no confidence in Maxwell."

"A good reason why you declined giving him the job."

"I think so."

"Maxwell was greatly disappointed."

"I know he has spoken very hard against me. But that avails nothing. My
principle of action is to do right, and let others think and say what
they please. No man is my judge. Maxwell is not, probably, aware that I
know him thoroughly, and that I have thrown as much in his way as I
could safely do. He is not, of course, aware, that one of my sons
overheard him, in reference to this very mill-dam, say--'I'm bound to
have that contract whether or no. I have learned the lowest bid, and
have put in a bid still lower.' 'How did you learn this?' was asked of
him. 'No matter,' he answered, 'I have learned it.' 'You can't go lower
and build the dam safely,' was said. To which he replied--'I can build
the dam, and make a good profit. As to the safety, I'll leave that in
the hands of Providence. He'll take care of the poor people below.' Mr.
Lee! I felt an inward shudder when this was repeated to me. I could not
have believed the man so void of common honesty and common humanity. Was
I not right to withhold from him such a contract?"

"You would have been no better than Maxwell, if you had given it to
him," was answered. "And yet, this same man speaks against the rich, and
thinks their chance of heaven a poor one."

"Simply because they are rich."

"Or, it might with more truth be said, because they will not yield to
his covetous and envious spirit. He is not content with the equivalent
society renders back to him for the benefit he confers, but wants to
share what of right belongs to others."

"That spirit I have often seen him manifest," was replied. "Well, if
simple riches are a bar to man's entrance into heaven, how much more so
are discontent, envy, malice, hatred, and a selfish disregard for the
rights and well-being of others. The rich have their temptations, and so
have the poor, and neither will enter heaven, unless they overcome in
temptation, and receive a purified love of their neighbour. This at
least is my doctrine."

"Of the two, I would rather take Clinton's chance of heaven," said Lee
to himself, as he went musing away, "even if he is a rich man."

[Illustration: ANOTHER DEBT PAID.]

WHAT FIVE DOLLARS PAID.

Mr. Herriot was sitting in his office, one day, when a lad entered, and
handed him a small slip of paper. It was a bill for five dollars, due to
his shoe