lection. But catching his uncle's eye which at that moment raised
itself, he perceived he was mistaken and that he had rather been
listened to only too well.

"You must forgive me if I have seemed to rhapsodize," the young man
stammered. "You were so quiet I half forgot I had a listener and went on
much as I would if I had been thinking aloud."

His uncle smiled and throwing off the weight of his reflections whatever
they might be, arose and began pacing the floor. "I see you are past
surgery," quoth he, "any wisdom of mine would be only thrown away."

Young Mandeville was hurt. He had expected some token of approval on his
uncle's part, or at least some betrayal of sympathy. His looks expressed
his disappointment.

"You expected to convert me by this story," continued the elder, pausing
with a certain regret before his nephew; "nothing could convert me
but--"

"What?" inquired Mandeville after waiting in vain for the other to
finish.

"Something which we will never find in the whirl of New York fashionable
life. A woman with faith to reward and soul to understand such
unqualified trust as yours."

"But I believe Miss Preston is such a girl and will be such a woman. Her
looks, her last words prove it."

"Nothing proves it but time and as for your belief, I have believed
too." Then as if fearing he had said too much, assumed his most
business-like tone and observed, "But we will drop all that; you have
resolved to quit music and enter Wall Street, your object money and the
social consideration which money secures. Now, why Wall Street?"

"Because I can think of no other means for attaining what I desire, in
the space of time I would consent to keep a young lady of Miss Preston's
position waiting."

"Humph! and you have money, I suppose, which you propose to risk on the
hazard?"

"Some! enough to start with; a small amount to you, but sufficient if I
am fortunate."

"And if you are not?"

The young man opened his arms with an expressive gesture, "I am done
for, that is all."

"Bertram," his uncle exclaimed with a change of tone, "has it ever
struck you that Mr. Preston might have as strong a prejudice against
speculation as against the musical profession?"

"No, that is, pardon me but I have sometimes thought that even in the
event of success I should have to struggle against his inherited
instincts of caste and his natural dislike of all things new, even
wealth, but I never thought of the possibili