vy closing of
the street door, and the voice of Josephine calling him. In the lobby
stood an open iron-bound chest. A glance at the box explained it to
Paul; but he said nothing--not a word--in explanation to Josephine or
his mother, who stood expressing surprise and wonder, while he found the
key and opened the heavy lid. They saw it was a tool chest.

Paul was the first to speak; for when he exhibited the contents, a
deeper silence seemed to fall upon the women.

'It's no mistake,' he said to his mother. 'This belongs to August
Scheffer. He has lent it to me. Isn't it kind of him? For I told him I
had to borrow when I worked.'

'No,' said Paul's mother. 'It's anything but kind. You could waste time
enough in such doings, Paul, without getting a tempter into the house.
What do you want of tools? Do you get along with your books so fast you
don't know what to do with your time? August Scheffer is just like his
father, he never, as long as he lived, found out the use of money; if he
had, his wife wouldn't have been left a beggar.'

'And August would never have been himself,' said Paul. 'That would have
been a pity.'

'No,' said Josephine; 'he would always have been himself.'

'Don't talk like a simpleton, child. You are old enough to see that
August might have been a very different man from what he is, if his
father before him hadn't always this same ridiculous way of throwing the
money he earned about like dust.'

'Well, mother--' began Paul: he hesitated, but a glance at Josephine
decided him. 'I can tell you that if Harry Cromwell comes to any good,
you and every one else will have to thank Scheffer for it.'

Josephine looked at Paul with serious, curious interest; but he saw that
she was not greatly excited by what he had said. He looked at his
mother, and resolved to say no more. And by that resolution he would
have held, but for his mother's words.

'We shall never hear the end of that,' said she. 'Scheffer's father
signed for Oliver Cromwell; but what of that? he lost his money. Better
men have done as much for worse; but I don't know that it deserved to be
talked of to all generations.'

'It was a generous act,' said Paul. 'But August has beat his father at
that, I can tell you, if you want to hear.'

'Some slander, I suppose,' said the mother. 'I suppose every young man
within fifty miles is jealous of Harry; it's well he has gone far enough
to get rid of it all.'

'Well, mother, keep your good op