live in
obedience to social and divine laws; dishonesty is the violation of
these. Is it possible for a diseased body to give physical enjoyment?
No! Nor can a diseased mind give true mental enjoyment. To seek
happiness in the possession of wealth obtained through wrong to
the neighbour, is as fruitless as to seek bodily pleasure in those
practices which inevitably destroy the health. To me, this is
self-evident, and may God give me strength to live according to my
clear convictions!"

The very earnestness with which Claire mentally confirmed himself in
his honest convictions, and especially his upward looking for strength
in conscious weakness, showed that his mind was in temptation. He
had felt somewhat depressed during the day, in view of his external
relation to the world; and this feeling was increased by his
observation of the fact that Parker had been advanced to the position
of a partner to his old employer. It seemed like a reward for unfair
dealing, while honesty was suffered to remain poor. The young man's
enlightened reason--enlightened during five years' earnest search
after and practice of higher truths than govern in the world's
practice--strongly combated all the false arguments that were
presented to his mind, during this season of his overshadowing. The
combat was severe, and still continued on his arrival at home--causing
his mind to be in a measure depressed.

CHAPTER X.

The increase of Claire's family had caused him, some time before, to
remove from the two comfortable rooms in which were passed the first
pleasant years of his married life. He now occupied a small house in
a retired street, the rent of which, though moderate, drew pretty
heavily on his income. But he had managed, through the prudent
co-operation of his wife, not only to keep even with the world, but to
lay by a small sum of money.

Few homes, in the large city wherein dwelt this obscure family, were
so full of all the elements of happiness. If, sometimes, the spirit of
Claire was overshadowed by passing clouds--as would unavoidably happen
from his contact with the world, and his own variant states--the
evening's return to the bosom of his family, generally made all bright
again.

Little Fanny Elder, now ten years of age, had been steadily growing
into his affections from the first. It is questionable whether his
love for his own children was a purer passion. Older, by several
years, than Edith, she had been to him m