itude toward
his grandfather, who had paid his debts and done all kinds of things
for him; on the other hand there were some who thought he had been
badly treated; and some said that no good would ever come of a young
fellow who was never able to remain in the same situation more than a
month or so; and others said that he had certainly been unfortunate,
but that he was a quick and clever young man, who would some day find
the kind of work that suited him, and then he would show everybody of
what stuff he was composed. As for us, we have only to judge of him by
his actions.

"Perhaps, Mr. Joseph," said Mr. James, "perhaps Miss Iris won't have
all bequeathed to her?"

"Do you know anything?" Joe asked quickly. "Has he made a new will
lately?"

"Not that I know of. But Mr. Chalker has been here off and on a good
bit now."

"Ah! Chalker's a close one, too. Else he'd tell me, his old friend.
Look here, Foxy," he turned a beaming and smiling face upon the
assistant. "If you should see anything or find anything out, tell me,
mind. And, remember, I'll make it worth your while."

Mr. James looked as it he was asking himself how Joseph could make it
worth his while, seeing that he got nothing more from his grandfather,
and by his own showing never would have anything more.

"It's only his will I'm anxious to know about; that, and where he's
put away all his money. Think what a dreadful thing it would be for
his heirs if he were to go and die suddenly, and none of us to know
where his investments are. As for the shop, that is already disposed
of, as I dare say you know."

"Disposed of? The shop disposed of! Oh, Lord!" The assistant turned
pale. "Oh, Mr. Joseph," he asked earnestly, "what will become of the
shop? And who is to have it?"

"I am to have it," Mr. Joseph replied calmly. This was the lie
absolute, and he invented it very cleverly and at the right moment--a
thing which gives strength and life to a lie, because he already
suspected the truth and guessed the secret hope and ambition which
possesses every ambitious assistant in this trade--namely, to get the
succession. Mr. James looked upon himself as the lawful and rightful
heir to the business. But sometimes he entertained grievous doubts,
and now indeed his heart sunk into his boots. "I am to have it," Joe
repeated.

"Oh, I didn't know. You are to have it, then? Oh!"

If Mr. James had been ten years younger, I think he would have burst
into tears. But at