her father."

"Mr. Field," said Mrs. Davenport, "what hour did that train arrive at
Jersey City?"

Richard looked surprised. "Why, seven-fifteen P. M.," he replied. "The
tenth of March."

"Dark!" Mrs. Davenport exclaimed. "Mr. Field, you and Ethel were engaged
before the ferry boat landed at Desbrosses Street."

Richard and Ethel both sat straight up, but remained speechless.

"Pardon my interruption," said Mrs. Davenport, smiling. "I didn't want
to miss a single point in this story--do go on!"

Richard was obliged to burst out laughing, in which Ethel, after a
moment, followed him, though perhaps less heartily. And as he continued,
his blush subsided.

"With my Uncle Godfrey's legacy I was no longer dependent upon my
salary, or my pen, or my father's purse; and I decided that with the
money properly invested, I could maintain a modest establishment of my
own. Ethel agreed with me entirely; and, after a little, we disclosed
our plans to our families, and they met with approval. This was in
April, and we thought of October or November for the wedding. It seemed
long to wait; but it came near being so much longer, that I grow chilly
now to think of it."

"Of course, I went steadily on with my work at the office in Nassau
Street, nor did I neglect my writing entirely. My attention, however,
was now turned to the question of investing my fortune. Just round the
corner from our office was the firm of Blake and Beverly, Stocks and
Bonds. Thither my steps began frequently to turn. Mr. Beverly had
business which brought him every week to the room of our president; and
so having a sort of acquaintance with him, I felt it easier to consult
him than to seek any other among the brokers, to which class I was a
well nigh total stranger. He very kindly consented to be my adviser. I
was well pleased to find how much I had underrated the interest-bearing
capacity of my windfall. 'Four per cent!' he cried, when I told him this
was the extent of my expectations. 'Why, you're talking like a trustee.'
And then seeing that his meaning was beyond me, he explained in his
bluff, humorous manner. 'All a trustee cares for you know, is his
reputation for safety. It's not his own income he's nursing, and so he
doesn't care how small he makes it, provided only that his investments
would be always called safe. Now there are ways of being safe without
spending any trouble or time upon it; and those are the ways a trustee
will take. For examp