rosperous; the coming
year we shall coin money like a mint."

"You ought to know," said Mr. Shackford, ruminatively. "A thing as
good as a mint must be a good thing."

"If I were a partner in the business, I could marry Margaret."

"Who's Margaret?"

"Mr. Slocum's daughter."

"That's where the wind is! Now how much capital would it take to
do all that?" inquired Mr. Shackford, with an air of affable
speculation.

"Three or four thousand dollars,--perhaps less."

"Well, I wouldn't give three or four cents to have you marry
Slocum's daughter. Richard, you can't pull any chestnuts out of the
fire with my paw."

Mr. Shackford's interrogation and his more than usual conciliatory
manner had lighted a hope which Richard had not brought with him. Its
sudden extinguishment was in consequence doubly aggravating.

"Slocum's daughter!" repeated Mr. Shackford. "I'd as soon you
would marry Crazy Nan up at the work-house."

The association of Crazy Nan with Margaret sent a red flush into
Richard's cheek. He turned angrily towards the door, and then halted,
recollecting the resolve he had made not to lose his temper, come
what would. If the interview was to end there it had better not have
taken place.

"I had no expectation that you would assist me pecuniarily," said
Richard, after a moment. "Let us drop the money question; it
shouldn't have come up between us. I want you to aid me, not by
lending me money, but by giving me your countenance as the head of
the family,--by showing a natural interest in my affairs, and seeming
disposed to promote them."

"By just seeming?"

"That is really all I desire. If you were to propose to put
capital into the concern, Mr. Slocum would refuse it."

"Slocum would refuse it! Why in the devil should he refuse it?"

"Because"--Richard hesitated, finding himself unexpectedly on
delicate ground--"because he would not care to enter into business
relations with you, under the circumstances."

Mr. Shackford removed the straw from his mouth, and holding it
between his thumb and forefinger peered steadily through his
half-closed eyelids at Richard.

"I don't understand you."

"The dispute you had long ago, over the piece of meadow land
behind the marble yard. Mr. Slocum felt that you bore on him rather
heavily in that matter, and has not quite forgiven you for forcing
him to rebuild the sheds."

"Bother Slocum and his sheds! I understand him. What I don't
understand is _you_. I am