he replied, "you do not
want to feel your way. You know that the waves will bear her up, and
you send her forth boldly. As wood will float upon water, so will
commerce float on the ocean streams of advertisement."

"But if you ran aground in the mud, where are you then? Do you take
care, George, or your boat 'll be water-logged."

It was during some of these conversations that Delilah cut another
lock of hair from Samson's head, and induced him to confess that he
had obtained that sum of five hundred pounds from her father, and
spent it among those who prepared for him his advertisements. "No!"
said she, jumping up from her seat. "Then he had it after all?"

"Yes; he certainly had it."

"Well, that passes. And after all he said!"

A glimmering of the truth struck coldly upon Robinson's heart. She
had endeavoured to get from her father this sum and had failed. She
had failed, and the old man had sworn to her that he had it not. But
for what purpose had she so eagerly demanded it? "Maryanne," he said,
"if you love another more fondly than you love me--"

"Don't bother about love, George, now. And so you got it out of him
and sent it all flying after the rest. I didn't think you were that
powerful."

"The money, Maryanne, belonged to the firm."

"Gracious knows who it belongs to now. But, laws;--when I think of
all that he said, it's quite dreadful. One can't believe a word that
comes out of his mouth."

Robinson also thought that it was quite dreadful when he reflected
on all that she must have said before she had given up the task as
helpless. Then, too, an idea came upon him of what he might have to
endure when he and she should be one bone and one flesh. How charming
was she to the eyes! how luxuriously attractive, when in her softer
moments she would laugh, and smile, and joke at the winged hours
as they passed! But already was he almost afraid of her voice, and
already did he dread the fiercer glances of her eyes. Was he wise in
this that he was doing? Had he not one bride in commerce, a bride
that would never scold; and would it not be well for him to trust
his happiness to her alone? So he argued within his own breast. But
nevertheless, Love was still the lord of all.

"And the money's all gone?" said Maryanne.

"Indeed it is. Would I had as many thousands to send after it."

"It was like your folly, George, not to keep a little of it by you,
knowing how comfortable it would have been for us at the