l
let it alone."

"You've no right to allow either," said the physician. "No, sir; no," he
insisted, as the young man looked incredulous. There was a pause. "Have
you any capital?" asked the Doctor.

"Capital! No,"--with a low laugh.

"But surely you have something to"--

"Oh, yes,--a little!"

The Doctor marked the southern "Oh." There is no "O" in Milwaukee.

"You don't find as many vacancies as you expected to see, I
suppose--h-m-m?"

There was an under-glow of feeling in the young man's tone as he
replied:--

"I was misinformed."

"Well," said the Doctor, staring down-street, "you'll find something.
What can you do?"

"Do? Oh, I'm willing to do anything!"

Dr. Sevier turned his gaze slowly, with a shade of disappointment in it.
Richling rallied to his defences.

"I think I could make a good book-keeper, or correspondent, or cashier,
or any such"--

The Doctor interrupted, with the back of his head toward his listener,
looking this time up the street, riverward:--

"Yes;--or a shoe,--or a barrel,--h-m-m?"

Richling bent forward with the frown of defective hearing, and the
physician raised his voice:--

"Or a cart-wheel--or a coat?"

"I can make a living," rejoined the other, with a needlessly
resentful-heroic manner, that was lost, or seemed to be, on the
physician.

"Richling,"--the Doctor suddenly faced around and fixed a kindly severe
glance on him,--"why didn't you bring letters?"

"Why,"--the young man stopped, looked at his feet, and distinctly
blushed. "I think," he stammered--"it seems to me"--he looked up with a
faltering eye--"don't you think--I think a man ought to be able to
recommend _himself_."

The Doctor's gaze remained so fixed that the self-recommended man could
not endure it silently.

"_I_ think so," he said, looking down again and swinging his foot.
Suddenly he brightened. "Doctor, isn't this your carriage coming?"

"Yes; I told the boy to drive by here when it was mended, and he might
find me." The vehicle drew up and stopped. "Still, Richling," the
physician continued, as he stepped toward it, "you had better get a
letter or two, yet; you might need them."

The door of the carriage clapped to. There seemed a touch of vexation in
the sound. Richling, too, closed his door, but in the soft way of one in
troubled meditation. Was this a proper farewell? The thought came to
both men.

"Stop a minute!" said Dr. Sevier to his driver. He leaned out a little
at the sid