rpaid me. It was my fault."

"Your fault!--and honest Abe Lincoln, you have walked two miles out of
your way to pay me that six cents! Why didn't you wait until to-morrow?"

"I couldn't."

"Why, what is going to happen?"

"I can't sleep with a thing like that on my conscience. Now I feel light
and free again."

"Come in, if it is late. We've got company--a Tunker--teaches, preaches,
and works. May be you have met him before. He's been traveling down in
Indiana and middle Illinois."

Abraham came in, and Jasper rose to receive him.

"Lincoln," said the wandering school-master, "it does my heart good to
see you. I see that you have grown in body and in soul. What brought you
here? I have been telling stories for hours. Sit down, and tell us
about what has happened to you since we met last."

The tall young man sat down.

"He's clark down to Orfutt's store now," said Mrs. Duncan, "and his word
is as good as gold, and his weights are as true as the scales of the
Judgment Day. Why, one day he made a wrong weight of half a pound, and
as soon as he found it out he shut up the shop and went shivering
through the village with that half-pound of tea as though the powers of
the air were after him. He's schooled his conscience so that he couldn't
be dishonest if he were to try. I do believe a dishonorable act would
wither him and drive him crazy."

"Character, which is the habit of obedience to the universal law of
right, is the highest school of life," said Jasper. "That is what I try
to teach everywhere. But Abraham has heard me say that before. Where
have you been since I saw you last? Tell me, what has been your school
of life?"

"I have been to New Orleans in a flat-boat. I went for Mr. Orfutt, who
now keeps the store in this place. When I came back he gave me a place
in his store here. I have been here ever since."

"What did you see in New Orleans?"

"Slavery--men sold in the market like cattle. Jasper, it made me long to
have power--to control men and congresses and armies. If I only had the
power, I would strike that institution hard. I said that to John Hanks,
and he thought that slavery wasn't in any danger from anything that I
would be likely to do. It don't look so, does it, elder? I have one
vote, and I shall always cast that against wrong as long as I live. That
is my right to do.

"Elder, listen. I want to tell you what I saw there one day, in a
slave-pen. I saw a handsome young girl, with white bl