what she would have done under the
circumstances."

"You have only one child, I believe?" said Jasper, after a pause of
some moments.

"That is all."

"Only three in family?"

"Only three."

"How would you like to increase it? Suppose you keep this child of
Elder's, now she is with you. I have been looking a little into
the affairs of the estate, and find that there are two houses,
unincumbered, that are rented each for two hundred and fifty dollars a
year. Of course, you will receive a reasonable sum for taking care
of the child. What do you say to it? As executor, I will pay you five
dollars a week for boarding and clothing her until she is twelve years
of age. After that, a new arrangement can be made."

"I can't give an answer until I consult my wife," said Claire, in
reply to so unexpected a proposition.

"Urge her to accept the offer, Edward. Just think what it will add to
your income. I'm sure it won't cost you one-half the sum, weekly, that
I have specified, to find the child in every thing."

"Perhaps not. But all will depend on my wife. We are living, now,
in two rooms, and keep no domestic. An addition of one to our family
might so increase her care and labour as to make a servant necessary.
Then we should have to have an additional room; the rent of which and
the wages and board of the servant would amount to nearly as much as
we would receive from you on account of the child."

"Yes, I see that," returned Jasper. And he mused for some moments. He
was particularly anxious that Claire should take the orphan, for then
all the trouble of looking after and caring for her would be taken
from him, and that would be a good deal gained.

"I'll tell you what, Edward," he added. "If you will take her, I will
call the sum six dollars a week--or three hundred a year. That will
make the matter perfectly easy. If your wife does not seem at first
inclined, talk to her seriously. This addition to your income will be
a great help. To show her that I am perfectly in earnest, and that
you can depend on receiving the sum specified, I will draw up a little
agreement, which, if all parties are satisfied, can be signed at
once."

Claire promised to talk the matter over with his wife at dinner-time.

The morning did not pass without varied assaults upon the young man's
recent good resolutions. Several times he had customers in from
whom it would have been easy to get more than a fair profit, but he
steadily adhere