ul as an angel, and rich
enough to slip a flyer into Dick Hexham's hands, and lay him on your
track, what _is_ the use? Letter for _you,_ my man."

Seaton took the letter, with a puzzled air. It was written in a clear but
feminine hand, and slightly scented.

The writer, in a few polished lines, excused herself for taking
extraordinary means to find Mr. Seaton; but hoped he would consider that
he had laid her under a deep obligation, and that gratitude will
sometimes be importunate. She had the pleasure to inform him that the
office of shipping clerk at Messrs. White & Co.'s was at his service, and
she hoped he would take it without an hour's further delay, for that she
was assured that many persons had risen to wealth and consideration in
the colony from such situations.

Then, as this wary but courteous young lady had no wish to enter into a
correspondence with her ex-gardener, she added:

"Mr. Seaton need not trouble himself to reply to this note. A simple
'yes' to Mr. Hexham will be enough, and will give sincere pleasure to Mr.
Seaton's

"Obedient servant and well-wisher,

"HELEN ANNE ROLLESTON."

Seaton bowed his head over this letter in silent but deep emotion.

Hexham respected that emotion, and watched him with a sort of vague
sympathy.

Seaton lifted his head, and the tears stood thick in his eyes. Said he,
in a voice of exquisite softness, scarce above a whisper, "Tell her,
'yes' and 'God bless her.' Good-by. I want to go on my knees, and pray
God to bless her as she deserves. Good-by."

Hexham took the hint and retired softly.

CHAPTER VI.

WHITE & CO. stumbled on a treasure in James Seaton. Your colonial clerk
is not so narrow and apathetic as your London clerk, whose two objects
seem to be to learn one department only, and not to do too much in that;
but Seaton, a gentleman and a scholar, eclipsed even colonial clerks in
this, that he omitted no opportunity of learning the whole business of
White & Co., and was also animated by a feverish zeal that now and then
provoked laughter from clerks, but was agreeable as well as surprising to
White & Co. Of that zeal his incurable passion was partly the cause.
Fortunes had been made with great rapidity in Sydney; and Seaton now
conceived a wild hope of acquiring one, by some lucky hit, before Wardlaw
could return to Helen Rolleston. And yet his common sense said, if I was
as rich as Croesus, how could she ever mate with me, a stained man? And