we have both tasted, in the last fewhours, a bitterer cup than has yet been placed to our lips. May we notbe called upon to drink it to the very dregs!"

"Amen!" fell solemnly from the lips of Edward Claire, as a coldshudder crept along his nerves. If there had been any wavering in hismind before, there was none now. He resolved to make restitution inthe morning, and, as soon as opportunity offered, to leave a placewhere he was so strongly tempted to step aside from the path ofintegrity. The virtue of his wife had saved him. 

CHAPTER V. 

"Edward, " said Mr. Jasper, on the next morning, soon after he came tothe store, "Was any time fixed for the funeral yesterday?"

"I believe not. "

"That was an oversight. It might as well take place to-day asto-morrow, or a week hence, if there are no intimate friends orrelatives to be thought of or consulted. I wish you would take theforenoon to see about this troublesome matter. The undertaker will, ofcourse, do every thing according to your directions. Let there be aslittle expense as possible. "

While they were yet speaking, the undertaker came in to make inquiryas to the funeral arrangements to be observed. 

"Is the coffin ready?" asked Jasper, in a cold, business manner. 

"It is, " was the reply. 

"What of the ground? Did you see to her husband's funeral?"

"Yes. I have attended to all these matters. Nothing remains but to fixthe time, and notify the clergyman. "

"Were you at the house this morning?" asked Jasper. 

"I was. "

"Who did you find there?"

"One or two of the neighbours were in. "

"No near relatives of the deceased?"

"Not to my knowledge. "

"Was any thing said about the time for burying Mrs. Elder?"

"No. That matter, I suppose, will rest with you. "

"In that case, I see no reason for delay, " said Jasper. "What end isserved?"

"The sooner it is over the better. "

"So I think. Suppose we say this afternoon?"

"Very well. The time might be fixed at five. The graveyard is not verydistant. How many carriages shall I order?"

"Not many. Two, I should think, would be enough, " replied Jasper. "There will not be much left, I presume; therefore, the lighter thefuneral expenses the better. By the way, did you see the child, whenyou were there this morning?"

"No, sir. "

"Some neighbour has, in all probability, taken it. "

"Very likely. It is a beautiful child. "

"Yes--rather pretty, " was Jasper's cold response. 

"So young to be left alone in the world. Ah, me! But these things willhappen. So, you decide to have the funeral at five this afternoon?"

"Yes; unless something that we do not now know of, interferes toprevent. The quicker a matter like this is over the better. "

"True. Very well. "

"You will see to every thing?"

"Certainly; that is my business. Will you be at the house thisafternoon?"

"At the time of the funeral?"

"Yes. "

"I think not. I can't do any good. "

"No, --only for the looks of the thing. "

The undertaker was already beginning to feel the heartlessindifference of Jasper, and his last remark was half in irony, half insmothered contempt. 

"Looks! Oh! I never do any thing for looks. If I can be of anyservice, I will be there--but, if not, not. I'm a right up-and-down, straight-forward man of the world, you see. "

The undertaker bowed, saying that all should be as he wished. 

"You can step around there, after a while, Edward, " said Jasper, assoon as the undertaker had retired. "When you go, I wish you wouldascertain, particularly, what has been done with the child. If aneighbour has taken her home, make inquiry as to whether she will beretained in the family; or, better still, adopted. You can hint, in acasual way, you know, that her parents have left property, which may, some time or other, be valuable. This may be a temptation, and turnthe scale in favour of adoption; which may save me a world of troubleand responsibility. "

"There is some property left?" remarked Claire. 

"A small house or two, and a bit of worthless land in the mountains. All, no doubt, mortgaged within a trifle of their value. Still, it'sproperty you know; and the word 'property' has a very attractive soundin some people's ears. "

A strong feeling of disgust toward Jasper swelled in the young man'sheart, but he guarded against its expression in look or words. 

A customer entering at the moment, Claire left his principal and moveddown behind the counter. He was not very agreeably affected, as thelady approached him, to see in her the person from whom he had takenten dollars on the previous day, in excess of a reasonable profit. Herserious face warned him that she had discovered the cheat. 

"Are you the owner of this store?" she asked, as she leaned upon thecounter, and fixed her mild, yet steady eyes, upon the young man'sface. 

"I am not, ma'am, " replied Claire, forcing a smile as he spoke. "Didn't I sell you a lot of goods yesterday?"

"You did, sir. "

"I thought I recognised you. Well, ma'am, there was an error in yourbill--an overcharge. "

"So I should think. "

"A overcharge of five dollars. "

Claire, while he affected an indifferent manner, leaned over towardthe woman and spoke in a low tone of voice. Inwardly, he was tremblinglest Jasper should became cognizant of what was passing. 

"Will you take goods for what is due you; or shall I hand you back themoney?" said he. 

"As I have a few more purchases to make, I may as well take goods, "was replied, greatly to the young man's relief. 

"What shall I show you, ma'am?" he asked, in a voice that now reachedthe attentive ears of Jasper, who had been wondering to himself as towhat was passing between the clerk and customer. 

A few articles were mentioned, and, in a little while, another bill ofseven dollars was made. 

"I am to pay you two dollars, I believe?" said the lady, after Clairehad told her how much the articles came to. As she said this, Jasperwas close by and heard the remark. 

"Right, ma'am, " answered the clerk. 

The customer laid a ten-dollar bill on the counter. Claire saw thatthe eyes of Jasper were on him. He took it up, placed it in themoney-drawer, and stood some time fingering over the change and smallbills. Then, with his back turned toward Jasper, he slipped a fivedollar gold piece from his pocket. This, with a three dollar bill fromthe drawer, he gave to the lady, who received her change and departed. 

Other customers coming in at the moment, both Jasper and his clerkwere kept busy for the next hour. When they were alone again, theformer said--

"How large a bill did you sell the old lady from the country, who wasin this morning?"

"The amount was seven dollars, I believe. "

"I thought she said two dollars?"

"She gave me a ten-dollar bill, and I only took three from thedrawer, " said the young man. 

"I thought you gave her a piece of gold?"

"There was no gold in the drawer, " was replied, evasively. 

Much to the relief of Claire, another customer entered, thus puttingan end to the conference between him and Jasper. 

The mind of the latter, ever suspicious, was not altogether satisfied. He was almost sure that two dollars was the price named for thegoods, and that he had seen a gold coin offered in change. And hetook occasion to refer to it at the next opportunity, when his clerk'spositive manner, backed by the entry of seven dollars on the sales'book, silenced him. 

As for Claire, this act of restitution, so far as it was in his powerto make it, took from his mind a heavy burden. He had, still, threedollars in his possession that were not rightfully his own. It was byno means probable that a similar opportunity to the one just embracedwould occur. What then was it best for him to do? This question wassoon after decided, by his throwing the money into the cash-drawer ofJasper. 

On his way home to dinner that day, Claire called into the store of aMr. Melleville, referred to in the conversation with his wife on theprevious evening. This gentleman, who was somewhat advanced in years, was in the same business with Jasper. He was known as a strictlyupright dealer--"Too honest to get along in this world, " as some said. "Old Stick-in-the-mud, " others called him. "A man behind the times, "as the new-comers in the trade were pleased to say. Claire had livedwith him for some years, and left him on the offer of Jasper to givehim a hundred dollars more per annum than he was getting. 

"Ah, Edward! How do you do to-day?" said Mr. Melleville, kindly, asthe young man came in. 

"Very well in body, but not so well in mind, " was the frank reply, ashe took the proffered hand of his old employer. 

"Not well in mind, ah! That's about the worst kind of sickness I knowof, Edward. What's the matter?"

"As I have dropped in to talk with you a little about my own affairs, I will come at once to the point. "

"That is right. Speak out plainly, Edward, and you will find in me, at least, a sincere friend, and an honest adviser. What is the matternow?"

"I don't like my present situation, Mr. Melleville!"

"Ah! Well? What's the trouble? Have you and Jasper had amisunderstanding?"

"Oh no! Nothing of that. We get on well enough together. But I don'tthink its a good place for a young man to be in, sir!"

"Why not?"

"I can be plain with you. In a word, Mr. Jasper is not an honestdealer; and he expects his clerks to do pretty much as he does. "

Mr. Melleville shook his head and looked grave. 

"To tell the truth, " continued Edward, "I have suffered myself tofall, almost insensibly, into his way of doing business, until I havebecome an absolute cheat--taking, sometimes, double and treble profitfrom a customer who happened to be ignorant about prices. "

"Edward!" exclaimed the old man, an expression of painful surprisesettling on his countenance. 

"It is all too true, Mr. Melleville--all too true. And I don't thinkit good for me to remain with Mr. Jasper. "

"What does he give you now?"

"The same as at first. Five hundred dollars. "

The old man bent his head and thought for a few moments. 

"His system of unfair dealing toward his customers is your principalobjection to Mr. Jasper?"

"That is one objection, and a very serious one, too: particularly asI am required to be as unjust to customers as himself. But there isstill another reason why I wish to get away from this situation. Mr. Jasper seems to think and care for nothing but money-getting. In hismind, gold is the highest good. To a far greater extent than I was, until very recently, aware, have I fallen, by slow degrees, into hisway of thinking and feeling; until I have grown dissatisfied withmy position. Temptation has come, as a natural result; and, before Idreamed that my feet were wandering from the path of safety, I havefound myself on the brink of a fearful precipice. "

"My dear young friend!" said Mr. Melleville, visibly moved, "this isdreadful!"

"It is dreadful. I can scarcely realize that it is so, " repliedClaire, also exhibiting emotion. 

"You ought not to remain in the employment of Leonard Jasper. That, at least, is plain. Better, far better, to subsist on bread and water, than to live sumptuously on the ill-gotten gold of such a man. "

"Yes, yes, Mr. Melleville, I feel all the truth of what you affirm, and am resolved to seek for another place. Did you not say, whenwe parted two years ago, that if ever I wished to return, you wouldendeavour to make an opening for me?"

"I did, Edward; and can readily bring you in now, as one of my youngmen is going to leave me for a higher salary than I can afford to pay. There is one drawback, however. "

"What is that, Mr. Melleville?"

"The salary will be only four hundred dollars a year. "

"I shall expect no more from you. "

"But can you live on that sum now? Remember, that you have beenreceiving five hundred dollars, and that your wants have beengraduated by your rate of income. Let me ask--have you saved any thingsince you were married?"

"Nothing. "

"So much the worse. You will find it difficult to fall back upon areduced salary. How far can you rely on your wife's co-operation?"

"To the fullest extent. I have already suggested to her the change, and she desires, above all things, that I make it. "

"Does she understand the ground of this proposed change?" asked Mr. Melleville. 

"Clearly. "

"And is willing to meet privation--to step down into even a humblersphere, so that her husband be removed from the tempting influence ofthe god of this world?"

"She is, Mr. Melleville. Ah! I only wish that I could look upon lifeas she does. That I could see as clearly--that I could gather, as sheis gathering them in her daily walk, the riches that have no wings. "

"Thank God for such a treasure, Edward! She is worth more than thewealth of the Indies. With such an angel to walk by your side, youneed feel no evil. "

"You will give me a situation, then, Mr. Melleville?"

"Yes, Edward, " replied the old man. 

"Then I will notify Mr. Jasper this afternoon, and enter your serviceon the first of the coming month. My heart is lighter already. Goodday. "

And Edward hurried off home. 

During the afternoon he found no opportunity to speak to Mr. Jasperon the subject first in his thoughts, as that individual wished himto attend Mrs. Elder's funeral, and gather for him all possibleinformation about the child. It was late when he came back fromthe burial-ground--so late that he concluded not to return, on thatevening, to the store. In the carriage in which he rode, was theclergyman who officiated, and the orphan child who, though but halfcomprehending her loss, was yet overwhelmed with sorrow. On their wayback, the clergyman asked to be left at his own dwelling; and this wasdone. Claire was then alone with the child, who shrank close to him inthe carriage. He did not speak to her; nor did she do more than lift, now and then, her large, soft, tear-suffused eyes to his face. 

Arrived, at length, at the dwelling from which they had just borneforth the dead, Claire gently lifted out the child, and entered thehouse with her. Two persons only were within, the domestic and thewoman who, on the day previous, had spoken of taking to her own homethe little orphaned one. The former had on her shawl and bonnet, andsaid that she was about going away. 

"You will not leave this child here alone, " said Edward. 

"I will take her for the present, " spoke up the other. "Would you liketo go home with me, Fanny?" addressing the child. "Come, "--and sheheld out her hands. 

But the child shrank closer to the side of Edward, and looked up intohis face with a silent appeal that his heart could not resist. 

"Thank you, ma'am, " he returned politely. "But we won't trouble youto do that. I will take her to my own home for the present. Would youlike to go with me, dear?"

Fanny answered with a grateful look, as she lifted her beautiful eyesagain to his face. 

And so, after the woman and the domestic had departed, Edward Clairelocked up the house, and taking the willing child by the hand, led heraway to his own humble dwelling. 

Having turned himself resolutely away from evil, already were thebetter impulses of his nature quickened into active life. A beautifulhumanity was rising up to fill the place so recently about to beconsecrated to the worship of a hideous selfishness. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Edward Claire was in no doubt as to the reception the motherless childwould receive from his kind-hearted wife. A word or two of explanationenabled her to comprehend the feeling from which he had acted. 

"You were right, Edward, " said she in hearty approval. "I am gladyou brought her home. Come, dear, " speaking to the wondering, partlyshrinking orphan, "let me take off your bonnet. "

She kissed the child's sweet lips and then gazed for some moments intoher face, pleased, yet half surprised, at her remarkable beauty. 

Little Fanny felt that she was among friends. The sad expression ofher face soon wore off, light came back to her eyes, and her prattlingtongue released itself from a long silence. An hour afterward, whenshe was laid to sleep in a temporary bed, made for her on the floor, her heavy eyelids fell quickly, with their long lashes upon hercheeks, and she was soon in the world of dreams. 

Then followed a long and serious conference between Edward and hiswife. 

"I saw Mr. Melleville to-day, " said the former. 

"Did you? I am glad of that, " was answered. 

"He will give me a place. "

"Glad again. "

"But, Edith, as I supposed, he can only pay me a salary of fourhundred dollars. "

"No matter, " was the prompt reply; "it is better than five hundredwhere you are. "

"Can we live on it, Edith?" Edward spoke in a troubled voice. 

"Why not? It is but to use a little more economy in our expenses--tolive on two dollars a week less than we now spend; and that will notbe very hard to do. Trust it to me, dear. I will bring the accountout even. And we will be just as happy. As happy? Oh, a thousand timeshappier! A hundred dollars! How poorly will that compensate for brokenpeace and a disquieted conscience. Edward, is it possible for you toremain where you are, and be innocent?"

"I fear not, Edith, " was the unhesitating reply. "And yet, dear, Ishould be man enough, should have integrity enough, to resist thetemptations that might come in my way. "

"Do not think of remaining where you are, " said the young wifeearnestly. "If Mr. Melleville will pay you four hundred dollars ayear, take his offer and leave Mr. Jasper. It will be a gain ratherthan a loss to us. "

"A gain, Edith?"

"Yes, a gain in all that is worth having in life--peace of mindflowing from a consciousness of right action. Will money buy this? No, Edward. Highly as riches are esteemed--the one great good in life asthey are regarded--they never have given and never will give thisbest of all blessings. How little, how very little of the world'shappiness, after all, flows from the possession of money. Did you everthink of that, Edward?"

"Perhaps not. "

"And yet, is it not worth a passing thought? Mr. And Mrs. Casswell arerich--we are poor. Which do you think the happiest?"

"Oh, we are happiest, a thousand times, " said Edward warmly. "Iwould not exchange places with him, were he worth a million for everythousand. "

"Nor I with his wife, " returned Edith. "So money, in their case, doesnot give happiness. Now look at William Everhart and his wife. Whenwe were married they occupied two rooms, at a low rent, as we now do. Their income was just what ours has been. Well, they enjoyed life. Wevisited them frequently, and they often called to see us. But for alittle ambition on the part of both to make some show, they would havepossessed a large share of that inestimable blessing, contentment. After a while, William's salary was raised to one thousand dollars. Then they must have a whole house to themselves, as if their two nicerooms were not as large and comfortable, and as well suited to theirreal wants as before. They must, also, have showy furniture for theirfriends to look at. Were they any happier for this change?--for thismarked improvement in their external condition? We have talked thisover before, Edward. No, they were not. In fact, they were not socomfortable. With added means had come a whole train of clamorouswants, that even the doubled salary could not supply. "

"Everhart gets fifteen hundred a year, now, " remarked Claire. 

"That will account, then, " said Edith, smiling, "for Emma's unsettledstate of mind when I last saw her. New wants have been created; andthey have disturbed the former tranquillity. "

"All are not so foolish as they have been. I think we might bear anincreased income without the drawbacks that have attended theirs. "

"If it had been best for us, my husband, God would have provided it. It is in his loving-kindness that he has opened the way so opportunelyfor you to leave the path of doubt and danger for one of confidenceand safety; and, in doing it, he has really increased your salary. "

"Increased it, Edith! Why do you say that?"

"Will we not be happier for the change?" asked Edith, smiling. 

"I believe so. "

"Then, surely, the salary is increased by so much of heartfeltpleasure. Why do you desire an increase rather than a diminution ofincome?"

"In order to procure more of the comforts of life, " was answered. 

"Comfort for the body, and satisfaction for the mind?"

"Yes. "

"Could our bodies really enjoy more than they now enjoy? They arewarmly clothed, fully fed, and are in good health. Is it not so?"

"It is. "

"Then, if by taking Mr. Melleville's offer, you lose nothing for thebody, and gain largely for the mind, is not your income increased?"

"Ah, Edith!" said Claire, fondly, "you are a wonderful reasoner. Whowill gainsay such arguments?"

"Do I not argue fairly? Are not my positions sound, and my deductionsclearly brought forth?"

"If I could always see and feel as I do now, " said Claire, in a low, pleased tone of voice, "how smoothly would life glide onward. Money isnot every thing. Ah! how fully that is seen. There are possessions notto be bought with gold. "

"And they are mental possessions--states of the mind, Edward, " spokeup Edith quickly. "Riches that never fade, nor fail; that take tothemselves no wings. Oh, let us gather of these abundantly, as we walkon our way through life. "

"Heaven has indeed blessed me. " Such was the heartfelt admissionof Edward Claire, made in the silence of his own thoughts. "Witha different wife--a lover of the world and its poor vanities--howimminent would have been my danger! Alas! scarcely any thing lessthan a miracle would have saved me. I shudder as I realize the fearfuldanger through which I have just passed. I thank God for so good awife. "

The first inquiry made by Jasper, when he met Edward on the nextmorning, was in relation to what he had seen at the funeral, and, particularly, as to the disposition that had been made of the child. 

"I took her home with me, " was replied, in answer to a directquestion. 

"You did!" Jasper seemed taken by surprise. "How came that, Edward?"

"When I returned from the cemetery, I found the domestic ready toleave the house. Of course the poor child could not remain therealone; so I took her home with me for the night. "

"How did your wife like that?" asked Jasper, with something in histone that showed a personal interest in the reply. 

"Very well. I did just what she would have done under thecircumstances. "

"You have only one child, I believe?" said Jasper, after a pause ofsome moments. 

"That is all. "

"Only three in family?"

"Only three. "

"How would you like to increase it? Suppose you keep this child ofElder's, now she is with you. I have been looking a little intothe affairs of the estate, and find that there are two houses, unincumbered, that are rented each for two hundred and fifty dollars ayear. Of course, you will receive a reasonable sum for taking careof the child. What do you say to it? As executor, I will pay you fivedollars a week for boarding and clothing her until she is twelve yearsof age. After that, a new arrangement can be made. "

"I can't give an answer until I consult my wife, " said Claire, inreply to so unexpected a proposition. 

"Urge her to accept the offer, Edward. Just think what it will add toyour income. I'm sure it won't cost you one-half the sum, weekly, thatI have specified, to find the child in every thing. "

"Perhaps not. But all will depend on my wife. We are living, now, in two rooms, and keep no domestic. An addition of one to our familymight so increase her care and labour as to make a servant necessary. Then we should have to have an additional room; the rent of which andthe wages and board of the servant would amount to nearly as much aswe would receive from you on account of the child. "

"Yes, I see that, " returned Jasper. And he mused for some moments. Hewas particularly anxious that Claire should take the orphan, for thenall the trouble of looking after and caring for her would be takenfrom him, and that would be a good deal gained. 

"I'll tell you what, Edward, " he added. "If you will take her, I willcall the sum six dollars a week--or three hundred a year. That willmake the matter perfectly easy. If your wife does not seem at firstinclined, talk to her seriously. This addition to your income will bea great help. To show her that I am perfectly in earnest, and thatyou can depend on receiving the sum specified, I will draw up a littleagreement, which, if all parties are satisfied, can be signed atonce. "

Claire promised to talk the matter over with his wife at dinner-time. 

The morning did not pass without varied assaults upon the young man'srecent good resolutions. Several times he had customers in fromwhom it would have been easy to get more than a fair profit, but hesteadily adhered to what he believed to be right, notwithstandingJasper once or twice expressed dissatisfaction at his not havingmade better sales, and particularly at his failing to sell a pieceof cloth, because he would not pledge his word as to its colour andquality--neither of which were good. 

The proposition of Jasper for him to make, in his family, a placefor the orphan, caused Claire to postpone the announcement of hisintention to leave his service, until after he had seen and conferredwith his wife. 

At the usual dinner-hour, Claire returned home. His mind had becomeby this time somewhat disturbed. The long-cherished love of money, subdued for a brief season, was becoming active again. Here were sixdollars to be added, weekly, to his income, provided his wife approvedthe arrangement, --and it was to come through Jasper. The more hethought of this increase, the more his natural cupidity was stirred, and the less willing he felt to give up the proposed one hundreddollars in his salary. If he persisted in leaving Jasper, there would, in all probability, be a breach between them, and this would, he feltcertain, prevent an arrangement that he liked better and better themore he thought about it. He was in this state of mind when he arrivedat home. 

On pushing open the door of their sitting-room, the attention ofClaire was arrested by the animated expression of his wife's face. Sheraised her finger to enjoin silence. Tripping lightly to his side, shedrew her arm within his, and whispered--

"Come into the chamber, dear--tread softly--there, isn't thatsweet?--isn't it lovely?"

The sight was lovely indeed. A pillow had been thrown on the floor, and upon this lay sleeping, arm in arm, the two children. Pressedclose together were their rosy checks; and the sunny curls of FannyElder were mixed, like gleams of sunshine, amid the darker ringletsthat covered profusely the head of little Edith. 

"Did you ever see any thing so beautiful?" said the delighted mother. 

"What a picture it would make!" remarked Edward, who was charmed withthe sight. 

"Oh, lovely! How I would like just such a picture!

"She is a beautiful child, " said Edward. 

"Very, " was the hearty response. "Very--and so sweet-tempered andwinning in her ways. Do you know, I am already attached to her. Andlittle Edie is so delighted. They have played all the morning likekittens; and a little while ago lay down, just as you see them--tiredout, I suppose--and fell off to sleep. It must have been hard for themother to part with that child--hard, very hard. "

And Mrs. Claire sighed. 

"You will scarcely be willing to give her up, if she remains herelong, " said Edward. 

"I don't know how I should feel to part from her, even now. Oh, isn'tit sad to think that she has no living soul to love or care for her inthe world. "

"Mr. Jasper is her guardian, you know. "

"Yes; and such a guardian!"

"I should not like to have my child dependent on his tender mercies, certainly. But he will have little to do with her beyond paying thebills for her maintenance. He will place her in some family to board;and her present comfort and future well-being will depend very muchupon the character of the persons who have charge of her. "

Edith sighed. 

"I wish, " said she, after a pause, "that we were able to take her. Butwe are not. "

And she sighed again. 

"Mr. Jasper will pay six dollars a week to any one who will take theentire care of her until she is twelve years of age. "

"Will he?" A sudden light had gleamed over the face of Mrs. Claire. 

"Yes; he said so this morning. "

"Then, why may not we take her? I am willing, " was Edith's quicksuggestion. 

"It is a great care and responsibility, " said Edward. 

"I shall not feel it so. When the heart prompts, duty becomes apleasure. O yes, dear, let us take the child by all means. "

"Can we make room for her?"

"Why not? Her little bed, in a corner of our chamber, will in nowayincommode us; and through the day she will be a companion for Edie. If you could only have seen how sweetly they played together! Edie hasnot been half the trouble to-day that she usually is. "

"It will rest altogether with you, Edith, " said Claire, seriously. "Infact, Mr. Jasper proposed that we should take Fanny. I did not givehim much encouragement, however. "

"Have you any objection, dear?" asked Edith. 

"None. The sum to be paid weekly will more than cover the additionalcost of housekeeping. If you are prepared for the extra duties thatmust come, I have nothing to urge against the arrangement. "

"If extra duties are involved, I will perform them as a labour oflove. Without the sum to be paid for the child's maintenance, I wouldhave been ready to take her in and let her share our home. She is nowin the special guardianship of the Father of the fatherless, and hewill provide for her, no matter who become the almoners of his bounty. This is my faith, Edward, and in this faith I would have freely actedeven without the provision that has been made. "

"Let it be then, as you wish, Edith. "

"How providential this increase of our income, Edward!" said his wife, soon afterward, while the subject of taking Fanny into their littlehousehold was yet the burden of their conversation. "We shall gainhere all, and more than all that will be lost in giving up yoursituation with Mr. Jasper. Did I not say to you that good would comeof this guardianship; and is there not, even now, a foreshadowing ofthings to come?"

"Perhaps there is, " replied Edward thoughtfully. "But my eye of faithis not so clear as yours. "

"Let me see for you then, dear, " said Edith, in a tender voice. "Iam an earnest confider in the good purposes of our Heavenly Father. Itrust in them, as a ship trusts in its well-grounded anchor. That, in summing up the events of our life, when the time of our departurecomes, we shall see clearly that each has been wisely ordered orprovided for by One who is infinitely good and wise, I never for aninstant doubt. Oh, if you could only see with me, eye to eye, Edward!But you will, love, you will--that my heart assures me. It may be sometime yet--but it will come. "

"May it come right speedily!" was the fervent response of EdwardClaire. 

CHAPTER VII. 

"Well, Edward, what does your wife say?" Such was the inquiry ofJasper, immediately on the return of his clerk from dinner. 

"There will be no difficulty, so far as she is concerned, " the youngman answered. 

"None, did you say, Edward?"

"None. She is willing to take the child, under the arrangement youpropose. "

"That is, for three hundred dollars a year, to find her in everything?"

"Yes; until she is twelve years of age. "

"So I understand it. After that, as the expense of her clothing andeducation will increase, we can make a new arrangement. Very well. I'mglad you have decided to take the child. It won't cost you six dollarsa week, for the present, I am sure: so the additional income will bequite a help to you. "

"I don't know how that will be. At any rate, we are willing to takethe child into our family. "

"Suppose then, Edward, we mutually sign this little agreement to thateffect, which I have drawn up. "

And Jasper took a paper from his desk, which he handed to Edward. 

"I've no objection, " said the latter, after he had read it over. "Itbinds me to the maintenance of the child until she is twelve years ofage, and you to the payment therefor of three hundred dollars a year, in quarterly payments of seventy-five dollars each. "

"Yes, that is the simple statement of the matter. You see, I haveprepared duplicates: one for you, and one for myself. I will sign themfirst. "

And Jasper took a pen and placed upon each of the documents hissign-manual. 

Claire did the same; and a clerk witnessed the signatures. Each, then, took a copy. Thus, quickly and fully, was the matter arranged. 

This fact of giving to the contract a legal form, was, under thecircumstances, the very thing Claire most desired. He had alreadybegun to see difficulties ahead, so soon as he announced his intentionof leaving Jasper's service; particularly, as no reason that he couldgive would satisfy the merchant--difficulties growing out of this newrelation as the personal guardian of little Fanny Elder. The signingof a regular contract for the payment of a certain sum of money, quarterly, for the child's maintenance, gave him a legal right tocollect that sum, should Jasper, from any change of feeling, bedisposed at some future time to give him trouble. This was somethinggained. 

It was with exceeding reluctance that Claire forced himself, duringthe afternoon, to announce his intention to leave Mr. Jasper. Hadhe not promised Mr. Melleville and his wife to do this, it wouldcertainly have been postponed for the present; perhaps altogether. But his word was passed to both of them, and he felt that to defer thematter would be wrong. So, an opportunity offering, he said--

"I believe, Mr. Jasper, that I shall have to leave you. "

"Leave me, Edward!" Mr. Jasper was taken altogether by surprise. "Whatis the meaning of this? You have expressed no dissatisfaction. What iswrong?"

The position of Edward was a trying one. He could not state the truereasons for wishing to leave his present situation, without givinggreat offence, and making, perhaps, an enemy. This he wished, ifpossible, to avoid. A few days before he would not have scrupled atthe broadest equivocation, or even at a direct falsehood. But therehad been a birth of better principles in his mind, and he was in thedesire to let them govern his conduct. As he did not answer promptlythe question of Jasper as to his reasons for wishing to leave him, thelatter said--

"This seems to be some sudden purpose, Edward. Are you going toreceive a higher salary?"

Still Edward did not reply; but looked worried and irresolute. Takingit for granted that no motive but a pecuniary one could have promptedthis desire for change, Jasper continued--

"I have been satisfied with you, Edward. You seem to understandme, and to comprehend my mode of doing business. I have found youindustrious, prompt, and cheerful in performing your duties. These arequalities not always to be obtained. I do not, therefore, wish to partwith you. If a hundred, or even a hundred and fifty dollars a year, will be any consideration, your salary is increased from to-day. "

This, to Edward, was unexpected. He felt more bewildered andirresolute than at first. So important an advance in his income, setagainst a reduction of the present amount, was a strong temptation, and he felt his old desires for money arraying themselves in his mind. 

"I will think over your offer, " said he. "I did not expect this. Inthe morning I will be prepared to decide. "

"Very well, Edward. If you remain, your salary will be increased tosix hundred and fifty dollars. "

To Claire had now come another hour of darkness. The little strength, just born of higher principles, was to be sorely tried. Gold wasin one scale, and the heavenly riches that are without wings in theother. Which was to overbalance?

The moment Claire entered the presence of his wife, on returning homethat evening, she saw that a change had taken place--an unfavourablechange; and a shadow fell upon her pure spirit. 

"I spoke to Mr. Jasper about leaving him, " he remarked, soon after hecame in. 

"What did he say?" inquired Edith. 

"He does not wish me to go. "

"I do not wonder at that. But, of course, he is governed merely by aselfish regard to his own interests. "

"He offers to increase my salary to six hundred and fifty dollars, "said Edward, in a voice that left his wife in no doubt as to theeffect which this had produced. 

"A thousand dollars a year, Edward, " was the serious answer, "wouldbe a poor compensation for such services as he requires. Loss ofself-respect, loss of honour, loss of the immortal soul, are allinvolved. Think of this, my dear husband! and do not for a momenthesitate. "

But Edward did hesitate. This unexpected offer of so important anincrease in his salary had excited his love of money, temporarilyquiescent. He saw in such an increase a great temporal good; andthis obscured his perception of a higher good, which, a little whilebefore, had been so clear. 

"I am not so sure, Edith, " said he, "that all these sad consequencesare necessarily involved. I am under no obligation to deal unfairlywith his customers. My duty will be done, when I sell to them all Ican at a fair profit. If he choose to take an excess of profit in hisown dealing, that is his affair. I need not be partaker in his guilt. "

"Edward!" returned his wife, laying her hand upon his arm, andspeaking in a low, impressive voice--"Do you really believe that youcan give satisfaction to Mr. Jasper in all things, and yet keep yourconscience void of offence before God and man? Think of his characterand requirements--think of the kind of service you have, in too manyinstances, rendered him--and then say whether it will be possible tosatisfy him without putting in jeopardy all that a man should holddear--all that is worth living for? Oh, Edward! do not let this offerblind you for a moment to the real truth. "

"Then you would have me reject the offer?"

"Without an instant's hesitation, Edward. "

"It is a tempting one. And then, look at the other side, Edith. Onlyfour hundred dollars a year, instead of six hundred and fifty. "

"I feel it as no temptation. The latter sum, in the present case, is by far the better salary, for it will give us higher sources ofenjoyment. What are millions of dollars, and a disquiet mind, comparedto a few hundreds, and sweet peace? If you remain with Jasper, anunhappy spirit will surely steal into our dwelling--if you take, forthe present, your old place with Mr. Melleville, how brightly willeach morning's sun shine in upon us, and how calmly will the blessedevening draw around her curtains of repose!"

Edith had always possessed great influence over her husband. He lovedher very tenderly; and was ever loth to do any thing to which she madeopposition. She was no creature of mere impulse--of weak caprices--ofcaptious, yet unbending will. If she opposed her husband in any thing, it was on the ground of its non-agreement with just principles; andshe always sustained her positions with the clearest and most directmodes of argumentation. Not with elaborate reasonings, but rather inthe declaration of things self-evident--the quick perceptions of apure, truth-loving mind. How inestimable the blessing of such a wife!

"No doubt you have the better reason on your side, Edith, " replied herhusband, his manner very much subdued. "But it is difficult for me tounclasp my hand to let fall therefrom the natural good which I can seeand estimate, for the seemingly unreal and unsubstantial good that, toyour purer vision, looms up so imposingly. "

"Unreal--unsubstantial--Edward!" said Edith, in reply to this. "Arestates of mind unreal?"

"I have not always found them so, " was answered. 

"Is happiness, or misery, unreal? Oh, are they not our most palpablerealizations? It is not mere wealth that is sought for as an end--thatis not the natural good for which the many are striving. It is themental enjoyment that possession promises--the state of mind thatwould be gained through gold as a means. Is it not so? Think. "

"Yes--that is, undoubtedly, the case. "

"But, is it possible for money to give peace and true enjoyment, if, in the spirit, even though not in the letter, violence is done tothe laws of both God and man? Can ill-gotten gain produce heavenlybeatitudes?--and there are none others. The heart never grows trulywarm and joyous except when light from above streams through thedarkened vapours with which earth-fires have surrounded it. Oh, myhusband! Turn yourself away from this world's false allurements, andseek with me the true riches. Whatever may be your lot in life--I carenot how poor and humble--I shall walk erect and cheerful by your sideif you have been able to keep a conscience void of offence; but ifthis be not so, and you bring to me gold and treasure without stint, my head will lie bowed upon my bosom, and my heart throb in low, grief-burdened pulsations. False lights, believe me, Edward, are hungout by the world, and they lure life's mariner on to dangerous coasts. Let us remain on a smooth and sunny sea, while we can, and not temptthe troubled and uncertain wave, unless duty requires the venture. Then, with virtue at the helm, and the light of God's love in the sky, we will find a sure haven at last. "

"It shall be as you wish, Edith, " said Claire, as he gazed withadmiring affection into the bright and glowing face of his wife, thatwas lovely in her beautiful enthusiasm. 

"No--no, Edward! Don't say as _I_ wish, " was her quick reply. "Icannot bear that you should act merely under my influence as anexternal pressure. If I have seemed to use persuasion, it has not beento force you over to my way of thinking. But, cannot you see that I amright? Does not your reason approve of what I say?"

"It does, Edith. I can see, as well as feel, that you are right. But, the offer of a present good is a strong temptation. I speak freely. "

"And I thank you for doing so. Oh! never conceal from me your inmostthoughts. You say that you can see as well as feel that I am right?"

"Yes; I freely acknowledge that. "

"Your reason approves what I have said?"

"Fully. "

"This tells you that it will be better for you in the end to acceptof four hundred dollars from Mr. Melleville, than to remain with Mr. Jasper at six hundred and fifty?"

"It does, Edith. "

"Then, my husband, let the reason which God has given to you as aguide, direct you now in the right way. Do not act under influencefrom me--for then the act will not be freely your own--but, as a trulyrational, and, therefore, a wise man, choose now the way in which anenlightened reason tells you that you ought to walk. "

"I have chosen, Edith, " was the young man's low, but firm reply. 

"How?" The wife spoke with a sudden, trembling eagerness, and held herbreath for an answer. 

"I will leave my present place, and return to Mr. Melleville. "

"God be thanked!" came sobbing from the lips of Edith, as she threwherself in unrestrained joy upon the bosom of her husband. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

"I don't just understand this, " said Jasper to himself, after theinterview with his clerk described in another chapter. "I thought himperfectly satisfied. He didn't say he was offered a higher salary. Ah!guess I've got it now. It's only a bit of a ruse on his part to getme to increase his wages. I didn't think of this before. Well, it hassucceeded; and, in truth, he's worth all I've offered him. Shrewd, quick, and sharp; he's a young man just to my mind. Should he growrestless again, I must tempt him with the idea of a partnership atsome future period. If business goes on increasing, I shall wantsome one with me whom I can trust and depend on more fully than on aclerk. "

Thus, in the mind of Jasper, all was settled; and he was fullyprepared, on the next morning, when he met Edward to hear from himthat he would remain in his service. A different decision took himaltogether by surprise. 

"Where are you going?" he asked. Edward hesitated a moment erereplying. 

"Back to Mr. Melleville's. "

"To Melleville's! Will he give you more salary than I have agreed topay?"

"No, " was the answer; "but I have reasons for wishing to accept theplace he offers me. "

"Well, just as you please, " said Jasper, coldly. "Every one must suithimself. "

And, with the air of a person offended, he turned himself from theyoung man. Soon after he went out, and did not come back for two orthree hours. When he re-entered the store there was an angry flash inhis eyes, which rested somewhat sternly upon Claire. 

"Let me say a word with you, Edward. "

There happened to be no customer in to engage the clerk's attention, and he retired, with his employer, to the back part of the store. Jasper then turned and confronted him with a stern aspect. 

"Well, young man!" said he sharply, "it seems that you have beenmaking rather free with my good name, of late; representing me as acheat and a swindler. "

For a few moments the mind of Claire was strongly excited and in aperfect maze of confusion. The blood mounted to his face, and he felta rising and choking sensation in his throat. Wisely he forboreany answer until he had regained his self-possession. Then, with acoolness that surprised even himself, he said--

"That's a broad accusation, Mr. Jasper. Will you go with me to yourauthority?"

Jasper was not just prepared for a response like this; and he cooleddown, instantly, several degrees. 

"My authority is quite satisfactory, " he returned, still manifestingangry feeling. "That you have been slandering me is plain; and, also, betraying the confidential transactions of the house. It is full timewe parted--full time. I didn't dream that I was warming an adder tosting me?"

"I must insist, Mr. Jasper, " said Claire firmly, "that you give meyour authority for all this. Let me stand face to face with the manwho has so broadly accused me. "

"Then you deny it all?"

"I shall neither affirm nor deny any thing. You have angrily accusedme of having done you a great wrong. All I ask is your authority, andthe right to stand face to face with that authority. This is no lightmatter, Mr. Jasper. "

"Well said, young man. It is no light matter, as you will, perhaps, know to your sorrow in the end. Don't suppose, for a moment, that Ishall either forget or forgive this outrage. Leave me because I cheatin my business!" An expression of unmitigated contempt was on hisface. "Poh! What hypocrisy! I know you! And let Mr. Melleville beware. He, I more than suspect, is at the bottom of this. But he'll rue theday he crossed my path--he will!"

And Jasper ground his teeth in anger. 

By this time, Claire had become entirely self-possessed. He was bothsurprised and troubled; yet concealed, as far as possible, the realstate of his feelings. 

"So far as Mr. Melleville is concerned, " said he, "I wish you tounderstand, that I applied to _him_ for the situation. "

"Exactly! That is in agreement with what I heard. I was such a roguethat you could not live with me and keep a clear conscience--so yousought for a place with an honest man. "

Claire dropped his eyes to the floor, and stood musing for someconsiderable time. When he raised them, he looked steadily at hisemployer and said--

"Mr. Jasper, I never made use of the words you have repeated. "

"If not the very words, those of a like signification?"

"To whom? There is no need of concealment, Mr. Jasper. " Claire wasfeeling less and less anxious for the result of this conference everymoment. "Speak out freely, and you will find me ready to do thesame. There had been some underhand work here--or some betrayal of anill-advised confidence. The former, I am most ready to believe. In aword, sir, and to bring this at once to an issue--your informant inthis matter is Henry Parker, who lives with Mr. Melleville. "

The change instantly perceptible in the manner of Jasper showed thatEdward's suspicion was right. He had, all at once, remembered that, during his conversation with Melleville, this young man was near. 

"I see how it is, " he continued. "An eavesdropper has reported, withhis own comments and exaggerations, a strictly confidential interview. Such being the case, I will state the plain truth of the matter. Areyou prepared to hear it?"

"Oh, certainly, " replied Jasper, with a covert sneer in his voice. "I'm prepared to hear any thing. "

"Very well. What I have to say is now wrung from me. I did not wish toleave you in anger. I did not wish to draw upon me your ill-will. But, what is unavoidable must be borne. It is true, Mr. Jasper, as youhave been informed, that I am not satisfied with your way of doingbusiness. "

"How long since, pray?" asked Jasper, with ill-disguised contempt. 

"I did not like it in the beginning, but gradually suffered myself tothink that all was fair in trade, until I found I was no better than acommon cheat! Happily, I have been able to make a sudden pause in theway I was going. From this time, I will serve no man who expects me tooverreach a customer in dealing. So soon as my mind was fully madeup to leave your employment, I called to see my old friend, Mr. Melleville; stated to him, frankly and fully, what I thought and felt;and asked him if he could not make room for me in his store. Parkerdoubtless overheard a part of what we were saying, and reported it toyou. I would, let me say in passing, much rather hold my relation tothis unpleasant business than his. Mr. Melleville offered me my oldsalary--four hundred dollars--and I agreed to enter his service. "

"Four hundred dollars!" Jasper said this in unfeigned surprise. 

"Yes, sir; that is all he can afford to pay, and of course all I willreceive. "

"And I offered you six hundred and fifty. "

"True. "

"Edward, you are the most consummate fool I ever heard of. "

"Time will show that, " was the undisturbed reply. "I have made myelection thoughtfully, and am prepared to meet the result. "

"You'll repent of this; mark my word for it. "

"I may regret your ill-will, Mr. Jasper; but never repent this step. I'm only thankful that I possessed sufficient resolution to take it. "

"When are you going?"

"Not before the end of this month, unless you wish it otherwise. Iwould like to give you full time to supply my place. "

"You can go at once, if it so please you. In fact, after what has justpassed, I don't see how you can remain, or I tolerate your presence. "

"I am ready for this, Mr. Jasper, " coolly replied the young man. 

"How much is due you?" was inquired, after a brief silence. 

"Twenty-five dollars, I believe, " answered Claire. 

Jasper threw open a ledger that lay on the desk, and, turning to theyoung man's account, ran his eyes up the two columns of figures, andthen struck a balance. 

"Just twenty-seven dollars, " said he, after a second examination ofthe figures. "And here's the money, " he added, as he took some billsfrom the desk and counted out the sum just mentioned. "Now sign me areceipt in full to date, and that ends the matter. "

The receipt was promptly signed. 

"And now, " sneered Jasper, bowing with mock deference, "I wish youjoy of your better place. You will, in all probability, hear from meagain. I haven't much faith in your over-righteous people; and willdo myself the justice to make some very careful examinations into yourdoings since you entered my service. If all is right, well; if not, itwon't be good for you. I'm not the man to forgive ingratitude, injury, and insult--of all three of which you have been guilty. "

"We will not bandy words on that subject, Mr. Jasper, " said Claire--"Isimply deny that I have been guilty of either of the faults youallege. As for an investigation into my business conduct, that you cando as early and as thoroughly as you please. I shall feel no anxietyfor the result. "

Jasper did not reply. For a few moments the young man stood as ifexpecting some remark; none being made, he turned away, gatheredtogether a few articles that were his own private property, tiedthem into a bundle and marked his name thereon. Then bowing to themerchant, he retired--oppressed from recent painful excitement, yetglad, in his inmost feelings, that a connection so dangerous as thatwith Jasper had been dissolved--dissolved even at the cost of makingan enemy. 

CHAPTER IX. 

As no event of particularly marked interest occurred with those whosehistories we are writing, during the next few years, we will pass overthat time without a record. Some changes of more or less importancehave taken place, in the natural progress of things; but these willbecome apparent as we pursue the narrative. 

A dull, damp November day was losing itself in the sombre twilight, when Edward Claire left the store of Mr. Melleville, and took hisway homeward. An errand for his wife led him past his old place ofbusiness. As he moved along the street, opposite, he noticed a newsign over the door, the large gilt letters of which were stronglyreflected in the light of a gas-lamp. It bore the words, JASPER &PARKER. 

Involuntarily the young man sighed. If he had remained with Jasper, there was little doubt but that his name would have been the one nowassociated with his in a copartnership. Parker was the young man whohad betrayed the conversation between Claire and Mr. Melleville. Hisend in doing this was to gain the favour of Jasper, and thus securethe place left vacant by the departing clerk. He had succeeded in hispurpose. Jasper offered him the situation, and he took it. Fiveyears afterward, in which time Jasper had made money rapidly, hewas elevated to the position of partner, with a fair interest in thebusiness. He had been honest toward his employer, because he saw thatthrough him there was a chance to rise. Honest in heart he was not, for he never scrupled to overreach a customer. 

Edward Claire, as we have remarked, sighed involuntarily. His ownprospects in life were not what are called flattering. His situationwith Mr. Melleville was now worth five hundred dollars a year, but hisfamily had increased, and with the increase had come new wants. Thecondition of Mr. Melleville's business gave him no encouragement tohope for a larger income while in his service. Several times duringthe last two years he had made application for vacant places, butwithout success. Sometimes he felt restless and discouraged, as hisvision penetrated the future; but there was ever a cheerful light athome that daily dispelled the coming shadows. 

Scarcely had the sigh lost itself on the air, when a hand was laid onhis arm, and an old acquaintance said--

"Ah, Edward! How are you?"

Claire seeing the face of his friend, returned the greeting cordially. 

"What have you been doing with yourself?" asked the latter. "It ismonths, I believe, since I had the pleasure of meeting you. "

"Busy all day, " returned Clare, "and anchored at home in the evening. So the time is passing. "

"Pleasantly and profitably, I hope, " said the friend. 

"Pleasantly enough, I will own, " was answered; "as to the profit--ifyou mean in a money sense--there is not much to boast of. "

"You are still with Melleville?"

"Yes. "

"At what salary?"

"Five hundred. "

"Is that all? How much family have you?"

"Three children; or, I might say four; but the fourth brings us threehundred dollars a year for her maintenance. "

"That is something. "

"Oh yes. It is quite a help. "

"By the way, Edward--the new store we just past reminds me of it--yourold friend Jasper has just given one of his clerks, named Parker, aninterest in his business. "

"So I am aware. "

"Jasper is doing first-rate. "

"He is making money, I believe. "

"Coining it. The fact is, Edward, you never should have left him. Hadyou kept that situation, you would have been the partner now. And, bythe way, there was rather a strange story afloat at the time you tookit into your head to leave Jasper. "

"Ah! what was it?"

"It is said that you thought him a little too close in his dealings, and left him on that account. I hadn't given you credit for quite sotender a conscience. How was it, Edward?"

"I didn't like his modes of doing business, and, therefore, left him. So far you heard truly. "

"But what had you to do with _his_ modes of doing business?"

"A great deal. As one of his employées, I was expected to carry outhis views. "

"And not being willing to do that, you left his service. "

"That is the simple story. "

"Excuse me, Edward, but I can't help calling you a great fool. Justsee how you have stood in your own light. But for this extra bit ofvirtue, for which no one thinks a whit the better of you, you mightthis day have been on the road to fortune, instead of Parker. "

"I would rather be in my own position than in his, " replied Clairefirmly. 

"You would!" His companion evinced surprise. "He is in the sure roadto wealth. "

"But not, I fear, in the way to happiness. "

"How can you say that, Edward?"

"No man, who, in the eager pursuit of money, so far forgets the rightsof others as to trample on them, can be in the way to happiness. "

"Then you think he tramples on the rights of others?"

"I know but little, if any thing, about him, " replied Claire; "butthis I do know, that unless Leonard Jasper be a different man fromwhat he was five years ago, fair dealing between man and man is avirtue in a clerk that would in nowise recommend him to the positionof an associate in business. His partner must be shrewd, sharp, and unscrupulous--a lover of money above every thing else--a mandetermined to rise, no matter who is trampled down or destroyed in theascent. "

"In business circles such men are by no means scarce. "

"I am aware of it. "

"And it is unhesitatingly affirmed by many whom I know, that, as theworld now is, no really honest man can trade successfully. "

"That is more than I am ready to admit. "

"The sharpest and shrewdest get on the best. "

"Because it is easier to be sharp and shrewd than to be intelligent, persevering, industrious, patient, and self-denying. The eagerness toget rich fast is the bane of trade. I am quite ready to admit that noman can get rich at railroad speed, and not violate the law of doingas you would be done by. "

"Doing as you would be done by! O dear!" said the friend; "youcertainly don't mean to bring that law down into the actual life ofthe world?"

"It would be a happier world for all of us if this law wereuniversally obeyed. "

"That may be. But, where all are selfish, how is it possible to actfrom an unselfish principle?"

"Do you approve of stealing?" said Claire, with some abruptness. 

"Of course not, " was the half-indignant answer. 

"I need not have asked the question, for I now remember to have seenthe fact noticed in one of our papers, that an unfaithful domestic inyour family had been handed over to the police. "

"True. She was a thief. We found in her trunk a number of valuablearticles that she had stolen from us. "

"And you did right. You owed this summary justice as well to thepurloiner as to the public. Now, there are many ways of stealing, besides this direct mode. If I deprive you of your property withdesign, I steal from you. Isn't that clear?"

"Certainly. "

"And I am, to use plain words, a thief. Well, now take this easilyto be understood case. I have a lot of goods to sell, and you wish topurchase them. In the trade I manage to get from you, through directmisrepresentation, or in a tacit advantage of your ignorance, morethan the goods are really worth. Do I not cheat you?"

"Undoubtedly. "

"And having purposely deprived you of a portion of your money, am Inot a thief?"

"In all that goes to make up the morality of the case, you are. "

"The truth, unquestionably. Need I proceed further? By your ownadmission, every businessman who takes undue advantage of another indealing, steals. "

"Pretty close cutting, that, friend Claire. It wouldn't do to talkthat right out at all times and in all places. "

"Why not?"

"I rather think it would make some people feel bad; and others regardthemselves as insulted. "

"I can believe so. But we are only talking this between ourselves. And now I come back to my rather abrupt question--Do you approve ofstealing? No, you say, as a matter of course. And yet, you but justnow were inclined to justify sharp dealing, on the ground that allwere sharpers--quoting the saying of some, that no honest man couldtrade successfully in the present time. For the direct stealing ofa few articles of trifling value, you hand a poor, ignorant domesticover to the police, yet feel no righteous indignation against thebetter-taught man of business, who daily robs his customers in someone form or another. "

"You are too serious by far, Edward, " returned his companion, forcinga laugh. "Your mind has fallen into a morbid state. But you will getover this one of these times. Good evening! Our ways part here. Goodevening!"

And the young man turned off abruptly. 

"A morbid state, " mused Claire to himself, as he continued on alone. "So thousands would say. But is it so? Is honesty or dishonesty themorbid state? How direct a question! How plain the answer! Honesty ishealth--dishonesty the soul's sickness. To be honest, is to live inobedience to social and divine laws; dishonesty is the violation ofthese. Is it possible for a diseased body to give physical enjoyment?No! Nor can a diseased mind give true mental enjoyment. To seekhappiness in the possession of wealth obtained through wrong tothe neighbour, is as fruitless as to seek bodily pleasure in thosepractices which inevitably destroy the health. To me, this isself-evident, and may God give me strength to live according to myclear convictions!"

The very earnestness with which Claire mentally confirmed himself inhis honest convictions, and especially his upward looking for strengthin conscious weakness, showed that his mind was in temptation. Hehad felt somewhat depressed during the day, in view of his externalrelation to the world; and this feeling was increased by hisobservation of the fact that Parker had been advanced to the positionof a partner to his old employer. It seemed like a reward for unfairdealing, while honesty was suffered to remain poor. The young man'senlightened reason--enlightened during five years' earnest searchafter and practice of higher truths than govern in the world'spractice--strongly combated all the false arguments that werepresented to his mind, during this season of his overshadowing. Thecombat was severe, and still continued on his arrival at home--causinghis mind to be in a measure depressed. 

CHAPTER X. 

The increase of Claire's family had caused him, some time before, toremove from the two comfortable rooms in which were passed the firstpleasant years of his married life. He now occupied a small house ina retired street, the rent of which, though moderate, drew prettyheavily on his income. But he had managed, through the prudentco-operation of his wife, not only to keep even with the world, but tolay by a small sum of money. 

Few homes, in the large city wherein dwelt this obscure family, wereso full of all the elements of happiness. If, sometimes, the spirit ofClaire was overshadowed by passing clouds--as would unavoidably happenfrom his contact with the world, and his own variant states--theevening's return to the bosom of his family, generally made all brightagain. 

Little Fanny Elder, now ten years of age, had been steadily growinginto his affections from the first. It is questionable whether hislove for his own children was a purer passion. Older, by severalyears, than Edith, she had been to him more companionable; and hadever greeted his return at evening with warmer expressions of pleasurethan were manifested by Edith, or the two younger children who hadbeen added to the number of his household treasures. 

On this evening, as Claire drew nearer and nearer to his home, andhis thoughts began to make pictures of the scene within, its lightand warmth penetrated his feelings, and when he opened, at length, thedoor, he was himself again. 

First to bound into his arms was Fanny Elder. What a beautiful, fairy-like creature she was! How more than fulfilled the promise ofher early childhood! Next came Edith, now six years of age, side byside with her brother Harry, a wild little rogue, and were only a fewseconds behind Fanny in throwing themselves upon their father; whilelittle baby Mary, as she sat on the carpet, fluttered her tiny arms, and crowed out her joyous welcome. 

What a merry romp they all had for the next two or three minutes. When quiet came back again, baby was sitting on one knee, Harry on theother, and Fanny leaning her face on the shoulder of her "father"--forso she called him with the rest--while her glossy curls were restingin sunny clusters upon his bosom. The memory of the child's formerhome and parents seemed to have faded almost entirely. If the pastever came back to her, like a dream, with its mingled web of sunshineand tears, she never spoke of it. Fully had she been taken into thehearts and home of her now parents; and she rested there as one havinga right to her position. 

And the pure spirit who presided over this little Paradise, where wasshe? Present--observing all, and sharing in the delight her husband'sreturn had occasioned. The expected kiss had not long been kept fromher loving lips. 

Happy household! What have its inmates to envy in those aroundthem? Within the circle of many squares were none so rich in all theelements of happiness. 

Soon after the evening meal was over, the children, after anothermerry romp with their father, went off to bed. When Mrs. Clairereturned from the chamber, whither she had accompanied them, she helda letter in her hand. 

"I had forgotten all about this letter, Edward, " said she. "It wasleft here for you, this afternoon. "

Claire took the letter and broke the seal, running his eye down to thesignature as he unfolded it. 

"Leonard Jasper! What is this?"

His brow contracted instantly, as he commenced reading the letter. Itwas brief, and in these words--

"MR. EDWARD CLAIRE--_Sir_: From this time I relieve you of the burdenof my ward, Fanny Elder. Mrs. Jasper and myself have determined totake her into our own family, in order that we may give the needfulcare to her education. Call around and see me to-morrow, and we willarrange this matter. Yours, &c. LEONARD JASPER. "

The face of the young man had become pale by the time he had finishedreading this letter; but that of his wife, who did not yet know a wordof its contents, was almost white--the effect produced on her husbandfilling her with a vague alarm. 

"What is it, Edward?" she asked, in a low, eager whisper. 

"Jasper wants us to give up Fanny. "

Edith sank into a chair, exclaiming--

"Oh, Edward!"

"But she is only ten years of age, " said the husband, "and ourcontract is to keep her until she is twelve. "

"We cannot give her up, " murmured Edith, tears already beginning toflow over her cheeks. "I never thought of this. What can it mean?"

"Some sudden determination on the part of Jasper, and based on nothinggood, " was the reply. "But, as I said, our contract is binding untilFanny is twelve years of age, and I will never consent to its beingbroken. He was over anxious to hold me in writing. He did not valuehis own word, and would not trust mine. It was well. The dear childshall remain where she is. "

"But, after she is twelve, Edward? What then? Oh, I can never partwith her, " said Mrs. Claire, now weeping freely. 

"Two years will pass ere that time. Jasper may have other purposes inview when our present contract expires. "

"You will see him in the morning?"

"O yes. I must understand all about this matter. What can it mean?'Needful care to her education!' A mere hypocritical pretence. Whatdoes he care for her, or her education? What, in fact, does he know ofher? Nothing at all. Has he ever called to see her? Has he ever madethe first inquiry after her? No. There is something wrong, withoutdoubt. This movement bodes no good to our dear child. But she has onefriend who will stand between her and harm--who will protect her, ifneed be, at the risk of his own life. "

Claire, as his words indicate, had suffered himself to become muchexcited. Seeing this, his wife recovered, to some extent, her ownself-possession, and spoke to him soothingly. 

"We will wait and see what it means, " said she. "Mr. Jasper cannotforce her away from us now, if he would. "

"After seeing him to-morrow, you can understand better what we are toexpect. This note may have been written from some momentary feeling. Icannot think that he has a settled purpose to take the child from us. "

"Time will show, " was the abstracted response. 

Not for years had so unhappy an evening been spent by Edward Claireand his wife; and when they retired, it was to pass the night inbroken intervals of sleep. 

Early on the next morning, Claire called at the store of Jasper, whoreceived him with cold politeness, and at once came to the matteruppermost in both their thoughts, by saying--

"You received my note?"

"I did, " was the reply. 

"Well? All right, I suppose?"

"Fanny is not twelve years of age yet!"

"Isn't she? Well, what of that?" There was some impatience in themanner of Jasper. 

"I agreed to take the care of her until she was twelve. "

"Well--well--suppose you did? I'm her guardian, and wish to have hernow in my own family. If you agreed to keep her, I did not say thatshe should positively remain. "

"There was a contract signed to that effect, " firmly replied Claire. 

"A contract! Humph! Are you sure?"

"Very sure. You drew it yourself. "

"Have you a copy of it?"

"I have. "

Jasper seemed thrown aback by this. He had not forgotten the contract, for all his affected ignorance thereof. He only hoped that Edward had, through carelessness, lost his copy. But he was mistaken. 

"A contract! A contract?" said Jasper, as if communing with his ownthoughts. "I do remember, now, something of the kind. And so there wasa written contract?"

"Yes, sir; and I have a copy in your own hand. "

"And I am to understand, Edward, that notwithstanding my wish, asthe child's legal guardian, and, therefore, the representative ofher parents, to have her in my own family, that you will interpose ahasty-signed contract?"

"Mr. Jasper, " said the young man, changing his manner, "we have hadthis child in our family for over five years, and have grown stronglyattached to her. In fact, she seems to us as one of our own children;and we, to her, are in the place of parents. To remove her would, therefore, be doing a great violence to our feelings, and I know itwould make her unhappy. Let her remain where she is, and you may restassured that she will be cared for as tenderly as our own. "

"No, Edward, it is no use to talk of that, " replied Jasper, positively. "I wish, now, to have her in my own family, and trust thatyou will not stand for a moment in the way. "

"But, Mr. Jasper"--

"It will be of no avail to argue the point, Edward, " said themerchant, interrupting him. "I was fully in earnest when I wrote toyou, and am no less in earnest now. I am certainly entitled to thepossession of my ward, and will not bear, patiently, any attempt onyour part to deprive me of that right. "

There was an angry quivering of the lips, and a stern knitting of thebrows, on the part of Jasper, as he closed this emphatic sentence. Claire felt excited, yet was so fully conscious of the necessity ofself-control, that he quieted down his feelings, and endeavoured tothink calmly. 

"Well, what do you say?" imperatively demanded Jasper, after waitingsome moments for a reply. 

"We cannot part with the child, " said the young man, in a low, appealing voice. 

"You _must_ part with her!" was the quick, resolute response. 

"Must? That is a strong word, Mr. Jasper. " Claire's manner underwentanother change, as was shown by the firm compression of his lips, andthe steady gaze of his eyes, as he fixed them on the merchant. 

"I know it is strong, but no stronger than my purpose; and I warn younot to stand in my way. I've got an old grudge against you, so don'tprovoke me too far in this matter. A pretty affair, indeed, when _you_attempt to come between me and my legal rights and duties. "

"Duties!" There was a stinging contempt in the young man's voice. Themanner of Jasper had chafed him beyond all manner of self-control. 

"You forget to whom you are speaking, " said the latter, offended now, as well as angry. "But we will not bandy words. Will you, withoutfurther trouble, give into my hands the child of Mr. Elder?"

"I cannot do it, Mr. Jasper. "

"Speak positively. Will you, or will you not do as I wish?"

"I will not, " was the decided answer. 

"Enough. " And Jasper turned away, muttering in an undertone, "We'llsoon see who is to be master here. "

Claire lingered a short time, but, as Jasper showed no dispositionto renew the conversation, he left the store, greatly disturbed andtroubled in his mind. 

CHAPTER XI. 

When Edward Claire and his wife drew together on the evening of thatday, after the children were in bed, both were calmer than at theirprevious interview on a subject that necessarily brought with itstrong excitement of feeling. Both had thought much and felt much, andwere now prepared to look calmly at the new relation affairs had sosuddenly assumed. At dinner-time, Edward had related the substance ofhis interview with Jasper. 

"What can he do?" asked Edith, referring now to the muttered threat ofthat individual. 

"I don't know that he can do any thing more than withhold the regularsums heretofore paid for the support of Fanny. If he does that, I willcollect them legally. "

"Can't he take her away by force? Won't the law compel us to give herup?" asked Edith, in a troubled voice. 

"Our contract gives us a right to her possession until she is twelveyears of age. In that, the law will undoubtedly sustain us. "

"The law is very uncertain, Edward. "

"But our contract is plainly worded, and, in this State, privatewritten contracts between parties to an agreement are good in law. At best, however, we can only keep her two years longer; that is whattroubles me most. "

"We must do our duty by her, " said Edith, endeavouring to speakcalmly, "during that time; and wean our hearts from her as much aspossible, so that the giving of her up, when it has to be done, willcause as little grief as possible. Poor child! It will be hard for herto leave us, and go to her new home. That thought is beginning to painme most. "

"And such a home! I have seen Mrs. Jasper frequently, and, if myobservation is correct, she is no true woman. Dress, it seemed to me, was all she cared for; and there was a captiousness and ill-temperabout her, at times, that was, to say the least of it, veryunbecoming. "

"And to her care we must resign this precious one, " said Edith, with asigh. "Oh, how the thought pains me! Dear, dear child!"

"The time is yet distant, " remarked Claire--"distant by nearly twoyears. Let it be our duty to prepare her as fully for the new relationas possible. Two years is a long time--many changes will take place, and among them, it may be, a change in the purpose of Mr. Jasper. We will hope for this, at least; yet wisely prepare for a differentresult. "

"As things now appear, I do not see what else remains for us to do. Ah me! How like lightning from a summer sky has this flashed suddenlyover us. But, Edward, we must not, in the strong trial of our naturalfeelings, permit ourselves to forget that dear Fanny is in the higherguardianship of One who is infinitely wise and good. If she is to passfrom our care to that of Mr. Jasper and his family, it is through Hispermission, and He will bring out of it good to all. "

"I can see that in my understanding, Edith, " replied her husband;"but, it is hard to _feel_ that it is so. "

"Very hard, Edward. Yet, it is something--a great deal--to have thetruth to lean upon, even though it seems to bend under our weight. Oh! without this truth, it seems as if I would now fall to theground helpless. But, let us try and view this painful subject in itsbrightest aspect. It is our duty to the child to keep her, if we can, until she passes her twelfth year. "

"Clearly, " replied the husband. 

"And you think we can do so?"

"We have two advantages--possession and a written contractguaranteeing the possession. "

"True. "

"These on our side, I think we have little to fear from Jasper. Thegreat trial will come afterward. "

To this conclusion, that is, to retain Fanny until her twelfth year, if possible--they came, after once more carefully reviewing the wholesubject; and, resting here, they patiently awaited the result. 

With what a new interest was the child regarded from this time! Howthe hearts of Claire and his wife melted toward her on all occasions!She seemed to grow, daily, more and more into their affections;and, what to them appeared strange--it might only have beenimagination--manifested a more clinging tenderness, as if conscious ofthe real truth. 

Weeks elapsed and nothing further was heard from Jasper. Claire andhis wife began to hope that he would make no attempt to separate Fannyfrom them; at least not until her twelfth year. Let us turn to him, and see what he is doing, or proposing to do, in the case. 

Two or three days subsequent to the time when Claire received thenotification from Jasper, just referred to, two men sat, in closeconference, in the office of an attorney noted for his legalintelligence, but more noted for his entire want of principle. Fora good fee, he would undertake any case, and gain for his client, ifpossible, no matter how great the wrong that was done. His name wasGrind. The two men here introduced, were this lawyer and Jasper. 

"Do you really think, " said the latter, "that, in the face of myguardianship, he can retain possession of the child?"

"He has, you say, a copy of this contract?" Grind held a sheet ofpaper in his hand. 

"Yes. To think that I was such a fool as to bind myself in this way!But I did not dream, for a moment, that things were going to turn upas they have. "

"It is a contract that binds you both, " said the lawyer, "and I do notsee that you can go round it. "

"I must go round it!" replied Jasper, warmly. "You know all the quirksand windings of the law, and I look to you for help in this matter. The possession of that child, is, to me, a thing of the firstimportance. "

"After two years she will come into your hands without trouble, Mr. Jasper. Why not wait?"

"Wait! I will not hear the word. No! no! I must have her now. "

"The law will not give her to you, Mr. Jasper, " returned Grind, withthe utmost self-possession. "The contract is clearly expressed; and itis binding. "

"Is there no way to accomplish my end?" said Jasper, impatiently. "There must be. I cannot be foiled in this matter. Even pride wouldforbid this. But, there are stronger motives than pride at work now. "

"Can you allege ill-treatment against the young man or his wife? Orneglect of your ward's comfort? Have they failed to do their duty byher in any respect?"

"I should not wonder; but, unfortunately, I can prove nothing. "

"You might call for an investigation. "

"And if every thing was proved right on their part?"

"The court would, most probably, return the child to their care. Iam ready to take all necessary steps for you; but, Mr. Jasper, I verystrongly incline to the opinion that the least noise you make in thismatter, the better. Couldn't you--for a consideration in money, forinstance--overcome the reluctance of Claire and his wife to part withthe child? Honey, you know, catches more flies than vinegar. "

"Buy him off, you mean?"

"Yes. "

"No--no! I hate him too cordially for that. He's a villain indisguise; that's my opinion of him. A low, canting hypocrite. Buy himoff for money. Oh no!"

"Could he be bought?" asked the lawyer. 

"Could he?" A flush of surprise lit up, for a moment, the face ofJasper. "What a question for _you_ to ask. Hasn't every man his price?Bought! Yes, I could buy him fifty times over. "

"Then do so, and in the quietest manner. That is my advice. "

"I'll steal the child!" exclaimed Jasper, rising up in his excitement, and moving uneasily about the room. 

Grind shook his head, as he replied--

"All folly. No man ever did a wise thing while he was in a passion. You must permit yourself to cool down a great many degrees before youcan act judiciously in this matter. "

"But to be thwarted by him!" An expression of the deepest disgust wasin the face of Jasper. 

"All very annoying, of course, " was the response of Grind. "Still, where we can't make things bend exactly to our wishes, it is generallythe wisest policy to bend a little ourselves. We often, in this way, gain a purchase that enables us to bring all over to our side. "

It must not be supposed that Grind, in giving his client advicethat was to prevent an appeal to law, did so from any unselfishfriendliness. Nothing of the kind. He saw a great deal to gain, beyond; and, in his advice, regarded his own interests quite as muchas he did those of Jasper. He was not, however, at this interview, able to induce the merchant to attempt to settle the matter withClaire by compromise. The most he could do was to get him to promise, that, for the present, he would make no effort to get the person ofthe child into his possession. 

Jasper, when he left his lawyer, was less satisfied with him thanhe had ever been. In previous cases, he had found Grind ready toprosecute or defend, and to promise him the fullest success--thoughsuccess did not always come. 

Several more consultations were held during the succeeding two orthree weeks, and, finally, Jasper was brought over fully to hislawyer's way of thinking. 

CHAPTER XII. 

The minds of Claire and his wife were yet in a state of suspense, when, some weeks after the first interview, the former received apolitely worded note from Jasper, requesting him to call at his store. He went, accordingly, and Jasper received him with marked suavityand kindness of manner, and, after making a few inquiries about hisfamily, said--

"Edward: I believe I must confess to having been a little over-excitedat our last interview. The fact is, I had forgotten all about thatcontract; and when you brought it to my mind so abruptly, I was thrownsomewhat off of my guard, and said things for which I have since feltregret. So let what is past go. I now wish to have another talk withyou about Fanny Elder. How is the child?"

"She is very well. "

"And she has grown, I presume, finely?"

"Yes. She's now quite a stout girl. "

"What kind of a child is she? Docile and obedient?"

"None could be more so. A sweeter disposition I have never seen. "

"How are you getting on now, Edward?" Mr. Jasper's voice was kind andinsinuating. 

"Comfortably, " was answered. 

"What is your salary?"

There was a momentary hesitation on the part of Claire, and then hereplied--

"Five hundred dollars. "

"Is that all? I was under the impression that you received a thousand. I am very certain that some one told me so. Too little, Edward--toolittle. You are worth more than that to any one. Are you acquainted atEdgar & Co. 's?"

"No. "

"I wish you were. One of their young men is going to leave, andthey will have to fill his place immediately. The salary is twelvehundred. "

Claire's heart gave a quick bound. 

"Shall I speak to Edgar for you?" added the merchant. 

"If you will do so, Mr. Jasper, " said Edward, with a suddenearnestness of manner, "I shall be greatly indebted to you. I find ita little difficult to get along on five hundred dollars a year. "

"How much family have you now?"

"Three children. "

"Indeed. Oh yes, you should have a higher salary. I know you wouldjust suit Edgar & Co. , and I think the place may be secured for you. "

A few moments of silence followed, and then Jasper resumed--

"But, as just said, I wish to talk with you about this ward of mine. Your salary is so light that you, no doubt, find the income receivedthrough her quite a help to you?"

"No--no, " replied Claire; "it costs for her boarding, clothes, schooling, etc. , quite as much as we receive. "

"It does?" Jasper manifested some surprise. 

"Oh yes. We have no wish to make any profit out of her. "

"That being the case, Edward, " said the merchant, "why are you soreluctant to give her up?"

"Because, " was the reply, "both myself and wife have become stronglyattached to her. In fact, she seems like one of our own children. "

"When she is twelve, you know, " Edward, returned Jasper, "you willhave to resign her. Our agreement only extends to that time. " He spokein a mild, insinuating, friendly tone of voice. So much so, in fact, that Claire, well as he knew him, was partially deceived and thrownoff of his guard. 

"True; unless you have seen reason by that time, which we hope willbe the case, to let her remain in her present home. Believe me, Mr. Jasper, "--Claire spoke earnestly--"that Fanny will take the partingvery hard, if ever it comes. "

"As come it must, Edward, sooner or later, " was the mild, yet firmresponse. 

"Are you so earnest about this, Mr. Jasper? I have flattered myselfthat you did not really care a great deal about having Fanny. "

"I am entirely in earnest, Edward, " was the reply. "I may have seemedto you indifferent about this child, but such has not been the case. I have feelings and purposes in regard to her which I cannot explain, but which are near my heart. I see your position and that of yourwife, and I feel for you. If compatible with what I conceive to bemy duty, I would let her remain under your care. But such is not thecase. Surely, it will be far better for both you and Fanny for thechange that must come to be made now. "

The calm, kind, insinuating manner of Jasper disarmed Claire, and madehim wish that he could meet the desire of his old employer, withoutthe painful breach in his home circle which must be the consequence. With his eyes cast upon the floor, he sat silently communing with hisown thoughts for some time. The announcement of a vacancy in the houseof Edgar & Co. , and the offer to try and get the situation forhim, had flattered his mind considerably. If he did not make somecompromise in the present case, he could count nothing on theinfluence of Jasper. But, how could he compromise? There was but oneway--to give up Fanny--and that he was not prepared to do. 

Seeing that the young man remained silent, Jasper said--

"Edward, I will make you this very liberal offer. Understand, now, that I am deeply in earnest--that the possession of Fanny is a thingof great moment to me; and that to gain this desired object, Iam prepared to go very far. If you will meet me in a spirit ofcompromise, I will become as I was some years ago, your friend; and Ihave the ability to aid any one materially. As just said, I will makeyou this liberal offer:--Let me have the child now, and for the nexttwo years I will pay you the same that you have been receiving for hermaintenance. "

Claire lifted his head quickly. There was already a flush on hischeeks and a sharp light in his eyes. 

"Stay--one moment, " interrupted Jasper, who saw by the motion of hislips that he was about replying. "I will pay you the whole sum, sixhundred dollars, in advance, and, in addition thereto, pledge myselfto procure for you, within three mouths, a situation worth a thousanddollars per annum, at least. "

This was too broad an attempt to buy over the young man, and itfailed. Starting to his feet, with a feeling of indignation in hisheart so strong that he could not repress it, he answered, with knitbrows and eyes fixed sternly and steadily on the merchant--"LeonardJasper! I thought you knew me better! I am not to be bought with yourmoney. "

As sudden was the change that passed over the merchant. He, too, sprang to his feet, and conscious that his offer of bribery, which hehad humiliated himself to make, had failed, with clenched hand and setteeth, he fairly hissed out--

"You'll rue this day and hour, Edward Claire--rue it even to themoment of death! I will never forget nor forgive the wrong and insult. Don't think to escape me--don't think to foil me. The child is mine byright, and I will have her, come what will. "

Feeling how useless it would be to multiply words, Claire turned awayand left the store. He did not go home immediately, as he had thoughtof doing, in order to relieve the suspense of his wife, who was, heknew, very anxious to learn for what purpose Jasper had sent for him;but went to his place of business and laid the whole substance of hisinterview before his fast friend, Mr. Melleville, whose first responsewas one of indignation at the offer made by Jasper to buy him over tohis wishes with money. He then said--

"There is something wrong here, depend upon it. Was there muchproperty left by the child's parents?"

"Two houses in the city. "

"Was that all?"

"All, I believe, of any value. There was a tract of land somewhere inthe State, taken for debt; but it was considered of little account. "

"Regard for the child has nothing to do with this movement, " remarkedMr. Melleville. "The character of Jasper precludes the supposition. "

"Entirely. What can it mean? The thing comes on me so suddenly that Iam bewildered. "

Claire was distressed. 

"You are still firm in your purpose to keep Fanny until she is twelveyears old?"

"As firm as ever, Mr. Melleville. I love the child too well to giveher up. If a higher good to her were to be secured, then I mightyield--then it would be my duty to yield. But, now, every just andhumane consideration calls on me to abide by my purpose--and there Iwill abide. "

"In my mind you are fully justified, " was the reply of Mr. Melleville. "Keep me fully advised of every thing that occurs, and I will aid youas far as lies in my power. To-day I will call upon Edgar & Co. , anddo what I can toward securing for you the place said by Jasper to bevacant. I presume that I have quite as much influence in this quarteras he has. "

CHAPTER XIII. 

Scarcely had Edward Claire left the store of Jasper, ere the latterwent out hurriedly, and took his way to the office of Grind, thelawyer, to whom he said, as he entered--

"It's just as I feared. The miserable wretch proved as intractable asiron. " Jasper was not only strongly excited, but showed, in his voiceand manner, that he had suffered no ordinary disappointment. 

"Couldn't you buy him over?" There was a mixture of surprise andincredulity in the lawyer's tones. 

"No, " was the emphatic response. 

"That's strange! He's poor?"

"He gets five hundred a year, and has a wife and three children tosupport. "

"Why didn't you tempt him with the offer to get him a place worth athousand?"

"I did. "

"With what effect?"

"He wouldn't give up the child. "

"Humph!"

"Isn't it too bad, that a mean-souled fellow like him should stand inour way at such a point of time? I could spurn him with my foot! Hah!"

And Jasper clenched his teeth and scowled malignantly. 

"I am disappointed, I confess", said Grind. "But angry excitementnever helped a cause, good or bad. We must have possession of thischild somehow. Martin came down from Reading this morning. I saw himbut an hour ago. "

"Indeed! What does he say?"

"The indications of coal are abundant. He made very carefulexaminations at a great number of points. In several places he foundit cropping out freely; and the quality, as far as he was able tojudge, is remarkably good. "

"Will he keep our secret?" said Jasper. 

"It is his interest to do so. "

"We must make it his interest, in any event. No time is now to belost. "

"I agree with you there. A single week's delay may ruin every thing. The coal is our discovery, and we are, in all equity, entitled to thebenefit. "

"Of course we are. It's a matter of speculation, at best; the luckywin. If we can get an order for the sale, we shall win handsomely. But, without producing the child, it will be next to impossible to getthe order. So we must have her, by fair means or by foul. "

"We must, " said the lawyer, compressing his lips firmly. 

"And have her now. "

"Now, " responded Grind. 

Jasper rose to his feet. 

"It's easy enough to say what we must have, " remarked Grind, "but themeans of gaining our ends are not always at hand. What do you proposedoing?"

"I shall get the child. "

"Don't act too precipitately. Violence will excite suspicion, andsuspicion is a wonderful questioner. "

"We must play a desperate game, as things now are, or not play atall, " said Jasper. 

"True; but the more desperate the game, the more need of coolness, forethought, and circumspection. Don't forget this. How do you mean toproceed?"

"That is yet to be determined. "

"Will you make another effort to influence Claire?"

"No. "

"Do you regard him as altogether impracticable?"

"No influence that I can bring would move him. "

"You will, then, resort to stratagem or force?"

"One or the other--perhaps both. The child we must have. "

"Let me beg of you, Jasper, to be prudent. There is a great deal atstake. "

"I know there is; and the risk increases with every moment of delay. "

Grind showed a marked degree of anxiety. 

"If the child were in our possession now, " said Jasper, "or, which isthe same, could be produced when wanted, how soon might an order forthe sale be procured?"

"In two or three weeks, I think, " replied the lawyer. 

"Certain preliminary steps are necessary?"

"Yes. "

"If these were entered upon forthwith, how soon would the child bewanted?"

"In about ten days. "

"Very well. Begin the work at once. When the child is needed, I willsee that she is forthcoming. Trust me for that. I never was foiledyet in any thing that I set about accomplishing, and I will not suffermyself to be foiled here. "

With this understanding, Jasper and the lawyer parted. 

A week or more passed, during which time Claire heard nothing fromthe guardian of Fanny; and both he and his wife began to hope that nofurther attempt to get her into his possession would be made, untilthe child had reached her twelfth year. 

It was in the summer-time, and Mrs. Claire sat, late in the afternoonof a pleasant day, at one of the front-windows of her dwelling, holding her youngest child in her arms. 

"The children are late in coming home from school, " said she, speakingaloud her thought. "I wonder what keeps them!"

And she leaned out of the window, and looked for some time earnestlydown the street. 

But the children were not in sight. For some five or ten minutes Mrs. Claire played with and talked to the child in her arms; then she bentfrom the window again, gazing first up and then down the street. 

"That's Edie, as I live!" she exclaimed. "But where is Fanny?"

As she uttered this inquiry, a sudden fear fell like a heavy weight onher heart. Retiring from the window, she hastened to the door, where, by this time, a lady stood holding little Edie by the hand. Thechild's eyes were red with weeping. 

"Is this your little girl?" asked the lady. 

"Oh, mamma! mamma!" cried Edie, bursting into tears, as she sprang toher mother's side and hid her face in her garments. 

"Where did you find her, ma'am? Was she lost?" asked Mrs. Claire, looking surprised as well as alarmed. "Won't you walk in, ma'am?" sheadded, before there was time for a reply. 

The lady entered, on this invitation, and when seated in Mrs. Claire'slittle parlour, related that while walking through Washington Square, she noticed the child she had brought home, crying bitterly. On askingher as to the cause of her distress, she said that she wanted Fanny:and then ran away to some distance along the walks, searching for herlost companion. The lady's interest being excited, she followed andpersuaded the child to tell her where she lived. After remaining sometime longer in the square, vainly searching for Fanny, she was inducedto let the lady take her home. After hearing this relation, Mrs. Claire said to Edith, in as calm a voice as she could assume, in orderthat the child might think without the confusion of mind consequentupon excitement--

"Where is Fanny, dear?"

"She went with the lady to buy some candies, " replied the child. 

"What lady?" asked the mother. 

"The lady who took us to the square. "

"The lady who took you to the square?" said the mother, repeating thechild's words from the very surprise they occasioned. 

"Yes, mamma, " was the simple response. 

"What lady was it?"

"I don't know. She met us as we were coming home from school, andasked us to go down and walk in the square. She knew Fanny. "

"How do you know, dear?" disked Mrs. Claire. 

"Oh, she called her Fanny; and said what a nice big girl she wasgrowing to be. "

"And so you went down to the square with her?"

"Yes, ma'am. "

"And what then?"

"We walked about there for a little while, and then the lady told meto wait while she took Fanny to the candy-store to buy some candy. Iwaited, and waited ever so long; but she didn't come back; and then Icried. "

The meaning of all this, poor Mrs. Claire understood but too well. With what a shock it fell upon her. She asked no further question. What need was there? Edie's artless story made every thing clear. Fanny had been enticed away by some one employed by Jasper, and wasnow in his possession! With pale face and quivering lips, she satbending over Edie, silent for several moments. Then recollectingherself, she said to the lady---

"I thank you, ma'am, most sincerely, for the trouble you have taken inbringing home my little girl. This is a most distressing affair. Theother child has, evidently, been enticed away. "

"You will take immediate steps for her recovery, " said the lady. 

"Oh, yes. I expect my husband home, now, every moment. "

While she was yet speaking, Claire came in. Seeing the white face ofhis wife, he exclaimed--

"Mercy, Edith! What has happened?"

Edith could only murmur the word "Fanny, " as she started forward, andburied her face, sobbing, on his bosom. 

"Fanny! What of her? Oh, Edith! speak!"

The agitation of the wife was, for the time, too overpowering to admitof words, and so Claire turned to the lady and said, hurriedly--

"Will you tell me, madam, what has happened?"

"It appears, sir, " she replied, "that a strange lady enticed thechildren to Washington Square, on their way from school"--

"And then carried off our dear, dear Fanny!" sobbed out Edith. 

"Carried off Fanny!" exclaimed Claire. 

"This lady, " said Edith, growing calmer, "found our little Ediecrying, in the square, and brought her home. Edie says the lady tookthem down there, and then told her to wait until she went with Fannyto buy some candies. They went, but did not return. "

The meaning of all this was quite as clear to the mind of EdwardClaire as it was to his wife. He understood, likewise, that this wasthe work of Jasper, and that Fanny was now in his possession. What wasto be done?

"Our first step, " said Claire, after the stranger had retired, "mustbe to ascertain, if possible, whether what we believe to be true inregard to Fanny is really true. We must know certainly, whether she bereally in the hands of Mr. Jasper. "

"Where else can she be?" asked Edith, a new fear throwing its quickflash into her face. 

"We, naturally, " replied her husband, "take it for granted that Mr. Jasper has put his threat into execution. There is a bare possibilitythat such is not the case; and we must not rest until we have, on thispoint, the most absolute certainty. "

"For what other purpose could she have been enticed away?" said Mrs. Claire, her face again blanching to a deadly paleness. 

"We know nothing certain, Edith; and while this is the case, we cannotbut feel a double anxiety. But, I must not linger here. Be as calm aspossible, my dear wife, in this painful trial. I will go at once toMr. Jasper, and learn from him whether he has the child. "

"Go quickly, Edward, " said Edith. "Oh! it will be such a relief tohave a certainty; to know even that she is in his hands. "

Without further remark, Claire left his house and hurried off to thestore of Jasper. The merchant was not there. From one of his clerks helearned his present residence, which happened not to be far distant. Thither he went, and, on asking to see him, was told by the servantthat he was not at home. He then inquired for Mrs. Jasper, who, onbeing summoned, met him in one of the parlours. The manner of Clairewas very much agitated, and he said, with an abruptness that evidentlydisconcerted the lady--

"Good evening, madam! My name is Claire. You remember me, of course?"

The lady bowed coldly, and with a frown on her brow. 

"Is little Fanny Elder here?" was asked, and with even greaterabruptness. 

"Fanny Elder? No! Why do you ask that question?"

There was something so positive in the denial of Mrs. Jasper, thatClaire felt her words as truth. 

"Not here?" said he, catching his breath in a gasping manner. "Nothere?"

"I said that she was not here, " was the reply. 

"Oh, where then is she, madam?" exclaimed the young man, evincinggreat distress. 

"How should I know? Is she not in your possession? What is the meaningof this, Mr. Claire?"

The lady spoke sternly, and with the air of one both offended andirritated. 

"Somebody enticed her away, on her return from school this afternoon, "said Claire. "Mr. Jasper said that he would have her; and my first andnatural conclusion was that he had executed his threat. Oh, ma'am, ifthis be so, tell me, that my anxiety for the child's safety may haverest. As it is, I am in the most painful uncertainty. If she is here, I will feel, at least"--

"Have I not told you that she is not here, and that I know nothing ofher, " said Mrs. Jasper, angrily, interrupting the young man. "This isinsolent. "

"How soon do you expect Mr. Jasper home?" inquired Claire. 

"Not for several days, " replied Mrs. Jasper. 

"Days! Is he not in the city?"

"No, sir. He left town yesterday. "

Claire struck his hands together in disappointment and grief. Thisconfirmed to him the lady's assertion that she knew nothing of Fanny. In that assertion she had uttered the truth. 

Sadly disappointed, and in far deeper distress of mind than when heentered the house, Edward Claire retired. If Mr. Jasper left the cityon the day previous, and his wife had, as he could not help believing, no knowledge whatever of Fanny, then the more distressing inferencewas that she had been enticed away by some stranger. 

On his way home, Claire called again at the store of Jasper. Itoccurred to him to ask there as to his absence from the city. Thereply he received was in agreement with Mrs. Jasper's assertion. Hehad left town on the previous day. 

"Where has he gone?" he inquired. 

"To Reading, I believe, " was the answer. 

"Will he return soon?"

"Not for several days, I believe. "

With a heavy heart, Claire bent his way homeward. He cherished afaint hope that Fanny might have returned. The hope was vain. Here helingered but a short time. His next step was to give informationto the police, and to furnish for all the morning papers anadvertisement, detailing the circumstances attendant on the child'sabduction. This done, he again returned home, to console, the besthe could, his afflicted wife, and to wait the developments of thesucceeding day. 

Utterly fruitless were all the means used by Claire to gainintelligence of the missing child. Two days went by, yet not theleast clue to the mystery of her absence had been found. There wasno response to the newspaper advertisements; and the police confessedthemselves entirely at fault. 

Exhausted by sleepless anxiety, broken in spirit by this distressingaffliction, and almost despairing in regard to the absent one, Mr. AndMrs. Claire were seated alone, about an hour after dark on the eveningof the third day, when the noise of rumbling wheels ceased beforetheir door. Each bent an ear, involuntarily, to listen, and eachstarted with an exclamation, as the bell rang with a sudden jerk. Almost simultaneously, the noise of wheels was again heard, and acarriage rolled rapidly away. Two or three quick bounds brought Claireto the door, which he threw open. 

"Fanny!" he instantly exclaimed; and in the next moment the child wasin his arms, clinging to him, and weeping for joy at her return. 

With a wonderful calmness, Mrs. Claire received Fanny from herhusband, murmuring as she did so, in a subdued, yet deeply gratifiedvoice--

"O, God! I thank thee!"

But this calmness in a little while gave way, and her overstrained, but now joyful feelings, poured themselves forth in tears. 

Poor child! She too had suffered during these threenever-to-be-forgotten days, and the marks of that suffering were sadlyvisible in her pale, grief-touched countenance. 

To the earnest inquiries of her foster-parents, Fanny could give novery satisfactory answer. She had no sooner left the square with thelady mentioned by little Edith, than she was hurried into a carriage, and driven off to the cars, where a man met them. This man, she said, spoke kindly to her, showed her his watch, and told her if she wouldbe a good girl and not cry, he would take her home again. In the cars, they rode for a long time, until it grew dark; and still she said thecars kept going. After a while she fell asleep, and when she awoke itwas morning, and she was lying on a bed. The same lady was with her, and, speaking kindly, told her not to be frightened--that nobody wouldhurt her, and that she should go home in a day or two. 

"But I did nothing but cry, " said the child, in her own simple way, as she related her story. "Then the lady scolded me, until I wasfrightened, and tried to keep back the tears all I could. But theywould run down my cheeks. A good while after breakfast, " continuedFanny, "the man who had met us at the cars came in with another man. They talked with the lady for a good while, looking at me as theyspoke. Then they all came around me, and one of the men said--

"'Don't be frightened, my little dear. No one will do you any harm;and if you will be a right good girl, and do just as we want you todo, you shall go home to-morrow. '

"I tried not to cry, but the tears came running down my face. Then theother man said sharply--

"'Come now, my little lady, we can't have any more of this! If youwish to go home again tomorrow, dry your tears at once. There! there!Hush all them sobs. No one is going to do you any harm. '

"I was so frightened at the way the man looked and talked, that Istopped crying at once. 

"'There!' said he, 'that is something like. Now, ' speaking to the lady, 'put on her things. It is time she was there. '

"I was more frightened at this, and the men saw it; so one of themtold me not to be alarmed, that they were only going to show me alarge, handsome house, and would then bring me right back; and that inthe morning, if I would go with them now, and be a good girl, I shouldgo home again. 

"So I went with them, and tried my best not to cry. They brought meinto a large house, and there were a good many men inside. The men alllooked at me, and I was so frightened! Then they talked together, andone of them kept pointing toward me. At last I was taken back tothe house, where I stayed all day and all night with the lady. Thismorning we got into the cars, and came back to the city. The lady tookme to a large house in Walnut street, where I stayed until after dark, and then she brought me home in a carriage. "

Such was the child's story; and greatly puzzled were Claire and hiswife to comprehend its meaning. Their joy at her return was intense. She seemed almost as if restored to them from the dead. But, for whatpurpose had she been carried off; and who were the parties engaged inthe act? These were questions of the deepest moment; yet difficult, if not impossible of solution--at least in the present. That Jasper'sabsence from the city was in some way connected with this business, Claire felt certain, the more he reflected thereon. But, that Fannyshould be returned to him so speedily, if Jasper had been concernedin her temporary abduction, was something that he could not clearlyunderstand. And it was a long time ere the mystery was entirelyunravelled. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

From that time Claire and his wife heard no more from Jasper, whoregularly paid the sums quarterly demanded for Fanny's maintenance. This demand was not now made in person by Claire. He sent a writtenorder, which the guardian never failed to honour on the firstpresentation. 

Mr. Melleville, according to promise, called upon the firm of Edgar& Co. , in order to speak a good word for Edward; but learned, not alittle to his surprise, that no vacancy was anticipated in the house. 

"Mr. Jasper, " said he, "told one of my young men that a clerk hadleft, or was about leaving you. "

"It's a mistake, " was the positive answer. "He may have meant someother firm. "

"All a wicked deception on the part of Jasper, " said Melleville tohimself, as he left the store. "A lie told with sinister purpose. Howgiven over to all baseness is the man!"

Claire was no little disappointed when this was told him; but hisanswer showed how he was gaining in just views of life; and how hecould lean on right principles and find in them a firm support. 

"I would rather, " said he, "be the deceived than the deceiver. The onemost wronged in this is Leonard Jasper. Ah! is he not preparing forhimself a sad future? As for me, I am more and more satisfied, everyday, that all events, even to the most minute, are in the direction orpermission of Providence; and that out of the very occurrences we deemafflictive and disastrous, will often arise our greatest good. For themoment I was disappointed; but now I feel that it is all right. "

No change of marked importance occurred in the family of Claire duringthe next two years, to the close of which period both he and his wifelooked with increasing earnestness of mind. Fanny had grown rapidlyduring this time, and was now tall for her age--and still verybeautiful. In character she was every thing the fondest parents coulddesire. 

At last came the child's twelfth birthday. Neither Clare nor hiswife referred to the fact; though it was present to both theirminds--present like an evil guest. Must they now give her up? Theirhearts shrank and trembled at the bare idea. How plainly each read inthe other's face the trouble which only the lips concealed!

Never had Fanny looked so lovely in the eyes of Claire as she did onthat morning, when she bounded to his side and claimed a parting kiss, ere he left for his daily round of business. Could he give her up? Thethought choked in their utterance the words of love that were on hislips, and he turned from her and left the house. 

As Claire, on his way to Mr. Melleville's store, came into the morebusiness portions of the city, his thoughts on the child who wassoon to be resigned, according to the tenor of his contract with herguardian, he was suddenly startled by seeing Jasper a short distanceahead, approaching from the direction in which he was going. Happening, at the moment, to be near a cross street, he turned offsuddenly, in obedience to an instinct rather than a purpose, andavoided a meeting by going out of his way. 

"How vain, " he sighed to himself, as the throbbing of his heart grewless heavy and his thoughts ran clear. "I cannot so avoid this evil. It will most surely find me out. Dear, dear child! How shall we everbear the parting!"

All day long Claire was in momentary dread of a visit or acommunication from Jasper. But none came. A like anxiety had beensuffered by his wife, and it showed itself in the pallor of hercheeks, and the heavy, almost tearful, drooping of her eyelids. 

The next day and the next passed, and yet nothing was heard from theguardian. Now, the true guardians of the child began to breathe morefreely. A week elapsed, and all remained as before. Another week wasadded; another and another. A month had gone by. And yet the days ofa succeeding month came and went, the child still remaining in her oldhome. 

Up to this time but brief allusions had been made by either Claireor his wife to the subject first in their thoughts. They avoided it, because each felt that the other would confirm, rather than allay, fears already too well defined. 

"It is strange, " said Claire, as he sat alone with his wife oneevening, some three months subsequent to the twelfth birthday ofFanny, "that we have heard nothing yet from Mr. Jasper. "

Edith looked up quickly, and with a glance of inquiry, into his face;but made no answer. 

"I've turned it over in my mind a great deal, " resumed Claire, thoughtfully; "but with little or no satisfactory result. Once Ithought I would call on him"--

"Oh, no, no! not for the world!" instantly exclaimed Edith. 

"I see, with you, dear, that such a step would be imprudent. And, yet, this suspense--how painful it is!"

"Painful, it is true, Edward; yet, how in every way to be preferred tothe certainty we so much dread. "

"O yes--yes. I agree with you there. " Then, after a pause, he said, "It is now three months since the time expired for which we agreed tokeep Fanny. "

"I know, " was the sighing response. 

They both remained silent, each waiting for the other to speak. Thesame thought was in the mind of each. Excited by the close pressure ofwant upon their income, Edward was first to give it voice. 

"Mr. Jasper, " said he, touching the subject at first remotely, "mayhave forgotten, in the pressure of business on his attention, the factthat Fanny is now twelve years old. "

"So I have thought, " replied Edith. 

"If I send, as usual, for the sum heretofore regularly paid for hermaintenance, it may bring this fact to his mind. "

"I have feared as much, " was the low, half-tremulous response. 

"And yet, if I do not send, the very omission may excite a question, and produce the consequences we fear. "

"True, Edward. All that has passed through my mind over and overagain. "

"What had we better do?"

"Ah!" sighed Edith, "if we only knew that. "

"Shall I send the order, as usual?"

Edith shook her head, saying--

"I'm afraid. "

"And I hesitate with the same fear. "

"And yet, Edith, " said Claire, who, as the provider for the family, pondered more anxiously the question of ways and means, "what are weto do? Our income, with Fanny's board added, is but just sufficient. Take away three hundred dollars a year, and where will we stand? Thethought presses like a leaden weight on my feelings. Debt, or severeprivation, is inevitable. If, with eight hundred dollars, we onlycome out even at the end of each year, what will be the result if ourincome is suddenly reduced to five hundred?"

"Let us do what is right, Edward, " said his wife, laying her hand uponhis arm, and looking into his face in her earnest, peculiar way. Hervoice, though it slightly trembled, had in it a tone of confidence, which, with the words she had spoken, gave to the wavering heart ofClaire an instant feeling of strength. 

"But what is right, Edith?" he asked. 

"We know not now, " was her reply, "but, if we earnestly desire to doright, true perceptions will be given. "

"A beautiful faith; but oh, how hard to realize!"

"No, Edward, not so very hard. We have never found it so: have we?"

Love and holy confidence were in her eyes. 

"We have had some dark seasons, Edith, " said Claire sadly. 

"But, through darkest clouds has come the sunbeam. Our feet havenot wandered for want of light. Look back for a moment. How darkall seemed when the question of leaving Jasper's service came up fordecision. And yet how clear a light shone when the time for actioncame. Have you ever regretted what was then done, Edward?"

"Not in a sane moment, " replied the young man. "O no, no, Edith!"speaking more earnestly; "that, with one exception, was the mostimportant act of my life. "

"With one exception?" Edith spoke in a tone of inquiry. 

"Yes. " Claire's voice was very tender, and touched with a slightunsteadiness. "The _most_ important act of my life was"--

He paused and gazed lovingly into the face of his wife. She, nowcomprehending him, laid, with a pure thrill of joy pervading herbosom, her cheek to his--and thus, for the space of nearly a minute, they sat motionless. 

"May God bless you, Edith!" said Claire at length, fervently, liftinghis head as he spoke. "You are the good angel sent to go with methrough life. Ah! but for you, how far from the true path might myfeet have strayed! And now, " he added, more calmly, "we will look atthe present difficulty steadily, and seek to know the right. "

"The right way, " said Edith, after she had to some extent repressedthe glad pulses that leaped to her husband's loving words, "is notalways the way in which we most desire to walk. Thorns, sometimes, areat its entrance. But it grows pleasanter afterward. "

"If we can find the right way, Edith, we will walk in it because it isthe right way. "

"And we will surely find it if we seek in this spirit, " returned thewife. 

"What, then, had we best do?" asked Claire, his thought turningearnestly to the subject under consideration. 

"What will be best for Fanny? That should be our first consideration, "said his wife. "Will it be best for her to remain with us, or to gointo Mr. Jasper's family?"

"That is certainly a grave question, " returned Claire, seriously, "andmust be viewed in many aspects. Mr. Jasper's place in the world is fardifferent from mine. He is a wealthy merchant; I am a poor clerk. Ifshe goes into his family, she will have advantages not to be foundwith us--advantages of education, society, and position in life. Tokeep her with us will debar her from all these. Taking this viewof the case, Edith, I don't know that we have any right to keep herlonger, particularly as Mr. Jasper has signified to us, distinctly, his wish, as her guardian, to take her into his own family, andsuperintend her education. "

Edith bent her head, thoughtfully, for some moments. She then said--

"Do you believe that Mr. Jasper gave the true reason for wishing tohave Fanny?"

"That he might superintend her education?"

"Yes. "

"No, Edith, I do not. I believe a selfish motive alone influencedhim. "

"You have good reasons for so thinking?"

"The best of reasons. I need not repeat them; they are as familiar toyou as they are to me. "

"Do you believe that, under his superintendence, she will receive abetter education than under ours?"

"She will, undoubtedly, Edith, if remaining with us she fails to bringthe means of education. We are poor, Edith, and the claims of ourown children--bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh--must not beforgotten. "

A quick change passed over Edith. Her countenance became troubled. Thedifficulties in the way of retaining the child were suddenly magnifiedto her thoughts. Ah! how painfully did she feel that often the firststeps in the way of duty are among thorns. 

"Can we be just to Fanny and just also to our own children?" askedClaire. 

"If we still received the old sum for her maintenance, we could. Iwould not ask its increase to the amount of a single dollar. "

"Nor I, Edith. Were we certain of having this continued, there wouldbe no doubt. "

"There would be none in my mind. As for the higher position in societywhich she would attain, as an inmate of Mr. Jasper's family, thatmight not be to her the greatest good; but prove the most direfulevil. She could not be guarded there, in her entrance into life, as wewould guard her. The same love would not surround her as a protectingsphere. I tremble at the thought, Edward. How great would be herdanger! Fourfold would be her temptation, and tenfold her exposure. "

"We will keep her, " said Claire, firmly, as his wife ceased speaking. "She must not be so exposed. God has given her to us; she is ourchild, for we love her as tenderly as if she were of our own blood. When her mother was taken, God transferred the love she had borne herchild into your bosom, and from that time you became her mother. No, Edith, we must not let her go forth, in her tender innocence. We loveher as our own; let us share with her the best we have; let her becomemore really our own than she has yet been. "

"If, " said Edith, after some moments, "we lose the regular income fromMr. Jasper, Fanny will be deprived of most important advantages. Justnow we are about adding materially to the cost of her education. "

"I know, " replied Edward. "But if the income is withheld?"

"We have not yet applied for it. "

Claire looked, for some moments, steadily into his wife's face. 

"You think, then, that we should make the usual application?"

"I have not said so, Edward. My mind is far from clear. Jasper maynot, now, want the trouble of Fanny. He doubtless had some purpose tosubserve when he demanded her; a purpose gained, probably, at the timeof her mysterious removal from the city, which I have always believedwas through his agency. If you were to send for the money, as usual, it is more than probable that he would pay it. "

"But, if he should refuse, and demand the child?"

"If his purpose to do this remains, and he has forgotten Fanny's age, your omission to send for the money will be more likely to call histhought to the subject, than your regular demand for the price of hermaintenance. "

"True. "

"And if he still means to have her, the execution of his purposecannot in any event be long delayed. "

"No. "

"Can _we_ unaided give her the education she is entitled to receive?"

Claire shook his head. 

"Then had we not better continue to apply for the sum necessary toher support and education. If Mr. Jasper is indifferent about her, the money will be paid as usual; if he means to take her into his ownfamily, our failure to apply will defer but for a very short seasonthe evil day. "

Edith's mind had become clear by this time. Her husband not making animmediate reply, she added--

"This acting on mere policy, is never, I think, the wisest. Does itnot clearly involve a distrust in Providence, and a weak relianceon mere human prudence? There is a provision for Fanny's support andeducation, and she is justly entitled to all those natural advantageswhich this provision was designed to give. Under Providence, Mr. Jasper has been chosen her guardian; and under Providence the personalcare of the child has fallen to our lot. Thus far we have endeavouredto discharge our duty faithfully--thus far we have done as well by thechild as if she had been our own. Now, if it is best for her to remainwith us, the same Providence will so dispose of events as to providefor her remaining; but if it is best for her to go into the family ofMr. Jasper, she will go there. Let us not, therefore, in our practicaldistrust of Providence, seek to hide ourselves from the observation ofa mere creature. "

"I see much in this, " said Claire, as soon as his wife had ceasedspeaking. "Man proposes; God disposes. With Him are all our ways. Outof the evil designs and selfish purposes of men, He is ever bringingforth good. "

"Then let us not fear to trust him. As we have been doing, let uscontinue to do, confidently believing that He will overrule all forgood. To our present sight, it seems, that, unless we receive, asheretofore, a sum of money for Fanny's support and education, wecannot do for her what is right. This, at least, is my view. "

"And it is mine, " replied the husband. 

"Then let us act from the light we have. None can do better thanthis. "

And so it was determined to send an order to Jasper, as usual. 

CHAPTER XV. 

On the next day, a fellow-clerk, who had always performed thislittle service for Claire, took the order to Jasper. With a nervousimpatience that he found it impossible to repress, Claire awaited hisreturn. On his appearance, he said, with ill-concealed anxiety--

"Did he pay the order?"

The young man shook his head. 

"What! Didn't pay it?" Though half-expecting such a result, he wasnone the more prepared for it, nor the less disturbed when it wasknown. 

"No; he said that the contract entered into with you for boarding thechild was at an end three months ago. "

"What else did he say?"

"Nothing else. "

"Did he send no message to me of any kind?"

"None. When I handed him the order, he pushed it back, and usedthe words I have repeated. I waited a little while for some furtherremark, but he made none. "

"Did he seem angry?"

"Not angry; but rather pleased, I should say. There was a heartlesssmile on his face, as if he enjoyed the act of refusal. "

Claire made no further remark. For a time he groped about, mentally, like one in darkness and lost. It appeared as if there was no escape;as if the evil which had long dogged his steps was upon him. But in ashort time, a ray of light shone in here and there, paths that mightbe walked in safely were dimly perceived--escape seemed possible. Still, he was deeply depressed and sorely troubled. 

Edith received the intelligence in a calmer spirit than her husbandhad expected. 

"The way will be made plain before us, " said she. "It is plainer nowthan it was last night--much plainer. "

"How can you say that, Edith?"

"Mr. Jasper has refused to pay any thing more to us for Fanny'ssupport. "

"Yes. "

"But in the refusal said nothing about our giving her up to him. "

"Well?"

"I gather from this, and the fact that he was aware of her beingtwelve years old, that he does not really want her now in his ownfamily, but refuses to pay us for her board and education from afeeling of ill-will toward you. His manner to the young man whopresented the order clearly indicates this. "

"You may be right there, Edith, " said Claire, a further light breakinginto his mind. "We have at least done our duty toward Fanny in makingthis demand on her guardian. And now, the question left for us todecide may be whether it will be just toward her, and also toward ourown children, still to keep her in our own family, and let her share, with the others, the best that it is in our power to give. "

"And will it be hard to make that decision?" said Edith, a slightflush coming into her earnest face. 

"I think not, " was the firm reply. 

"Have we loved her less than our own?" asked Edith. 

"I believe not. "

"Love seeks the highest good for its object. "

"Yes--yes. "

"Can a stranger love the child as we have loved her?"

Claire shook his head. 

"Can a stranger, even with more of what the world gives, yet with lessof a genuine affection, secure for her, as we may, what should justlybe regarded as the highest good in life. "

"No stranger can ever be to her, Edith, what you have been, and willcontinue to be. "

"We must not thrust her out, Edward. We cannot thrust her out. WhileGod permits her to remain, let us keep her, assured that He will sendfor her use all things needful. "

"Most cheerfully will I prolong my daily toil for her sake, " repliedClaire; "and cheerfully will I make sacrifice of personal comfort. Yes, let her remain where she is, so long as, in God's providence, sheis permitted to remain. If Jasper continues to withhold the price ofher maintenance, there will be the more left for her when she becomesof age; and then, if there are defects in her education, a few yearsof earnest application on her part, will remove them. Even now, wecould compel him to pay for her a reasonable sum, but in securingthis, we would assuredly lose the child, for this man's anger wouldburn hot against us. "

"I have thought of that, " replied Edith. "No, our only plain course, for the present, is to look away from Jasper, and regard Fanny as oneof our own children. "

To this conclusion the mind of Claire and his wife came firmly. Then the painful agitation they had for some time suffered graduallysubsided, and they began earnestly to cast about for the ways andmeans whereby so large an extra draft as was likely to be made upontheir slender income could be met. 

Two propositions were made by Edith: one was, that they should make areduction in their expenses, by moving into a smaller house. They nowpaid two hundred dollars annually for rent; and she was sure that, forone hundred and fifty, they might suit themselves very well. The otherproposition was, to give two or three hours every evening, afterthe children were in bed, to fine needle-work, in which she was wellskilled. 

"I could easily earn two dollars a week, in this way, " was herconfident remark. 

Claire, who had other plans in his mind, did not speak veryencouragingly of these propositions, though he avoided disapproval. Increased expense demanded an increase of income; and his thoughtswere all now bent suggestively in that direction. As for Edith, herburdens were heavy enough; and her husband, though he did not checkher generous enthusiasm, by no means acquiesced in the plan of eveningtoil for his wife out of the range of her many domestic duties. 

A few days went by, with no incident of importance. Claire, during thetime, appeared, to his wife more thoughtful that usual. One evening hecame home with a brighter countenance. 

"Good news, Edie, " said he in a cheerful voice, as soon as thechildren's glad and noisy welcome of their father was over; and hedrew his wife aside as he spoke. 

"Good news, dear, " he repeated. "I was sure the way would open for us, and it has opened. "

"How, Edward?" asked Edith, with a quickly flushing face. "How has itopened?"

"I've secured employment for my evenings, at six dollars a week. Soall will go on with us the same as usual. The only drawback lies inthe fact that you will have to remain at home alone. But, for the sakeof the end, you will bear that cheerfully. "

The light which had come into Edith's countenance faded. 

"What kind of employment?" she inquired, with a slight huskiness ofvoice. 

"I've engaged to act as clerk in an auction store, where they haveregular night-sales. "

Edith shook her head. 

"I thought you would be so delighted, " said her husband, evidentlymuch disappointed. 

"You often come home, now, overwearied with the day's labour, " repliedEdith. 

"An hour at tea-time will refresh me for the evening's work. Don'tthink of that a moment, Edith. "

"How can I help thinking of it? No, no, Edward, you must not do this. It will destroy your health. You are not very strong. "

"My health is perfectly good, Edith. "

But Edith shook her head--

"Not so very good. You look paler, and are much thinner than youwere a year ago. A little over-exertion throws your system off of itsbalance; and then you are sick. "

"I will be very careful of myself, " replied Claire. "If, after a fewweeks, the extra labour is found to be too severe, I can give up theplace. Nothing like trying, you know, dear. "

Still, Edith was not satisfied. Very strongly she urged her husbandnot to increase his labour in the degree contemplated. 

"Let us try if we can reduce our expenses by a closer economy. Itis better to deny ourselves things not necessary to health, than toinjure health by extra labour. "

She urged this view, however, in vain. Claire could not, without atleast a trial of his strength, decline the important offer which hadbeen made to him. And so, after a consultation with Mr. Melleville, heentered upon his new employment, leaving his wife to spend the hoursof his absence alone. Not idly were those hours spent. What she hadat first proposed to do, she now began to execute. Without sayingany thing to her husband, she had procured, from a friend who kepta fancy-store, and who took in from the ladies a great deal of work, some fine sewing; and with this she was busily occupied until hisreturn, which did not take place on the first night until near eleveno'clock. 

There was a slight drawback in the pleasure both felt in meetingat this late hour--the drawback of weariness. Yet their hearts weretranquil and elevated in the consciousness that they were denying selffor the good of another--and that one most tenderly beloved. Again theway had become plain before them; and if strength only were given tobear their increased burdens, they would move on with even lighterfootsteps than before. 

And now, after having lingered thus long with the humble clerk, letus turn to the rich merchant; for Jasper has become a man ofextensive possessions. Wealth flowed in upon him with extraordinaryrapidity--not in the regular course of trade, overreaching andunscrupulous as he was in dealing, but through what are calledfortunate speculations. How he made his first hundred thousanddollars--the basis of his present very large fortune--was not clearlyunderstood, though sundry vague rumours on the subject were afloat, none of them, however, very near the truth, except in the admissionthat a fraud on somebody had been committed. But let us introduce Mr. Jasper. 

On the night that Claire entered upon his duties as clerk in theauction store, and about the same hour that his duties began, Mr. Jasper, who was walking restlessly the floor of his richly furnishedparlours, his mind busy with some large money-making scheme, yetfretted by a recent disappointment, found himself suddenly in thepresence of, to him, a well-known individual, whose ring at the doorhe had not observed. 

"Martin!" he exclaimed, in no affected surprise. "Is it possible?"

"Ah, Jasper! How are you? Right glad to get sight of your face again!"said the other familiarly, as he grasped the merchant's passive hand, and squeezed it until the joints cracked. 

"When did you arrive in the city?" returned Jasper, as he reached hisvisitor a chair. He did not speak with much warmth; and yet there wasan effort to be at ease and cordial. 

"Some two hours ago, " said Martin, in whose face was already beginningto gather a few lines in token of the sober thoughts that lay beneathhis assumed smiling exterior. 

"From which direction did you come?"

"West. I'm from the Upper Mississippi. "

"Ah!"

"I went to Galena some five or six months ago; and have since beenactively engaged in lead-mining. A great business that, Mr. Jasper. "

"Ah?" This "ah?" was particularly chilling. 

"There are more rapid fortunes made at the lead-mines in theneighbourhood of Galena, at present, than in any part of the UnitedStates, " said Martin, approaching, by rapid advances, the subjectnearest to his thoughts. 

"You think so?" returned Jasper, with cold incredulity. 

"I know so, " was the positive response. "I could point you to a dozenmen who have made their tens of thousands annually for the last fiveor ten years. "

"It is easy to talk about making tens of thousands, Martin; but thefact itself is a more difficult matter. "

"A fact is a fact, however, Mr. Jasper, " said the other. "What isdone, is done. "

"Of course. "

"It is a fact that money is made at the lead-mines, hand over fist, "continued Martin. "Of this I am prepared to give you the strongestkind of evidence. "

"Why should you be so anxious to convince me of this fact?" returnedthe merchant. "I have quite as many irons in the fire now as I can seeto. "

"Ah! That may be, " said Martin, forcing to his rather hard features abland smile. "But these new irons I will keep from burning. "

"It's no use, Martin, to talk of lead-mines to me, " said Jasperfirmly. "I am spread out enough already. Contraction, not expansion, is my present motto. I've met with more than one heavy loss since Isaw you. "

"Have you, indeed? I'm sorry for that. But a false card will turn upnow and then, you know. The game in the long run is sure. "

"We're sure of nothing, " replied Jasper, with considerable feeling. 

"I wouldn't like to say that. Of course, all plans will not succeed;for man's judgment is far from possessing the virtue of infallibility. But human reason would be a poor endowment, did it not lead us, inmost cases, to right conclusions, if we are careful in our modes ofusing this high faculty. "

"The purpose of your visit to the East, " said Jasper, who understoodperfectly the man with whom he was dealing, and, therefore, determinedto know at once the length and breadth of what he was expected todo, "is, I presume, to enlist some capitalists here in a lead-miningspeculation?"

"My ideas do not extend quite that far, " was Martin's answer. "Toomany cooks, you are aware, sometimes spoil the broth. To come to thepoint at once, let me explain the purpose of my present journey to theEast. "

"Well; I am all attention. "

"My fur-trade business, as I wrote you a year ago, turned outdisastrously. "

"Yes. "

"After that, I opened a small store in one of the frontier towns, andI did very well, all things considered. But the gain was too slow tosuit my ideas of things; so, meeting with a fair chance, I sold out, and bought a lead-mine, which I have been working ever since togood profit. Recently, I struck upon one of the richest veins everdiscovered. If properly worked, it will yield a rapid fortune. But Ihave not sufficient capital to avail myself of the advantages offered, and have come on here to lay the matter before you, and to offer you ashare in the business. "

Jasper shook his head, saying--

"I have more business on my hands now, Martin, than I can possiblyattend to. "

"You don't know what you are declining, Mr. Jasper, " urged Martinwarmly. "You havn't yet looked at the statements which I am preparedto lay before you. "

"I do know one thing, " was the feeling answer, "and that is, that I amdeclining trouble and cost. About that part of the business, there canbe little question. "

"Then, " said Martin, his manner changing, "I am to understand that youdo not wish to join me in this matter?"

"Yes. I would like you to understand that distinctly. "

"Very well. I am sorry you refuse so advantageous an investment ofmoney; for right sure am I that no other investment you can make willturn out as this would have done. But, as you have declined, I willnot offer a share in my good fortune to any one else; but prosecutethe work to my own advantage. "

"I thought you hadn't the capital to do that, " said Jasper, speakingwith ill-repressed eagerness. 

"Nor have I, " coolly answered Martin. "The proposition I was about tomake was this--an advance of twenty thousand dollars capital on yourpart, to constitute you an equal partner in the mine. But this youdecline. "

"Certainly! certainly! I would not have entertained it for a moment. "

"Exactly. So I have already inferred. I will, therefore, as just said, retain this advantage in my own hands. But, Mr. Jasper, I shall needsome help. "

The visitor fixed his eyes keenly on the merchant as he said this. There was a momentary pause. Then he resumed. 

"I shall only want about ten thousand dollars, though; and this youmust obtain for me. "

"Martin! Do you think I am made of money?" exclaimed Jasper, startingto his feet, and facing his companion, in the attitude and with theexpression of a man who, finding himself in the presence of an enemy, assumes the defensive. 

"Oh no, " was the quiet answer--"not _made_ of money. But, for aparticular friend, you can no doubt, easily raise such a trifle as tenthousand dollars?"

"Trifle! You mock me, sir!"

"Don't get excited about this matter, Mr. Jasper, " coolly returnedMartin, whose name the reader has probably recognised as that ofan agent employed by the merchant and Grind, the lawyer, some yearsbefore, in making investigations relative to the existence of coal oncertain lands not far from Reading, Pennsylvania. "Don't get excited, "he repeated. "That will do no good. I have not come to rob you. Idon't ask you to give me ten thousand dollars. All I want is a loan, for which I will pledge good security. "

"What kind of security?" asked Jasper quickly. 

"Security on my lead-mine. "

"Pooh! I wouldn't give the snap of a finger for such security!"

Jasper, thrown off his guard, spoke more contemptuously than wasprudent. 

An instant change was visible in Martin, who, rising, commencedbuttoning up his coat. There was about him every mark of a man deeplyoffended. 

"Good evening, sir!" said he, with a low, formal bow, yet with hiseyes fixed searchingly in those of the merchant. 

"Martin, "--Jasper did not smile, nor was there in his voice theslightest affectation of good feeling--yet his manner and tone wereboth decisive, --"Martin, sit down again. Talk in reason, and I willhear. "

The man resumed his seat, and, with his eyes still in those of Jasper, said--

"I have talked in reason. You are worth, so report says, not less thanthree hundred thousand dollars. How the first hundred thousand came, is known, certainly, only to one man beside you and me. In procuringthat large sum I was a very prominent agent. "

"You have already been paid for your services a dozen times over. "

"There may be a difference of opinion about this, " replied the manboldly--"and there _is_ a difference of opinion. "

"I have already advanced you over five thousand dollars. "

"What of that! Five thousand to three hundred thousand that you havemade by the operation. "

"You are in error, Martin, " said Jasper, with a blended lookof perplexity and distress. "I am not worth the sum you havementioned--nothing like it. My losses during the past six months havebeen very heavy. "

"It is your interest to say this. I can credit as much of it as Iplease. "

"You are insulting! You presume on the power a knowledge of my affairshas given you. I will look for a more honourable agent the next time. "

"Honourable! Ha! ha!" The visitor laughed in a low, guttural voice. 

"Martin! I will not hear this from any living man. "

The face of Jasper was almost purple with suppressed anger. 

"Go!" he added. "Leave my house instantly. I defy you!"

Scarcely had these words passed his lips, ere Martin glided from thedrawing-room, and in a few moments the street-door shut with a heavy, reverberating jar. 

The merchant stood, like one bewildered, for a few moments, and then, as he sank into a chair, uttered a low groan. For a long time heremained as motionless as if sleeping. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

On leaving the house of Jasper, Martin--who, instead of having been inthe city only a few hours, arrived two days previously--took hisway to the office of Grind, the lawyer. He had seen this individualalready several times, and now called on him again by appointment. Thetwo men, on meeting, exchanged looks of intelligence. 

"Did you see him?" asked the lawyer, as Martin took a proffered chair. 

"I saw him, " was replied. 

"Can you make any thing out of him?'

"I think so. He fights a little hard; but the odds are against him. "

"How much did you ask him to loan you?"

"Ten thousand?"

"Martin! That's cutting a little too sharp. "

"Not a hit. He'll never miss such a trifle. "

"You can't bleed him that deep, " said the lawyer. 

"Can't I? You'll see; I could get twenty thousand. But I'm disposed tobe generous. Ten thousand I must and will have. "

And the man laughed in a low, self-satisfied, sinister chuckle. 

"He's able enough, " remarked Grind. 

"So you have told me. And if he is able, he must pay. I helped himto a fortune, and it is but fair that he should help me a little, nowthat a fortune is in my grasp. I only want the money as a loan. "

"Wouldn't five thousand answer your purpose?" asked the lawyer. "Thatis a large sum. It is not a very easy matter for even a rich man, whois engaged heavily in business, to lay down ten thousand dollars atcall. "

"Five thousand will not do, Mr. Grind. "

"Jasper has lost, to my certain knowledge, twenty thousand dollars inthree months. "

"So much?"

"At least that sum. Money came in so fast, that he grew a little wildin his speculations, and played his cards with the dashing boldnessof a gambler while in a run of luck. I cautioned him, but to no goodpurpose. One of his latest movements had been to put fifty or sixtythousand dollars in a cotton factory?"

"Poh! What folly. "

"A most egregious blunder. But he fancies himself an exceedinglyshrewd man. "

"He has been remarkably fortunate in his operations. "

"So he has. But he is more indebted, I think, to good luck than to asound judgment. He has gone up to dizzy height so rapidly, that hisweak head is already beginning to swim. "

"What has become of that pretty little ward of his?" asked Martin, somewhat abruptly. 

"Why didn't you put that question to him?" replied Grind. "You wouldhave been more likely to get a satisfactory answer. "

"I may do so after I have the ten thousand dollars in my pocket. Thatwas rather a shameful business, though; wasn't it? I never had a verytender conscience, but I must own to having suffered a few twingesfor my part in the transaction. He received over a hundred thousanddollars for the land?"

"Yes; and that clear of some heavy fees that you and I claimed forservices rendered. "

"Humph! I'm not quite paid yet. But, touching the child, Mr. Grind:don't you know any thing about her?"

"Nothing, personally. "

"What was it Jasper paid for the tract of land?"

"One thousand dollars. "

"Paid it into his own hands as the child's guardian. "

"Yes; that was the simple transaction. "

"Has the public never made a guess at the real truth of this matter?"

"Never, so far as my knowledge goes. There have been some vaguewhisperings--but no one has seemed to comprehend the matter. "

"The purchase was made in your name, was it not?"

"Yes. "

"That is, you bought from Jasper as the child's guardian; andafterward sold it back to him. "

"Yes. "

"Why didn't you hold on to it when it was fairly in your hands? I onlywish I had been in your place?"

The lawyer shrugged his shoulders, but did not commit himself byacknowledging that he had, more than once, regretted his omissionto claim the property while legally in his hands, and defy Jasper towrest it from him. 

Leaving these two men, whose relation to Jasper is sufficientlyapparent to the reader's mind, we will return to the merchant, whom weleft half-stupefied at the bold demand of an associate in wrong-doing. A long time passed ere his activity of mind returned. While he sat, brooding--dreamily--over what had just passed, a little daughter cameinto the parlour, and seeing him, came prattling merrily to hisside. But in attempting to clamber upon his knee, she was pushed awayrudely, and with angry words. For a few moments she stood looking athim, her little breast rising and falling rapidly; then she turnedoff, and went slowly, and with a grieving heart, from the room. 

Jasper sighed heavily as the child passed out of sight; and rising up, began moving about with a slow pace, his eyes cast upon the floor. The more he dwelt upon the visit of Martin--whom, in his heart, he hadwished dead--the more uneasy he felt, and the more he regretted havinglet him depart in anger. He would give twice ten thousand dollarsrather than meet the exposure which this man could make. 

Riches was the god of Leonard Jasper. Alas! how little power was therein riches to make his heart happy. Wealth beyond what he had hoped toobtain in a whole lifetime of devotion to mammon, had flowed in uponhim in two or three short years. But, was he a happier man? Did heenjoy life with a keener zest? Was his sleep sweeter? Ah, no! In allthat went to make up the true pleasure of life, the humble clerk, driven to prolonged hours of labour, beyond what his strength couldwell bear, through his ill-nature and injustice, was far the richerman. And his wealth consisted not alone in the possession of a clearconscience and a sustaining trust in Providence. There was the love ofmany hearts to bless him. In real household treasures few were as richas he. 

But, in home treasures, how poor was Leonard Jasper! Poor to theextreme of indigence! The love of his children, reaching toward himspontaneously its tendrils, he rejected in the selfish devotion ofevery thought and feeling to business as a means of acquiring wealth. And as to the true riches, which many around him were laying up whereno moth could corrupt nor thieves break through and steal, he rejectedthem as of no account. 

With such a man as Leonard Jasper, holding the position of head of afamily, how little of the true home spirit, so full of tenderness andmutual love, is to be expected! Had Mrs. Jasper been less a woman ofthe world; had she been capable of loving any thing out of herself, and, therefore, of loving her husband and children, with that truelove which seeks their higher good, a different state of things wouldhave existed in this family, spite of Jasper's unfeeling sordidness. But, as it was, no fire of love melted the natural perversenessinherited by the children, and they grew up, cherishing mutualantagonism, and gradually coming to regard their parents only aspersons with power to thwart their inclinations, or as possessing themeans of gratifying their desires. 

With all his wealth, how few were the real sources of happinesspossessed by Jasper! Pressed down with anxiety about the future, and forced to toil beyond his strength, how many of life's truestblessings were poured into the lap of Edward Claire!

The sleep of the poor clerk, that night, was sound and refreshing. Themerchant tossed to and fro on his pillow until long after the midnightwatches advanced upon the morning; and then, when wearied natureclaimed her due, he slept only for brief periods, continually startledby frightful dreams. 

At an early hour next day, he called upon Grind, who was still hislegal adviser. 

"Have you seen Martin?" he asked the moment he entered the office. 

"Martin! Surely he is not in the city!" returned Grind evasively. 

"He surely is, " said Jasper, fretfully. 

"Martin. Where in the world did he come from? I thought him somewherein the neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains. What does he want?

"No good, of course. "

"That may be said safely. Have you seen him?"

"Yes. "

"When? This morning?"

"No; he called at my house last night. "

"Called last night! What did he want?"

"Ten thousand dollars, " replied Jasper. 

"Ten thousand dollars!!" The lawyer's well-feigned surprise completedthe deception practised upon Jasper. He did not, for an instant, suspect collusion between him and Martin. 

"Yes; he very coolly proposed that I should lend him that sum, enablehim to carry on some lead-mining operations in the west. "

"Preposterous!"

"So I told him. "

"Well, what did he say?"

"Oh, he blustered, and made covert threats of exposure, of course. "

"The scoundrel!" said Grind, fiercely. 

"He's a villain double-dyed. I have never ceased to regret that webrought him into this business. We should have had a man of betterspirit--of a nicer sense of honour. "

"Yes, Mr. Jasper, that is true enough, " replied Grind; "but themischief is, your men of nicer honour are too squeamish for the kindof work in which we employed him. This is the defect in all suchoperations. Men cannot be thoroughly trusted. "

The merchant sighed. He felt too deeply the force of Grind's remark. 

"You know, " said he, "this Martin better than I do. What is hischaracter? Is he a mere blusterer, whose bark is worse than his bite;or is he vindictive and unscrupulous?"

"Both vindictive and unscrupulous. I must warn you not to provoke hisill-will. He would take delight in exposing all he knows about thisbusiness, if he is once fairly turned against you. A fast friend--heis a bitter enemy. "

"But see what a price he demands for his friendship! I have alreadygiven him some five thousand dollars for his services, and now hedemands ten more. In a year he will be back, and coolly seek to levy acontribution of twenty thousand dollars. "

"I understood you to say that he only asked for a loan, " remarks thelawyer. 

"A loan! That's mere mockery. If you placed ten thousand dollars inhis hands, would you ever expect to see the first copper of it again?"

Grind shrugged his shoulders. 

"Of course you would not. It's a levy, not a loan--and so he, in hisheart, regards it. "

"He's a dangerous man, " said the lawyer, "and it's to be regrettedthat you ever had any thing to do with him. But, now that your hand isin the lion's mouth, the wisest thing is to get it out with as littledetriment as possible. "

"Ten thousand dollars!" ejaculated the merchant. "Why, it's downrightrobbery! He might just as well stop me on the highway. "

"It's a hard case, I must own, Mr. Jasper. You might resist him, and, at least not let him obtain what he demands without a struggle; butthe question is, may you not receive a mortal wound in the contest. "

"Ah! that is the rub, Grind. Rather than meet the exposure he couldmake, I would give twenty thousand dollars; yea, half, if not all I amworth. "

Can wealth, held on such a tenure, and in such a state of mind, becalled riches? Ah, no. How the possession is changed from a blessinginto a curse!

"Then, Mr. Jasper, " replied the lawyer, "there is but one course plainbefore you. If you make this man your enemy, he will surely pursue youto the death. There is no pity in him. "

Jasper groaned aloud. Ere he could reply, the door of the officeopened, and the individual about whom they were conversing entered. With the skill of practised actors, each instantly assumed a part, andhid, under a false exterior, their true states of mind. With somethingof cordiality each greeted the other: while side-glances, unobservedby Jasper, passed rapidly between Martin and the lawyer. A fewcommonplace inquiries and remarks followed, when Jasper made amovement to go, saying, as he did so--

"Mr. Martin, I will be pleased to see you some time to-day. "

"Thank you; I will do myself the pleasure to call, " was coollyanswered. "At what time will you be most at leisure?"

"During the afternoon. Say at four or five o'clock. "

"I will be there at four, " returned Martin, in a bland voice, and witha courteous inclination of the head. 

"Very well--you will find me in. "

The merchant bowed to the accomplices--they were nothing better--andretired. 

"Humph! I didn't expect to find him here quite so early, " said Martin, with a sinister smile. "I rather guess I frightened him last night. "

"I rather guess you did, " returned the lawyer, his countenancereflecting the light that played on the other's face. 

"Will the money come?" asked Martin. 

"Undoubtedly. "

"That's good. Ten thousand?"

"Yes. "

"What did he say? He came to consult you, of course?"

"Yes. "

"Well, what did he say?"

"More than I need take time to repeat. He is thoroughly frightened. That is enough for you to know. "

"Ten thousand, " said Martin musingly, and speaking to himself. "Tenthousand! That will do pretty well. But, if he will bleed for fifteenthousand, why may I not set the spring of my lancet a little deeper. Ican make good use of my money. "

"No--no, " returned the lawyer quickly. "Ten thousand is enough. Don'tplay the dog and the shadow. This is over-greediness. "

"Well--well. Just as you say. I can make him another friendly call ina year or so from this time. "

The lawyer smiled in a way peculiar to himself, and then said--

"Hadn't you better be content with five thousand now. This goose will, no doubt, lay golden eggs for some years to come. "

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, " was the quick answer. "I have gone in now for the ten thousand; and ten thousand I musthave. I may be content with a smaller sum at my next appearance. "

"You are to see him at four o'clock?" said Grind. 

"Yes; that was the hour I named. So you must get all the necessarypapers ready for me in time. I don't want to let him get the hitchon me of seeking to extort money. I only ask a loan, and will givebona-fide security on my lead-mine. " Then, with one of his lowchuckles, he added--"If he can get ten thousand dollars out of it, hewill do more than any one else can. Ha! ha! ha!"

"The evidence of property, which you have, " said Grind, "is all as itshows on the face?"

"It is, upon honour. "

"Very well. Then I will draw the necessary papers, so that as littledelay as possible need occur in the transference of security for theloan. "

What further passed between the parties is of no consequence to thereader. 

At four o'clock, precisely, Martin was at the store of Jasper. 

"I hope to find you a little more reasonable today, " said themerchant, with a forced smile, as the two men, after retiring to aremote part of the store, sat down and faced each other. 

"I should be sorry to do any thing out of reason, " returned Martin. His manner was more serious than Jasper's. 

"I think your present demand out of reason, " was answered. 

"No good can possibly come, Mr. Jasper, " said Martin, with a slightair of impatience, "out of an argument between you and I, on thissubject. The sum I named to you last night I must have. Nothing lesswill meet my present want. But, understand me distinctly, I only askit as a loan, and come prepared to give you the fullest security. "

As Mr. Martin said this, he drew a package of papers from his pocket. "Here are the necessary documents, " he added. 

"Ten thousand dollars! Why, my dear sir, a sum like this is not to bepicked up in the streets. "

"I am very well aware of that, " was the cool answer. "Had such beenthe case, I never would have troubled you with procuring the sum; norwould I have gone to the expense and fatigue of a long journey. "

"You certainly ought to know enough of business, Martin, to be awarethat ten thousand dollars is not always to be commanded, even by thewealthiest, at a moment's notice. "

"I do not ask the whole sum in cash, " replied Martin. "Three or fourthousand in ready money will do. Your notes at four and six monthswill answer very well for the balance. "

But we will not record further what passed between these two men. Itwas all in vain that Jasper strove to escape; his adversary was toopowerful. Ere they separated, Martin had in his possession, in cashand promissory notes, the sum of ten thousand dollars!

Already were the ill-gotten riches of Leonard Jasper taking tothemselves wings. Unhappy man! How wretched was he during thatand many succeeding days! Rolling, so to speak, in wealth, he yetpossessed not life's highest blessing, a truly contented mind, flowingfrom conscious rectitude and an abiding trust in Providence. Withoutthese, how poor is even he who counts his millions! With them, howrich is the humble toiler, who, receiving day by day his daily bread, looks up and is thankful!

CHAPTER XVII. 

A few weeks subsequent to the occurrences mentioned in the lastchapter, Leonard Jasper received a call from Mr. Melleville, inwhose service Claire still remained. The greeting of the two men wasdistant, yet courteous. A few words on current topics passed betweenthem, after which Mr. Melleville said--

"I have called to ask you a question or two in regard to a child ofthe late Mr. Elder, to whom you are guardian. "

The blood came instantly to the face of Jasper, who was not preparedfor this; and in spite of his struggle to seem self-possessed, hiseyes sank under those of his visitor. In a few moments, he recoveredhimself, and replied--

"The child, you mean, who is boarding with Edward Claire?"

"The same. " The eyes of Melleville were fixed on those of Jasper sosteadily, that the latter wavered, and, finally, again dropped to thefloor. 

"Well, I am ready to hear any thing that you have to say. " Jasper hadthrown off, once more, the vague sense of coming evil that made himcower under the steady gaze of Melleville. 

"I learn, " said the latter, "from Mr. Claire, that you refuse to payany further sums for her maintenance. Is the property left by herfather, to which common report has affixed considerable value, exhausted, or"--

"I have refused to pay _him_ any further sums, " said Jasper, in aquick, excited voice, interrupting Mr. Melleville. "Our contract, regularly entered into, has expired by limitation. He was to have thecare of her only until she reached her twelfth year. Of this fact heis clearly advised, and I wonder at his pertinacity in endeavouring toretain the child, when he knows that I, her guardian, wish to have herin my own possession. "

"He has had her ever since she was a little child; and both he and hiswife are now strongly attached to her. In fact, she regards them asher parents; and their affection for her is not exceeded bytheir affection for their own children. To separate them would beexceedingly painful to all parties. As for the child, it would makeher very unhappy. "

"I can't help that, Mr. Melleville. " Jasper spoke coldly. 

"Under all the circumstances, " said Mr. Melleville, after a pause, speaking slowly, and with considerable emphasis in his words, "it ismy opinion that you had better let the child remain where she is. "

"Why do you say so?" Jasper spoke with ill-concealed surprise; and theuneasy, suspicious manner, at first exhibited, returned. 

"Claire regards the child as his own; and must so continue to regardher, even though taken out of his hands. "

"Well, what of that?"

"It is for you, Mr. Jasper, " was returned, "to determine for yourself, whether the surveillance of a man like Claire, who cannot now cease tofeel a parent's interest in your ward, will be altogether agreeable. "

"Surveillance! What do you mean? I don't understand this language. Itlooks like an effort to force me into measures. Pray, what have I tofear from Edward Claire?"

"Sometimes, " replied Melleville, with a slow, meaning enunciation, "those we regard as most insignificant are the very ones we shouldmost fear. "

"Fear! Fear, Mr. Melleville! You make use of strange language. "

"Perhaps I do, " was answered. "And, as it seems unpleasant to you, Iwill say no more. I did not mean, when I called, to speak just as Ihave done. But, as the words have been uttered, I beg you to weighthem well, and to believe that they have a meaning. Good morning. "

Jasper suppressed the utterance of the word "stay, " which arose to hislips, and returned the bow of Mr. Melleville, who left without furtherremark. 

"What can this mean?" Thus mused Leonard Jasper, when alone. "Can thisscoundrel, Martin, have dropped a hint of the truth?" A slight shiverwent through his nerves. "Something is wrong. There is suspicion inthe thought of Melleville. I didn't look for trouble in this quarter. "

To his own unpleasant reflections we will leave the merchant, andreturn to Edward Claire and his true-minded, loving-hearted wife. 

For a week or two after the former entered upon his new dutiesas assistant clerk in a night-auction, he experienced no seriousinconvenience from his more prolonged labours, although it did notescape the watchful eyes of his wife that his complexion was losingits freshness, and that his appetite was far from being so good asbefore. After this, he began to suffer oppressive weariness, thatmade the evening's toil a daily increasing burden. Then succeeded afeverish state, accompanied by pains in the head, back, and throughthe breast. Edith remonstrated, even with tears; but still Claire wentnightly to his task, though each successive evening found him withless and less ability for its performance. 

At last, he came home from the store of Mr. Melleville, at the usualtea-time, feeling so unwell that he was forced to lie down. He had noappetite for supper, and merely sipped part of a cup of tea brought tohim by his wife as he still reclined upon the bed. 

"Don't get up, " said Edith, seeing her husband, after he had lain forsome time, about to rise. 

"I can't lie here any longer; it's nearly seven o'clock now. "

"You're not going out to-night!"

"O yes; I must be at the store. There is no one to take my place, andthe sales will begin by the time I can get there. "

"But you are too sick to go out, Edward. "

"I feel much better than I did, Edith. This little rest has refreshedme a great deal. "

"No--no, Edward! You must not go away, " said his wife in a distressedvoice. "You are sick now, and the extra exertion of an evening maythrow you into a serious illness. "

"I feel a great deal better, dear, " urged Claire. "But, sick or well, I must be there to-night, for the sale cannot go on without me. If Ido not feel better to-morrow, I will ask Mr. F---- to get some one, temporarily, in my place. "

Still Edith opposed, but in vain. 

By the time Claire arrived at the auction store, his head wasthrobbing with a pain so intense that he could scarcely see. Still, heresolutely persevered in his determination to go through, if possible, with the duties of the evening; and so, taking his place at his desk, as the auctioneer went upon the stand to cry the goods which hadbeen advertised for sale, he prepared to keep the usual record ofpurchasers and prices. This he was able to do for half an hour, whenovertaxed and exhausted nature could bear up no longer. 

"Mr. Claire, " said the auctioneer, as he took in hand a new article, "did you make that last entry?--Mr. Jackson, ten cents a yard. "

Claire's head had fallen over on the book in which he had beenwriting, and the auctioneer, supposing him only yielding to amomentary feeling of fatigue, or indolence, thus called his attentionto his duties. 

But Claire made no answer. 

"Say! young man! Are you asleep!" The auctioneer spoke now with somesharpness of tone; but, as before, his words were not heeded. 

"What's the matter, Mr. Claire? Are you sick?"

Still no response or movement. 

"Mr. Claire! Bless me!" The auctioneer was now by his side, with hishand on him. "Bring some water, quick! He's fainted--or is dead! Here!some one help me to lay him down. "

Two or three men came quickly behind the auctioneer's stand andassisted to lift the insensible man from the high stool on which hewas seated, and place his body in a reclining position. Then waterwas dashed into his face, and various other means of restoration used. Full ten minutes passed before signs of returning life were exhibited. His recovery was very slow, and it was nearly an hour before he waswell enough to be removed to his dwelling. 

The shock of his appearance, supported from the carriage in which hehad been conveyed home, by two men, was terrible to his wife, whoseanxiety and fear had wrought her feelings already up to a high pitchof excitement. 

"Oh! what is the matter? What has happened?" she cried, wringing herhands, while her face blanched to a deathly paleness. 

"Don't be frightened, " returned Claire, smiling feebly. "It was only aslight fainting fit. I'm over it now. "

"That's all, madam, " said the men who had brought him home. "He merelyfainted. Don't be alarmed. It's all over. "

After receiving the thanks of Claire and his assurances that he needednothing further from their kindness, the men retired, and Edward thenmade every effort in his power to calm down the feelings of his wife, who continued weeping. This was no easy task, particularly as he wasunable long to hide the many evidences of serious illness from whichhe was suffering. Against his remonstrance, so soon as she saw howit was with him, Mrs. Claire sent off the domestic for their familyphysician; who on learning the causes which led to the condition inwhich he found his patient, hesitated not to say that he must, as hevalued his life, give up the night tasks he had imposed upon himself. 

"Other men, " said Claire, in answer to this, "devote quite as manyhours to business. "

"All men are not alike in constitution, " returned the physician. "Andeven the strongest do not make overdrafts upon the system, withoutfinding, sooner or later, a deficit in their health-account. Asfor you, nature has not given you the physical ability for greatendurance. You cannot overtask yourself without a derangement ofmachinery. "

How reluctantly, and with what a feeling of weakness, Claireacquiesced in this decision, the reader may imagine. 

The morning found him something better, but not well enough to sit up. Mrs. Claire had, by this time, recovered in a measure her calmness andconfidence. She had thought much, during the sleepless hours of thepreceding night, and though the future was far from opening clearlyto her straining vision, her mind rested in a well-assured confidencethat all things would work together for their good. She knew in whomshe trusted. On the Rock of Ages she had built the habitation wheredwelt her higher hopes; and the storms of this world had no power toprevail against it. 

How little dreamed gentle Fanny Elder--or Fanny Claire, as shewas called--when she laid her cheek lovingly to that of her sick"father"--she knew him by no other name--and drew her arms around hisneck, that he was suffering alone on her account. In her unselfishlove, Claire felt a sweet compensation--while all he endured on heraccount had the effect to draw her, as it were, into his very heart. 

As quickly as it could be done, Mrs. Claire got through with the mostpressing of her morning duties, and then, the older children away toschool, she came and sat down by her husband's bedside, and took hishand in hers. As he looked into her face, pale from sleeplessness andanxiety, tears filled his eyes. 

"O, Edie!" said he, his voice tremulous with feeling, "isn't thisdisheartening? What _are_ we to do?"

"_He_ careth for us, " was the low, calmly spoken reply; and, as Edithlifted a finger upward, a ray of heavenly confidence beamed in hercountenance. 

"I know, Edie; I know, but"--

The sick man left his sentence unfinished. A heavy sigh marking hisstate of doubt and darkness. 

"We must feel as well as know, Edward, " said his wife. "God is good. In looking back through all our past life, does not the retrospectionlead to this undoubting conclusion? I am sure you will say yes. Hashe not, in every case, proved better to us than all our fears?--Why, then, should we distrust him now? In the beautiful language of Cowper, let us say in these dark seasons--

 'Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. '

"Shall we doubt the sun's existence, because the night has fallen? No, dear husband, no! There are bright stars smiling above us in token ofhis unerring return. We know that the morning cometh after a season ofdarkness; and so, after our spirits have lingered awhile in the realmof shadows, the light will break in from above. Has it not always beenso, Edward?"

"He has led us by a way which we knew not. "

The sick man's eyes were closed as he murmured these words; and hisvoice was slightly tremulous, yet expressive of a returning state ofconfidence. 

"Yet, how safely, " replied Edith. "When our feet were in slipperyplaces, and we leaned on Him, did he not support us firmly? and whenthe mire and clay were deep in our path, did He not keep us fromsinking therein?"

"He is goodness itself, " said Claire, a calmer expression coming intohis face. "It is wrong so to let doubt, distrust, and fear creep inand get possession of the heart; but, we are human--weakness and errorare born with us. When the way in which we are walking is suddenlyclosed up before us, and we see the opening to no other way, how canwe keep the faint heart from sinking?"

"Only as Peter was saved from sinking. If we look to God, He will liftour hearts above the yielding billows. If we stand still, hopefullyand trustingly, the high mountain before us will become as a plain, sothat we can walk on in a smooth way, joyful and rejoicing. "

"And so this high mountain, which has risen up so suddenly, willsoon be cleft for us or levelled to a plain, if we wait patiently andconfidingly for its removal?"

"Oh! I am sure of it, Edward, " replied Mrs. Claire, with a beautifulenthusiasm. "We are His creatures, and He loves us with an infinitelove. When his children are disposed to trust too much to the arm offlesh, He sometimes shows them their weakness in order that they mayfeel His strength. Faithfully and unselfishly, my husband, have youtried to meet the suddenly increased demand upon us: and this out oflove for one of God's children. In the trial, weakness has prevailedover strength. Suddenly your hands have fallen to your side powerless. God saw it all; and permitted it all; and, in His own good time, willsupply, from other sources, all that is really needed. We have thepromise--our bread shall be given, and our water sure--not onlythe natural food that sustains outward life, but the true bread ofheavenly affections, and the waters of pure truth, which nourish andsustain the spirit. "

Edith ceased speaking. Her husband did not make an immediate reply;but lay pondering her words, and letting his thoughts expand theirwings in the purer atmosphere into which she had lifted him. 

After that they conversed together hopefully of the future; not thatthey saw the way more clearly before them, but heavenly confidence hadtaken the place of human distrust. 

It was, perhaps, eleven o'clock in the day--the doctor had been there, and pronounced the condition of his patient favourable, but enjoinedquiet and prolonged rest from either bodily or mental exertion--andthe mind of Claire was beginning to run again in a slightly troubledchannel. 

"Here is a letter for you, " said his wife, coming into the room, aftera brief absence. "A young man just left it at the door. "

Claire took the letter, wondering as he did so who it could be from. On breaking the seal, and unfolding it, he was greatly surprised tofind within a check to his order for one hundred and fifty dollars, signed Leonard Jasper; and still more surprised to read theaccompanying note, which was in these words:

"Enclosed you will find one hundred and fifty dollars, the sum dueyou for Fanny Elder's maintenance during the past and current quarter. When convenient, I should be glad to see you. Seeing that the childhas remained with you so long, I don't know that it will be advisableto make a change now, although I had other views in regard to her. However, when you call, we can settle matters in regard to herdefinitively. "

"Better to us than all our fears, " murmured Claire, as he handed theletter to his wife, who read it with a truly thankful heart. 

"Our way is smooth once more, " she said, smiling through outpressingtears--"the mountain has become a level plain. All the dark cloudshave been swept from our sky, and the sun is shining even morebrightly than of old. "

It was more than a week before Claire was sufficiently recovered togo out and attend to business as usual. At the first opportunity, he called upon Mr. Jasper, who received him with marked kindness ofmanner. 

"I do not, now, " said the merchant, "entertain the same views inregard to my ward that I did some time ago. Your opposition tomy wishes then, fretted me a good deal; and I made up my mind, decisively, that so soon as she was twelve years of age, you must giveher up. It was from this feeling that I acted when I refused to payyour last order. Since then, I have reflected a good deal on thesubject; and reflection has modified, considerably, my feelings. Ican understand how strong must be the attachment of both yourself andwife, and how painful the thought of separation from a long-cherishedobject of affection. "

"The dread of separation, Mr. Jasper, " replied Claire, "has haunted usduring the last two years like an evil spirit. "

"It need haunt you no more, Edward, " was the kindly spoken reply. "Ifyou still wish to retain the care of this child, you are free to doso. "

"You have taken a mountain from my heart, Mr. Jasper, " was the youngman's feeling response. 

"It is settled, then, Edward, that she remains with you. And now Imust say a word about her education. I wish that to be thorough. She must have good advantages; better than the sum now paid for hermaintenance will procure. "

Claire made no reply, and Jasper continued--

"I have this to propose. The bulk of property left by her father iscontained in two moderate-sized houses, one of which is at this timewithout a tenant. It is a very comfortable house for a small family. Just the thing, I should say, for you. If you will move into thishouse, you shall have it rent free, as a set-off to the increasedcharge Fanny will be to you in future. The three hundred per annumwill be paid as usual. How will that do?"

"The compensation, I think, will be greater than the service, " repliedClaire. 

"Not at all. During the next five or six years, or until she gainsher majority, you will find the cost of clothing and education aconstantly increasing sum. I know more about these things than youdo. And I am very sure, since I understand your relation to her, thattwice this expenditure, could not gain for her what she will havewhile in your care. As her guardian, I feel it my duty to provideliberally for her comfort and education, and to this you, of course, can have nothing to object. "

And Claire did not object. In a few weeks from that time he removedinto one of the houses mentioned by Jasper--a larger and far morecomfortable one than that in which he had lived for several years. Here, with a thankful heart, he gathered his wife and childrenaround him. How happy they all were! Not selfishly happy--if suchcontradictory terms may be used--but happy in the warmth of mutuallove. A heaven on earth was this little household. Shall we contrastit with that of Leonard Jasper? No!--the opposite picture would leaveupon the reader's mind too sad an impression; and we will not burdenthis chapter with another shadow. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

During the five or six following years, a number of events occurredbearing more or less seriously upon some of the actors in our story. With Edward Claire and his family, life had flowed on in an evencurrent; and, but for the fact that his health never fairly recoveredfrom the shock it received in consequence of his having taxed hisphysical system beyond its capability of endurance, the sunshine wouldnever have been a moment from his threshold. 

The important addition made to his income through the new arrangementvolunteered by Fanny's guardian, gave to his external condition a morefavourable aspect. He was no longer troubled about the ways and meansof providing for his needful expenses. A much better situation, so faras a higher salary was concerned, had, during this time offered; but, as it required an amount of confinement and labour which he could notgive, without endangering his health, he wisely declined the offer. 

Far less smoothly had the current of Leonard Jasper's life flowedon. Twice during this period had he received visits from his oldacquaintance, Martin, and each time he was made poorer by fivethousand dollars. It was all in vain that he struggled and resisted. The man had no compassion in him. He cared not who suffered loss, sohe was the gainer. 

There were other miners at work sapping the foundations of Jasper'sfortune, besides this less concealed operator. Parker, the young manwho succeeded to the place of Claire, and who was afterward raised tothe condition of partner, with a limited interest, was far frombeing satisfied with his dividend in the business. The great bulk ofJasper's means were used in outside speculations; and as the result ofthese became successively known to Parker, his thoughts began to runin a new channel. "If I only had money to go into this, " and, "If Ionly had money to go into that, " were words frequently on his tongue. He regarded himself as exceedingly shrewd; and confidently believedthat, if he had capital to work with, he could soon amass anindependent fortune. 

"Money makes money, " was his favourite motto. 

Unscrupulous as his partner, it is not surprising that Parker, erelong, felt himself perfectly authorized to use the credit of the housein private schemes of profit. To do this safely, it was necessary tohave a friend outside of the firm. Such a friend he did not find itvery hard to obtain; and as nearly the whole burden of the businessfell upon his shoulders, it was not at all difficult to hide everything from Jasper. 

Confident as Parker was in his great shrewdness, his speculationsoutside of the business did not turn out very favourably. His firstessay was in the purchase of stocks, on which he lost, in a week, twothousand dollars. 

Like the gamester who loses, he only played deeper, in the hope ofrecovering his losses; and as it often happens with the gamester, insimilar circumstances, the deeper he played, the more he lost. 

And so it went on. Sometimes the young man had a turn of good fortune, and sometimes all the chances went against him. But he was too farcommitted to recede without a discovery. There was no standing still;and so newer and bolder operations were tried, involving larger andlarger sums of money, until the responsibilities of the firm, addedto the large cash drafts made without the cognizance of Jasper, wereenormous. 

To all such mad schemes the end must come; and the end came in thisinstance. Failing to procure, by outside operations, sufficient moneyto meet several large notes, he was forced to divulge a part of hisiniquity to Jasper, in order to save the credit of the firm. Suspicionof a deeper fraud being thereby aroused in the mind of his partner, time, and a sifting investigation of the affairs of the house, revealed the astounding fact that Parker had abstracted in money, andgiven the notes of the firm for his own use, to the enormous amount offifty thousand dollars. 

A dissolution of co-partnership took place in consequence. Parker, blasted in reputation, was dragged before a court of justice, in orderto make him disgorge property alleged to be in his possession. Butnothing could be found; and he was finally discharged from custody. The whole loss fell upon Jasper. He had nursed a serpent in his bosom, warming it with the warmth of his own life; and the serpent had stunghim. Is it any wonder?

This circumstance, the discovery of Parker's fraudulent doings, tookplace about two years prior to the time when Fanny Elder attained herlegal age. 

The first thought of Jasper, after his separation from Parker, whichtook place immediately on discovering that he had used the credit ofthe firm improperly, was to send for Claire, and offer him a salaryof a thousand dollars a year, to come in and fill the responsibleposition as clerk, from which Parker had just been ejected as partner. 

"I can trust him fully, " said Jasper to himself; "and I don't knowanybody else that I can trust. He is honest; I will give him creditfor that; too honest, it may be, for his own good. But, I don't know. Who would not rather be in his shoes than in Parker's?"

For some time Jasper's mind was favourable to making Claire the offerproposed, and he was about writing him a note, when a new view of thecase struck him, dependent on the young man's relation to his ward, Fanny Elder. 

"Oh no, no, no!" said he emphatically, speaking to himself--"that, I fear me, will not do. It would give him too open an access tomy books, papers, and private accounts, in which are entries andmemoranda that it might be dangerous for him to see. "

Jasper sighed deeply as he finished this sentence, and then fell intoa musing state. His thoughts, while this lasted, were not of the mostself-satisfying character. Some serious doubts as to his having, inthe main, pursued the wisest course in life, were injected into hismind; and, remarkable as it may seem for one so absorbed in the loveof gain, there were moments when he almost envied the poor, but honestclerk, who had an approving conscience, and feared no man's scrutiny. 

It was with no slight reluctance that he finally came to theconclusion that it would be altogether unsafe to take Claire into hisemployment. And so he cast about for some one to supply the placeleft vacant by Parker's withdrawal from the business. In his finalselection he was not over-fortunate, as the result proved. The newclerk was shrewd, and capable enough, and apparently as much devotedto his employer's interests as Jasper could wish. Had not his owninterests been regarded as paramount to those of the merchant, Jasperwould have possessed in him a valuable assistant. But the clerkdid not rise superior to temptations which came in his way. Jasper continued to trade on the close-cutting, overreaching, andunscrupulous system; and under such a teacher his clerk proved an aptlearner. 

"He cuts right and left, " said he to himself, "and why may not I cutleft and right when a good opportunity offers?"

Soon he began to "cut left and right, " as he termed it, and it was notremarkable that, in his cutting operations, his employer occasionallysuffered. The upshot was, after holding his situation a year, thatseveral false entries, in his hand-writing, were discovered in thebooks of Mr. Jasper. To what extent he robbed his employer, the latternever accurately knew; but he was worse off by at least three or fourthousand dollars through his peculations. 

Again the question of taking Claire once more into his employment cameup in the mind of Jasper. After viewing it on every side, the decisionwas adverse. He felt that too great a risk was involved. And so heemployed one in whom he could confide with less certainty. 

Several years had now passed since the merchant began to feel theshock of adverse winds. All before was a summer sea, and the ship ofhis fortune had bent her sails alone to favouring breezes. But thiswas to be no longer. His ship had suffered not only by stress ofweather, but also by the sacrifice of a portion of cargo to save whatremained. And, at last, she was driving on toward the breakers, andher safety from destruction only hoped for through the activity, skill, and tireless vigilance of her helmsman. 

A few years before, Mr. Jasper considered himself worth between twoand three hundred thousand dollars; now, he passed sleepless nights infear of impending ruin. He had trusted in riches; he had called them, in his heart, the greatest good. At his word they had poured in uponhim from all sides, until he was half bewildered at sight of theglittering treasures; but, just as he began to feel secure in hispossessions, they began to take themselves wings and fly away. 

And, alas for him! he had laid up no other treasures. None in heaven;none in the hearts of his wife and children; none in his own mind. Thestaff upon which he had leaned was now a splintering reed, wounding asit bent under him. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

There was one point of time to which Leonard Jasper looked with nolittle anxiety, and that was to the period of Fanny Elder's majority, when it was his purpose to relinquish his guardianship, and wash hishands, if it were possible to do so, entirely clean of her. Until theestate left by her father was settled up, the property in her handsand receipts in his, there was danger ahead. And, as the time drewnearer and nearer, he felt increasing uneasiness. 

On the very day that Fanny reached her eighteenth year, Jasper sent anote to Claire, asking an interview. 

"I wish, " said he, when the latter came, "to have some conference withyou about Miss Elder. She has now, you are no doubt aware, attainedthe legal age. Such being the case, I wish, as early as it can bedone, to settle up the estate of her father, and pay over to her, orto any person she may select as her agent, the property in my hands. It has increased some in value. Will you consult her on the subject?"

Claire promised to do so; and, at the same time, asked as to theamount of Fanny's property. 

"The total value will not fall much short of eight thousand dollars, "replied Jasper. "There are two houses and lots that would sell at anytime for six thousand dollars. You live in one of these houses, andthe other is rented for two hundred and fifty dollars. Then there arenearly two thousand dollars in six per cent. Stocks. When her fatherdied, his estate consisted of these two houses, and a piece of poorland which he had taken as satisfaction for a debt. At the firstopportunity, I sold the land and invested the money. This sum, withaccumulations of interest, and rents received for several years, beyond what was required for Fanny's maintenance, has now increasedto within a fraction of two thousand dollars, and is, as just said, invested in stocks. I think, " added Jasper, "that you had betterassume the management of this property yourself. Get from Miss Elder apower of attorney authorizing you to settle the estate, and the wholebusiness can be completed in a very short time. I will make you out anaccurate statement of every thing, so that you will be at no loss tocomprehend the accounts. "

To this there could, of course, be no objection on the part of Claire. He promised to confer with Fanny, and let Jasper know, in a day ortwo, the result. 

Now came a new trial for Claire and his wife. They had taken Fanny, when only four years of age, and taken her so entirely into their homeand affections, that she had almost from the first seemed to them asone of their own children. In a brief time the earlier memories of thechild faded. The past was absorbed in the present; and she lovedas parents none other than those she called by the tender names of"father" and "mother. " The children with whom she grew up sheknew only as her brothers and sisters. This thorough adoption andincorporation of the child into their family was not, in any sense, the work of design on the part of Claire and his wife. But they saw, in the beginning, no reason to check the natural tendency thereto. When little Fanny, of her own accord, addressed them, soon after hervirtual adoption, as "father" and "mother, " they accepted the child'sown interpretation of their relative positions, and took her from thatmoment more entirely into their hearts. 

And so Fanny Elder grew up to womanhood, in the full belief that shewas the child of Mr. And Mrs. Claire. The new trial through which thisexcellent couple were now to pass, the reader can easily imagine. The time had come when Fanny must know the real truth in regard toherself--must be told that she had no natural claim upon the love ofthose whose love she prized above all things. 

It seemed cruel to take away the conscious right to love and be loved, which had so long blessed her. And yet the truth must now be madeknown, and Mrs. Claire took upon herself the task of breaking it asgently as possible. 

A woman in age and stature, yet with all the gentle deference ofa daughter, Fanny moved by the side of Mrs. Claire with a lovingthoughtfulness, daily sharing her household duties. Some months beforeshe had left school, but was still taking lessons in music and French, and devoting a portion of time to practice in drawing, for which shehad a decided taste. 

On the day after Mr. Claire's interview with Jasper, Mrs. Claire saidto Fanny, with a seriousness of tone and manner that brought a look ofsurprise to her face--

"Come to my room with me, dear. I have something to say to you. "

Fanny moved along by her side, wondering to herself what could be inher mother's mind. On entering the chamber, Mrs. Claire shut the door, and then, as she sat down, with an arm around the young girl's waist, she said, in a thoughtful, earnest voice--

"Fanny, I want you to tell me the first thing you recollect in life. "

"The first thing, mother?" She smiled at a request so unexpected, andMrs. Claire smiled in return, though from a different cause. 

"Yes, dear. I have a reason for asking this. Now, let your thoughtsrun back--far back, and recall for me the very first thing you canrecollect. "

The countenance of Fanny grew thoughtful, then serious, and then ahalf-frightened look flashed over it. 

"Why, mother, " said she, "what can you mean? What do you want toknow?"

"Your first recollection, dear?" returned Mrs. Claire, with anassuring smile, although her heart was full, and it required the mostactive self-control to prevent her feelings from becoming manifest inher voice. 

"Well, let me see! The first? The first? I was playing on the floorwith a dear little baby? It was our Edie, wasn't it?"

"Yes--so far your memory is correct. I remember the time to which yourefer as perfectly as if but a week had passed. Now, dear, try if youcan recall any thing beyond that. "

"Beyond that, mother? Oh, why do you ask? You make me feel sostrangely. Can it be that some things I have thought to be only thememory of dreams, are indeed realities?"

"What are those things, my child?"

"I have a dim remembrance of a pale, but beautiful woman who oftenkissed and caressed me--of being in a sick-room--of a strangeconfusion in the house--of riding in a carriage with father to afuneral. Mother! is there any thing in this; if so, what does itmean?"

"That woman, Fanny, " said Mrs. Claire, speaking with forced composure, "was your mother. "

The face of the young girl grew instantly pale; her lips parted;and she gasped for breath. Then falling forward on the bosom of Mrs. Claire, she sobbed--

"Oh, mother! mother! How can you say this? It cannot, it cannot be. You are my own, my only mother. "

"You did not receive your life through me, Fanny, " replied Mrs. Claire, so soon as she could command her voice, for she too wasovercome by feeling--"but in all else I am your mother; and I love youequally with my other children. If there has ever been a difference, it has all been in your favour. "

"Why, why did you destroy the illusion under which I have so longrested?" said Fanny, when both were more composed. "Why tell mea truth from which no good can flow? Why break in upon my happyignorance with such a chilling revelation? Oh, mother, mother! Forgiveme, if I say you have been cruel. "

"Not so, my child. Believe me, that nothing but duty would have everdriven me to this avowal. You are now at woman's legal age. You havea guardian, in whose hands your father, at his death, left, for yourbenefit, some property; and this person now desires to settle theestate, and transfer to you what remains. "

Bewildered, like one awakening from a dream, Fanny listened tothis strange announcement. And it was some time before she reallycomprehended her true position. 

"Not your child--a guardian--property!--What does it all mean? Am Ireally awake, mother?"

"Yes, dear, you are awake. It is no dream, believe me, " was the tenderreply of Mrs. Claire. "But, remember, that all this does notdiminish our love for you--does not remove you in the least fromour affections. You are still our child, bound to us by a thousandintertwining chords. "

But little more passed between them at this interview. Fanny askedfor no more particulars, and Mrs. Claire did not think it necessary togive any further information. Fanny soon retired to her own chamber, there to commune with her thoughts, and to seek, in tears, relief toher oppressed feelings. 

The meeting of Claire with Fanny, on his return home, was affecting. She met him with a quivering lip and moistened eyes, and, as shelaid her cheek against his breast, murmured in a sad, yet deeplyaffectionate voice--

"My father!"

"My own dear child!" quickly replied Claire, with emotion. 

And then both stood for some time silent. Leading her to a seat, Claire said tenderly--

"I have always loved you truly, and now you are dearer to me thanever. "

"My more than father, " was her simple response. 

"My own dear child!" said Mr. Claire, kissing her fondly. "We haveever blessed the day on which you came to us from God. "

Words would only have mocked their feelings, and so but few wordspassed between them, yet how full of thoughts crowding upon thoughtswere their minds--how over-excited their hearts with new emotions oflove. 

After the younger members of the family had retired on that evening, Mr. And Mrs. Claire and Fanny were alone together. All three were ina calmer state of mind. Fanny listened with deep attention, her handshading her countenance so as to conceal its varying expression, toa brief history of her parentage. Of things subsequent to the time ofher entrance into her present home, but little was said. There wasan instinctive delicacy on the part of Claire and his wife, now thatFanny was about coming into the possession of property, which keptback all allusion to the sacrifices they had made, and the pain theyhad suffered on her account, in their contentions with her guardian. In fact, this matter of property produced with them a feeling ofembarrassment. They had no mercenary thoughts in regard to it--hadno wish to profit by their intimate and peculiar relation. And yet, restricted in their own income, and with a family growing daily moreexpensive, they understood but too well the embarrassment whichwould follow, if any very important change were made in their presentexternal relations. To explain every thing to Fanny, would, they knew, lead to an instant tender of all she possessed. But this theycould not do; nor had they a single selfish desire in regard to herproperty. If things could remain as they were, without injustice toFanny, they would be contented; but they were not altogether satisfiedas to the amount they were receiving for her maintenance. It struckthem as being too much; and they had more than once conferred togetherin regard to its reduction. 

The first thing to be done was to make Fanny comprehend her relationto Mr. Jasper, her guardian, and his wish to settle up the estate ofher father, and transfer to her, or her representative, the propertythat remained in his hands. 

"I will leave all with you, father, " was the very natural responsemade to this. "All I have is yours. Do just as you think best. "

On the next day a power of attorney in the name of Edward Claire wasexecuted; and, as Jasper was anxious to get the business settled, every facility thereto was offered. Claire examined the will of Mr. Elder, in which certain property was mentioned, and saw that it agreedwith the guardian's statement. All the accounts were scrutinized; andall the vouchers for expenditure compared with the various entries. Every thing appeared correct, and Claire expressed himself entirelysatisfied. All legal forms were then complied with; and, in due time, the necessary documents were prepared ready for the signature ofClaire, by which Jasper would be freed from the nervous anxiety he hadfor years felt whenever his thoughts went forward to this particularpoint of time. 

On the evening preceding the day when a consummation so long andearnestly looked for was to take place, Jasper, with his mind too muchabsorbed in business troubles to mingle with his family, sat alone inhis library, deeply absorbed in plans and calculations. His confidencein fortune and his own prudence had been growing weaker, daily; andnow it seemed to him as if a great darkness were gathering all around. He had fully trusted in himself; alas! how weak now seemed to himhis human arm; how dim the vision with which he would penetrate thefuture. He was mocked of his own overweening and proud confidence. 

This was his state of mind when a servant came to the library-door, and announced a gentleman who wished to see him. 

"What is his name?" asked Jasper. 

"He said it was no difference. He was a friend. "

"It might make a great difference, " Jasper muttered in an undertone. "Show him up, " he said aloud. 

The servant retired, and Jasper waited for his visitor to appear. Hewas not long in suspense. The door soon reopened, and a man, poorlyclad, and with a face bearing strong marks of intemperance and evilpassions, came in. 

"You do not know me, " said he, observing that the merchant, who hadrisen to his feet, did not recognise him. 

Jasper shook his head. 

"Look closer. " There was an air of familiarity and rude insolenceabout the man. 

"Martin!" exclaimed Jasper, stepping back a few paces. "Is itpossible!"

"Quite possible, friend Jasper, " returned the man, helping himself toa chair, and sinking into it with the air of one who felt himself athome. 

Surprise and perplexity kept the merchant dumb for some moments. Hewould quite as lief have been confronted with a robber, pistol inhand. 

"I do not wish to see you, Martin, " said he, at length, speaking in asevere tone of voice. "Why have you intruded on me again? Are you notsatisfied? Have you no mercy?"

"None, Leonard Jasper, none, " replied the man scowling. "I never knewthe meaning of the word--no more than yourself. "

"You are nothing better than a robber, " said the merchant, bitterly. 

"I only share with bolder robbers their richer plunder, " retorted theman. 

"I will not bear this, Martin. Leave my presence. "

"I will relieve you certainly, " said the visitor, rising, "when youhave done for me what I wish. I arrived here, to-day, penniless; andhave called for a trifling loan to help me on my way North. "

"Loan! what mockery! I will yield no further to your outrageousdemands. I was a fool ever to have feared the little power youpossess. Go, sir! I do not fear you. "

"I want your check for two hundred dollars--no more, " said Martin, ina modified tone--"I will not be hard on you. Necessity drives me tothis resort; but I hope never to trouble you again. "

"Not a dollar, " replied Jasper, firmly. "And now, my friend, seeksome other mode of sustaining yourself in vice and idleness. You havereceived from me your last contribution. In settling the estateof Reuben Elder to the entire satisfaction of all parties, I havedisarmed you. You have no further power to hurt. "

"You may find yourself mistaken in regard to my power, " repliedMartin as he made a movement toward the door, and threw back upon themerchant a side-glance of the keenest malignity. "Many a foot has beenstung by the reptile it spurned. "

The word "stay" came not to Jasper's lips. He was fully in earnest. Martin paused, with his hand on the door, and said--

"One hundred dollars will do. "

"Not a copper, if it were to save you from the nether regions!"cried Jasper, his anger and indignation o'erleaping the boundaries ofself-control. 

He was alone in the next moment. As his excitement cooled down, hefelt by no means indifferent to the consequences which might followthis rupture with Martin. More than one thought presented itself, which, if it could have been weighed calmly a few minutes before, would have caused a slightly modified treatment of his unwelcomevisitor. 

But having taken his position, Jasper determined to adhere to it, andbrave all consequences. 

While Claire was yet seated at the breakfast-table on the nextmorning, word was brought that a gentleman was in the parlour andwished to see him. 

On entering the parlour, he found there a man of exceedingly illappearance, both as to countenance and apparel. 

"My name is Martin, " said this person--"though you do not, I presume, know me. "

Claire answered that he was to him an entire stranger. 

"I have, " said the man, speaking in a low, confidential tone of voice, "became cognisant of certain facts, which it much concerns you, or atleast your adopted daughter, Fanny Elder, to know. "

For a few moments, Claire was overcome with surprise. 

"Concerns Fanny Elder to know! What do you mean, sir?"

"Precisely what I say. There has been a great fraud committed; and Iknow all the ins and the outs of it!"

"By whom?" asked Claire. 

"Ah!" replied the visitor, "that we will come to after a while. "

"Upon whom, then?"

"Upon the estate of Ruben Elder, the father of your adopted daughter. "

Not liking either the man's appearance or manner, Claire said, after amoment's reflection--

"Why have you called to see me?"

"To give the information I have indicated--provided, of course, thatyou desire to have it. "

"On what terms do you propose to act in this matter? Let us understandeach other in the beginning. "

"I can put you in the way of recovering for Miss Elder from twenty toa hundred thousand dollars, out of which she has been cheated. But, before I give you any information on the subject, I shall require anhonourable pledge on your part, as well as written agreement, to payme twenty per cent. Of the whole amount recovered. Will you give it?"

Claire bent his head in thought for some moments. When he looked up hesaid--

"No, sir. I can make no compact with you of this kind. "

"Very well, sir. That closes the matter, " replied Martin, rising. "Ifyou will not buy a fortune at so small a cost, you deserve to be poor. How far your conscience is clear in respect to Miss Elder, is anothermatter. But, perhaps you don't credit what I say. Let me give you asingle hint. Fanny Elder was missing once for three days. I had a handin that affair. Do you think she was carried off, and taken to anothercity for nothing? If so, you are wonderfully mistaken. But goodmorning, sir. If you should, on reflection, change your mind, you canhear of me by calling at the office of Grind, the lawyer. "

"Good morning, " returned Claire, showing not the least disposition toretain the man, toward whom he experienced a strong feeling of dislikeand sense of repulsion. 

Martin lingered a few moments, and then went out, leaving Clairebewildered by a rush of new thoughts. 

CHAPTER XX. 

The meeting of Claire and Jasper, for the final settlement of Mr. Elder's estate, was to take place at the office of Grind, at teno'clock. Before keeping his appointment, the former turned over inhis mind, with careful deliberation, the circumstances which had justoccurred; and the more he thought of it, the better satisfied was hethat a fraud had been committed. The author of that fraud could be noone else but the guardian of Fanny; of whose honesty Claire had, withgood reason, no very high opinion. His conclusion was, not to accept, at present, a settlement of the estate. 

With an uneasy foreboding of evil--he was, in fact, rarely now withoutthat feeling--Leonard Jasper took his way to the office of Grind. Notwithstanding he had defied Martin, he yet feared him. But he was sonear to the point of comparative safety, that he hoped soon to be pastall real danger from this quarter. Too little time had elapsed, sincehe parted with him, for Martin to see Claire, even if a thoughtof assailing him in that quarter had crossed his mind. So Jasperbelieved. How sadly taken by surprise was he, therefore, when, onmeeting Claire, the latter said--

"Since I saw you yesterday, a matter has come to my knowledge whichI feel bound to investigate, before proceeding any farther in thisbusiness. "

As if struck by a heavy blow, Jasper moved a pace or two backward, while an instant pallor overspread his face. Quickly recoveringhimself, he said--

"Explain yourself, Edward. What matter has come to your knowledge?"

"On that subject I would prefer speaking with you alone, " repliedClaire. 

"This room is at your service, " said Grind, rising and retiring towardhis front office. "You will be altogether free from intrusion. " And hepassed out, closing the door behind him. 

"Edward, " said Jasper, in as firm a voice as he could assume, "What isthe meaning of this? You look at me with an expression of countenance, and have spoken in a tone that implies a belief on your part that Ihave not acted fairly in the matter of this guardianship. "

"Such, at least, is my impression, " replied Claire, firmly. 

"Have you come here to insult me, sir?" Jasper drew himself up with anoffended manner. 

"No, Mr. Jasper. I have no such intention. All I purpose is, toascertain how far certain information received by me this morning iscorrect. "

"What information?"

The merchant became a good deal agitated. 

"A man named Martin called on me"--

"Martin! oh, the wretch! My curses rest on him, for a base betrayer!"

Claire was startled at the effect produced by his mention of the nameof Martin. Jasper, on hearing this name, believed that every thing hadbeen divulged, and, in the bitterness and despair of this conviction, threw off all concealment. His countenance, which had partly gainedits usual colour, became pallid again, while large beads of sweatoozed from the relaxed pores and stood upon his forehead. Movingback a step or two, he sank into a chair, and averting his face, satstruggling with himself to regain the mastery over his feelings. 

How changed, in a few brief years, had become the relation of thesetwo men. The poor, humble, despised, but honest clerk, now stooderect, while the merchant cowered before him in humiliation and fear. 

"Edward, " said Jasper, as soon as he had sufficient composure of mindto think somewhat clearly and speak calmly, "What do you purpose doingin this matter?"

"What is right, Mr. Jasper, " answered Claire, firmly. "That is myduty. "

"Ruin! ruin! ruin!" exclaimed Jasper, in a low voice, again losingcommand of himself, and wringing his hands hopelessly. "Oh! that itshould have come to this!"

Astonished as Claire was by what he now heard and saw, he felt thenecessity of preserving the most entire self-possession. When Jasperagain put the question--

"What do you purpose doing, Edward?" he replied. 

"I shall be better able to answer that question when I have all theparticulars upon which to make up a decision. At present, I only knowthat a large amount of property has been withheld from Miss Elder; andthat I have only to bring this man Martin into a court of justice tohave every thing made clear. "

"And this you purpose doing?"

"I shall do so, undoubtedly; unless the object to be gained by such acourse is secured in another way. "

"Quite as much, believe me, Edward, can be gained through privatearrangement as by legal investigation, " returned Jasper, his mannergreatly subdued. "You and I can settle every thing, I am sure, betweenourselves; and, as far as my ability will carry me, it shall be toyour entire satisfaction. I have greatly mistaken your character, oryou will take no pleasure in destroying me. "

"Pleasure in destroying you?" Claire was still further affected withsurprise. "In no man's destruction could I take pleasure. "

"I believe you Edward. And now let me give you a history of thismatter from the beginning. You will know better what course to pursuewhen you comprehend it fully. "

And then, to the astonished ears of Claire, Jasper related how, through the man Martin, he became possessed of the fact that thesupposed almost valueless piece of land in Pennsylvania which Mr. Elder had taken to secure a debt of five hundred dollars, containeda rich coal deposite--and how, as executor to his estate, and theguardian of his child, he had by presenting the child in person beforecommissioners appointed by the court, obtained an order for the saleof the land, with the declared purpose of investing the proceeds insome productive property. It was for this that he had been so anxiousto get Fanny, and for this that he carried her off forcibly, althoughhis agency in the matter did not appear. He then related how, in thesale, he became the real purchaser; and how, afterward, the tract, as coal land, was sold to a company for nearly a hundred thousanddollars. 

"But Edward, " said Jasper, as he concluded his humiliating narrative, "I am worse off to-day than if I had never made this transaction. Itgave me a large amount of capital for trade and speculation, butit also involved me in connections, and led me into schemes formoney-making, that have wellnigh proved my ruin. In all truth, I amnot, this day, worth one-half of what I received for that property. "

Jasper ceased speaking; but astonishment kept Claire silent. 

"And now, Edward, " resumed the former, "I am ready to make restitutionas far as in my power lies. You can drag me into court, and thus blastmy reputation; or, you can obtain for Miss Elder as much, or evenmore, than you would probably get by law--for, if driven into thecourts, I will contend to the last moment--through an amicablearrangement. Which course are you disposed to take?"

"I have no desire to harm you, Mr. Jasper--none in the world. If theterms of settlement which you may offer are such as, under all thecircumstances, I feel justified in accepting, I will meet your wishes. But you must bear in mind that, in this matter, I am not acting formyself. "

"I know--but your judgment of the case must determine. "

"True--and in that judgment I will endeavour to hold an equalbalance. "

The two men now retired from the lawyer's office; and, ere parting, arranged a meeting for that evening at the store of Jasper, where theycould be entirely alone. For two or three successive evenings theseconferences were continued, until Claire was entirely satisfied thatthe merchant's final offer to transfer to the possession of FannyElder four houses, valued at five thousand dollars each, in fullsettlement of her father's estate, was the very best he could do; andfar more than he would probably obtain if an appeal were made to thelaw. 

As quickly as this transfer could be made, it was done. Not until thelong-desired documents, vouching for the equitable settlement of theestate, were in Jasper's hands, did he breathe freely. Oh! throughwhat an ordeal he had passed. How his own pride, self-consequence, andself-sufficiency had been crushed out of him! And not only in spiritwas he humbled and broken. In his anxiety to settle up the estate ofMr. Elder, and thus get the sword that seemed suspended over his headby a single hair, removed, he had overstepped his ability. The housesreferred to were burdened with a mortgage of nearly ten thousanddollars; this had, of course, to be released; and, in procuring themoney therefor, he strained to the utmost his credit, thus cuttingoff important facilities needed in his large, and now seriouslyembarrassed business. 

It is the last pound that breaks the camel's back. This abstraction ofmoney and property took away from Jasper just what he needed to carryhim safely through a period of heavy payments, at a time when therewas some derangement in financial circles. In less than a monthfrom the time he settled the estate of Reuben Elder, the news of hisfailure startled the business community. He went down with a heavyplunge, and never again rose to the surface. His ruin was complete. Hehad trusted in riches. Gold was his god; and the idol had mocked him. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Beyond what has already been written, there is not much, in thehistories of those whom we have introduced, to be told, exceptbriefly, worthy the reader's interested attention. 

Martin, the old accomplice of Jasper, finding his power over thatindividual gone, and failing in the card he played against Claire'snice sense of honour and integrity of purpose, now turned, like anill-natured, hungry cur, and showed his teeth to the man through whoseadvice he had so long been able to extort money from Jasper. He feltthe less compunction in so doing, from the fact that Grind, angry withhim for having been the agent of Jasper's final destruction, whichinvolved him in a severe loss, had expressed himself in no measuredterms--had, in fact, lashed him with most bitter and opprobriouswords. 

Several times, during the progress of events briefly stated in theconcluding portions of the last chapter, Martin had, in his frequentvisits to the lawyer, hinted, more or less remotely, at his great needof money. But to these intimations, Grind never gave the slightestresponse. At last the man said boldly--

"Mr. Grind, you must help me to a little money. " This was directlyafter the failure of Jasper. 

"I cannot do it, " was the unequivocal reply. "You have, by yourmiserable vindictiveness, ruined Jasper, after having subsisted onhim for years--base return for all you owe him--and, in doing so, halfdestroyed me. You have killed the goose that laid the golden egg, andthere is no one but yourself to thank for this folly. "

"You must help me, Mr. Grind, " said Martin, his brows knitting, and the muscles of his lips growing rigid. "You had a hand in thatbusiness as well as Jasper; you took a big slice, if he did keepthe major part of the loaf; and so I have a right to ask some slightreturn for important service rendered. "

"What! This to me!" exclaimed Grind, roused to instant excitement. 

"This to you, " was the cool, deliberate answer. 

"You have mistaken your man, " returned the lawyer, now beginning tocomprehend Martin more thoroughly. "I understand my whole relation tothis affair too well to be moved by any attempt at extortion whichyou can make. But I can tell you a little secret, which it may beinteresting for you to know. "

"What is it?" growled the man. 

"Why, that I hold the power to give you a term in the State's prison, whenever I may happen to feel inclined that way. "

"Indeed!" Martin spoke with a cold, defiant sneer. 

"I am uttering no vague threat. From the beginning, I have kept thistrap over you, ready to spring, if need be, at a moment's warning. "

"I suppose you thought me a poor fool, did you not?" said Martin ascoldly and contemptuously as before. "But you were mistaken. I havenot been altogether willing to trust myself in your hands, withoutgood advice from a limb of the law quite as shrewd as yourself. "

"What do you mean?" exclaimed Grind, somewhat startled by sounexpected a declaration. 

"Plainly, " was answered, "while I took your advice as to the surestway to act upon Jasper, I consulted another as to the means ofprotecting myself from you, if matters ever came to a pinch. "

"Oh! Preposterous!" Grind forced a laugh. "That's only anafterthought. "

"Is it. Hark!" Martin bent close to his ear, and uttered a few wordsin an undertone. Grind started as if stung by a serpent. 

"Wretch!"

"It is useless to call ill names, my friend. I have you in my power;and I mean to keep you there. But I shall not be very hard on you. So, don't look so awfully cut down. "

For once the scheming, unscrupulous lawyer found himself outwitted. His tool had proved too sharp for him. Without a doubt he was in hispower to an extent by no means agreeable to contemplate. Grind now sawthat conciliation was far better than antagonism. 

When Martin retired from the lawyer's office, he had in his pocket acheck for two hundred dollars, while behind him was left his solemnpledge to leave the city for New Orleans the next day. The pledge, when given, he did not intend to keep; and it was not kept, as Grindsoon afterward learned, to his sorrow. A drunkard and a gambler, itdid not take Martin long to see once more the bottom of his purse. Notuntil this occurred did he trouble the lawyer again. Then he startledhim with a second visit, and, after a few sharp words, came off withanother check, though for a less amount. 

And for years, leech-like, Martin, sinking lower and lower all thetime, continued his adhesion to the lawyer, abstracting continually, but in gradually diminishing sums, the money needed for natural lifeand sensual indulgence, until often his demands went not above adollar. Grind, reluctantly as he yielded to these demands, believed itwiser to pay them than to meet the exposure Martin had it in hispower to make. And so it went on, until, one day, to his inexpressiblerelief, Grind read in the morning papers an account of the sudden andviolent death of his enemy. His sleep was sounder on the night thatfollowed than it had been for a long, long time. 

Of Edward Claire, and his happy family--not happy merely from animproved external condition, for the foundation of their happiness waslaid in a deeper ground--we have not much to relate. 

When Claire brought to Fanny the title-deeds of the property which hehad recovered from Jasper, she pushed them back upon him, saying, asshe did so--

"Keep them, father--keep them. All is yours. "

"No, my dear child, " replied Claire, seriously, yet with tendernessand emotion, "all is not mine. All is yours. This property, througha wise Providence, has come into your possession. I have no right toit. "

"If it is mine, father, " said Fanny, "have I not a right to do with itwhat I please?"

"In a certain sense you have. "

"Then I give it all to you--you, my more than father!"

"For such a noble tender, my dear child, I thank you in the veryinmost of my heart. But I cannot accept of it, Fanny. "

"Why not, father? Why not? You have bestowed on me more than wealthcould buy! I know something of what you have borne and suffered forme. Your health, now impaired, was broken for me. Oh, my father! canI ever forget that? Can I ever repay you all I owe? Were the world'swealth mine, it should be yours. "

Overcome by her feelings, Fanny wept for some time on the breast ofhim she knew only as her father; and there the interview closed forthe time. 

Soon after it was renewed; and the occasion of this was anadvantageous business offer made to Claire by Mr. Melleville, if hecould bring in a capital of twelve thousand dollars. Two of the housesreceived from Jasper, with some stocks, were sold to furnish thiscapital, and Claire, after his long struggle, found himself in asafe and moderately profitable business; and, what was more, with acontented and thankful spirit. Of what treasures was he possessed?Treasures of affection, such as no money could buy; and, above all, the wealth of an approving conscience. 

Mrs. Claire--happy wife and mother!--how large too was her wealth. From the beginning she had possessed the riches which have nowings--spiritual riches, that depend on no worldly changes; laid up inthe heaven of her pure mind, where moth could not corrupt, nor thievesbreak through and steal. The better worldly fortune that now cameadded to her happiness, because it afforded the means of giving totheir children higher advantages, and procured for them many blessingsand comforts to which they were hitherto strangers. 

Five years, passed under an almost cloudless sky, succeeded, andthen the sweet home circle was broken by the withdrawal of one whosepresence made perpetual sunshine. One so good, so lovely, so fittedin every way to form the centre of another home circle as Fanny Elder, could hardly remain unwooed or unwon. Happily, in leaving the paternalhaven, her life-boat was launched on no uncertain sea. The characterof her husband was based on those sound, religious principles, whichregard justice to man as the expression of love to God. 

A few weeks after the husband of Fanny had taken his lovely young wifeto his own home, Claire waited upon him for the purpose of making aformal transfer of his wife's property. 

"There are four houses, " said Claire, in describing the property;"besides twelve thousand dollars which I have in my business. Aportion of this latter I will pay over; on the balance, while itremains"--

"Mr. Claire, " returned the young man, interrupting him, "the house younow live in, Fanny says, is your property--also the capital in yourbusiness. "

"No--no--no. This is not so. I do not want, and I will not keep adollar of her patrimony. "

"You are entitled to every thing, in good right, " said the young man, smiling. "But we will consent to take one-half as a good start inlife. "

"But, my dear sir"--

We will not, however, record the arguments, affirmations, protestations, etc. , made by each party in this contention, but dropthe curtain, and leave the reader to infer the sequel. He cannot govery far wide of the truth. 

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ARTHUR'S SKETCHES OF LIFE AND CHARACTER, an octavo volume of over 400pages, beautifully illustrated, and bound in the best English muslin, gilt. 

NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 

 The present volume, containing more than four hundred finely-printed octavo pages, is illustrated by spirited engravings, and made particularly valuable to those who like to "see the face of him they talk withal, " by a correct likeness of the author, finely engraved on steel. --_Neal's Gazette_. 

 In the princely mansions of the Atlantic merchants, and in the rude log cabins of the backwoodsman, the name of Arthur is equally known and cherished as the friend of virtue. --_Graham's Magazine_. 

 We would not exchange our copy of these sketches, with its story of "The Methodist Preacher, " for any one of the gilt-edged and embossed annuals which we have yet seen. --_Lady's National Magazine_. 

 The first story in the volume, entitled, "The Methodist Preacher, or Lights and Shadows in the Life of an Itinerant, " is alone worth the price of the work. --_Evening Bulletin_. 

 It is emphatically a splendid work. --_Middletown Whig_. 

 Its worth and cheapness should place it in every person's hands who desire to read an interesting book. --_Odd Fellow, Boonsboro_. 

 "The Methodist Preacher, " "Seed Time and Harvest, " "Dyed in the Wool, " are full of truth, as well as instruction, and any one of them is worth the whole price of the volume. --_Lowell Daystar, Rev. D. C. Eddy, Editor_. 

 There is a fascination about these sketches which so powerfully interests the reader, that few who commence one of them will part with it till it is concluded; and they will bear reading repeatedly. --_Norfolk and Portsmouth Herald_. 

 Those who have not perused these model stories have a rich feast in waiting, and we shall be happy if we can be instrumental in pointing them to it. --_Family Visitor, Madison, Geo_. 

 No library for family reading should be considered complete without this volume, which is as lively and entertaining in its character, as it is salutary in its influence. --_N. Y. Tribune_. 

 The work is beautifully illustrated. Those who are at all acquainted with Arthur's writings need hardly be told that the present work is a prize to whoever possess it. --_N. Y. Sun_. 

 We know no better book for the table of any family, whether regarded for its neat exterior or valuable contents. --_Vox Populi, Low_. 

 The name of the author is in itself a sufficient recommendation of the work. --_Lawrence Sentinel_. 

 T. S. Arthur is one of the best literary writers of the age. --_Watchman, Circleville, Ohio_. 

 The name alone of the author is a sufficient guaranty to the reading public of its surpassing merit. --_The Argus, Gallatin, Miss_. 

 Probably he has not written a line which, dying, he could wish to erase. --_Parkersburg (Va. ) Gazette_. 

THE WAY TO PROSPER, AND OTHER TALES, 12mo, over 200 pages, with six illustrations. 

NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 

 This is one of Mr. Arthur's best books. His object, and he always has in view a noble one, is to recommend family union, a firm adherence to the law which requires us to respect the holy tie of family union, which requires brother to assist brother, and sister, sister. By means of a lively and pleasing narrative, he shows that this principle is not only right, but politic, and that the law of family unions is really the true way to prosper. We commend the volume to our readers as one of the best and most profitable of the many useful works which have been produced by the same accomplished writer. --_Godey's Lady's Book_. 

 This is the title of a small volume published by Mr. J. W. Bradley, of this city. It is from the pen of Mr. T. S. Arthur--the story of two families, one of which prospers by the union of good-will which prevails among the brothers, and leads them always to aid each other in their worldly undertakings; while the other goes to rack and ruin, because the brothers always act upon the maxim, "Every one for himself. " The moral is excellent, and cannot be too earnestly and widely inculcated. 

 Mr. Bradley has produced this little work in very handsome style, with original embellishments from the fertile pencil of Mr. Croome. --_Scotts Weekly_. 

GOLDEN GRAINS FROM LIFE'S HARVEST FIELD, bound in full gilt, with a beautiful mezzotint engraving, 12mo, 240pages. 

NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 

 It is not too much to say, that the Golden Grains here presented to the reader, are such as will be productive of a far greater amount of human happiness than those, in search of which, so many are willing to risk domestic peace, health, and even life itself, in a distant and inhospitable region. 

 These narratives, like all of those which proceed from the same able pen, are remarkable not only for their entertaining and lively pictures of actual life, but for their admirable moral tendency. 

 It is printed in excellent style, and embellished with a mezzotint engraving. We cordially recommend it to the favour of our readers. --_Godey's Lady's Magazine_. 

TRUE RICHES; or, WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS, 12mo, 210 pages, with a fine mezzotint Frontispiece. 

NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 

 This volume is written by T. S. Arthur, the most popular of all our American writers on domestic subjects. His intention is to direct the reader to the real riches of life, the wealth which cannot be taken away by the adverse events of fortune. The true wisdom of life, he shows us, is to place our fortune in ourselves, to make our own minds rich in intellectual treasures, and our hearts true to the legitimate purposes and ends of life. When the doctrine of this little volume becomes universally prevalent, a new era of happiness will dawn upon mankind. --_Godey's Lady's Book_. 

 Mr. Arthur, in this volume, impresses upon his readers the importance of laying up treasures in the really profitable way--moral and intellectual treasures, which, in all the storms of ill-fortune, never leave their possessor without ample resources. The world acknowledges the truth of his moral, but often forgets to reduce it to practice. It therefore, becomes the duty of the world's moral teachers, of which Mr. Arthur is one of the most successful, to impress the truth by a well-written narrative. --_Scott's Weekly_. 

[Illustration: A Home Scene]