can, in some measure, make atonement for the evil involved
in its acquisition, by employing it for the benefit of those in general
who suffer and are in need."

"Yes," assented "Cobbler" Horn, with emphasis; "if I thought otherwise,
every coin of the money that I handled would scorch my fingers to the
bone."

After this there was a brief silence, and the minister sat back in his
chair, with closed eyes, smiling gently.

"I beg your pardon," he said, in another moment, starting forward, "I have
been thinking of all the good that might be done, if every rich man were
like you. But you came to ask my advice?"

"Yes, sir," replied "Cobbler" Horn; "and I am keeping you too long."

"Not at all, my dear sir! Your visit has refreshed me greatly. Your talk
is like a cool breeze on a hot day. It is not often that a millionaire
comes to discuss with me the responsibilities of wealth. But let me hear
what the peculiar difficulty is of which you spoke."

"Well, sir, there is a serious inconvenience involved in my new position,
with which I am quite unable to grapple."

"Ah," said the minister, raising his eye-brows, "what is that?"

"Why it is just the number of letters I receive."

"Of course!" cried the minister, with twinkling eyes. "The birds of prey
will be upon you from every side; and your being a religious man will, by
no means, mitigate the evil."

"Ah, I have no doubt you are right, sir! And it's a sort of compliment to
religion, isn't it?"

"Of course it is," said Mr. Durnford; "and a very beautiful way of looking
at it too."

"Thank you, sir. Well, there are two sides to my difficulty. First I wish
to answer every letter I receive; but I cannot possibly do it myself."

"No," said the minister. "But surely many of them need not be answered at
all."

"Yes, sir, by your leave. My sister says that many of the letters are
probably impostures. But you see I cannot tell certainly which are of that
kind. She also points out that very few of them contain stamps for reply.
But I tell her that a few stamps, more or less, are of no moment to me
now."

"I don't know," broke in the minister, "which more to admire--your
sister's wisdom or your own goodness."

"Cobbler" Horn deprecatingly waved his hand.

"Now, sir," he resumed, "Jemima advises me to engage a secretary."

"Obviously," assented the minister, "that is your best course."

"I suppose it is, sir; but I am all at sea, and want your help."

"And you sh