it."

"Well! well! well!"

It was all Job Loring could say.

"You can give me part of it, if you like," said Tony, at length. "I
suppose I shall need some clothes."

"And you ain't going to peddling, nor nothing?" queried Mr. Loring.

Again Tony shook his head.

And so the matter was dropped.

Another week went by and Tony was one day walking through Ashville. He
had purchased, at the earnest solicitation of his mother, a suit of
well-fitting clothes; but he was low-spirited, and in spite of the money
he had made, the past winter seemed a sort of failure to him.

Suddenly some one grasped him by the shoulder and a familiar voice
shouted in his ear:

"Hello, Tony, how are you? I hardly knew you, with your new toggery on."

Could it be possible? Yes, he was shaking hands with Morrison.

They were near Mr. Smart's hardware store.

"Come inside," said Morrison. "I've got a bit of news to tell you."

They entered. Mr. Smart was nowhere in sight.

"Right into the office," continued the young man, gaily. "Now, no
backwardness to-day. Sit right down, while I spin my yarn, as the
sailors say. It was as big a surprise to me as it will be to you."

Tony sank into one of the chairs, while Morrison elevated his feet upon
the desk before him.

"Now, are you ready?" he said, with a laugh. "Well, here goes. I worked
in this store two years, under this man Smart--and a precious rascal he
was, too--and never knew that my father owned this store and everything
in it. Mr. Smart had been a clerk for father in Boston, and the object
of the deception was to see if I really had any liking for business. And
what do you suppose the result is?"

"I don't know," said Tony, feebly.

"I'll tell you," continued Morrison. "I was twenty-one years old
yesterday, and I am sole proprietor here."

Tony looked at his companion in a peculiar way; saw how his eyes
sparkled and his cheeks flushed with eagerness, and he knew that his
heart was light and happy with ambition and hope. But the gulf between
them was wider than ever.

"I congratulate you," he said, huskily. "I wish you everything--"

He stopped and rose to his feet, but Morrison pulled him down into the
chair again.

"Don't go yet," he pleaded. "I'm not through. Now I want a favor of you.
I want you in the store with me. Stop!" he said, imperatively, as Tony
attempted to speak. "I know what your objection will be, but it's no
use. There are evening schools here in the vi