in haven," he murmured at last; "but do not consider what
storms it has weathered or what perils escaped. It is a voyage I would
encourage no son of mine to undertake."

"Yet you are not the man to shrink from danger or to hesitate in a
course you had marked out for yourself, because of the struggle it
involved or the difficulties it presented!" the young man exclaimed
almost involuntarily as his glance lingered with a certain sort of
fascination on the powerful brow and steady if somewhat melancholy eye
of his companion.

"No; but danger and difficulty should not be sought, only subdued when
encountered. If you were driven into this path, I should say, 'God pity
you!' and hold you out my hand to steady you along its precipices and
above its sudden quicksands. But you are not driven to it. Your
profession offers you the means of an ample livelihood while your good
heart and fair talents insure you ultimate and honorable success, both
in the social and artistic world. For a man of twenty-five such
prospects are not common and he must be difficult to please not to be
satisfied with them."

"Yes," said the other rising with a fitful movement but instantly
sitting again; "I have nothing to complain of as the world goes,
only--Sir," he exclaimed with a sudden determination that lent a force
to his features they had hitherto lacked, "you speak of being driven
into a certain course; what do you mean by that?"

"I mean," returned the other; "forced by circumstances to enter a line
of business to which many others, if not all others are preferable."

"You speak strongly, speculation evidently has none of your sympathy,
notwithstanding the favorable results which have accrued to you from it.
But excuse me, by circumstances you mean poverty, I suppose, and the
lack of every other opening to wealth and position. You would not
consider the desire to make a large fortune in a short space of time a
circumstance of a sufficiently determining nature to reconcile you to my
entering Wall Street speculation?"

The elder gentleman rose, not as the other had done with a restless
impulse quickly subsiding at the first excuse, but forcibly and with a
feverish impatience that to appearance was somewhat out of proportion to
the occasion. "A large fortune in a short space of time!" he reiterated,
pausing where he had risen with an eagle glance at his companion and a
ringing tone in his voice that bespoke a deep but hitherto suppressed
agit