he was.

"Can he be of any service to you, in your office, Judge--such as copying
deeds and papers, hunting up cases, and the like?" asked the Squire.

"Yes, he can be of service to me in that way; and is of service now."

"You can afford to pay him something?" suggested Squire Floyd.

"It is usual," replied the Judge, "to get this kind of service in return
for instruction and office privileges."

"I know; but this case is peculiar. The death of Henry's father has left
him without a support, and he is too independent to burden his mother.
Unless he can earn something, therefore, he must abandon the law."

"I understand that, Squire, and have already decided to compensate him,"
said the Judge. "But what I can offer will not be enough."

"How much can you offer?"

"Not over a hundred dollars for the first year."

"Call it two hundred, Judge," was the ready answer.

The two men looked for a moment into each other's faces.

"His father and I were friends from boyhood," said Squire Floyd. "He was
a warm-hearted man; but always making mistakes. He would have ruined
me two or three times over, if I had been weak enough to enter into
his plans, or to yield to his importunities in the way of risks and
securities. It often went hard for me to refuse him; but duty to those
dependent on me was stronger than friendship. But I can spare a hundred
dollars for his son, and will do it cheerfully. Only, I must not be
known in the matter; for it would lay on Henry's mind a weight of
obligation, not pleasant for one of his sensitive disposition to bear."

"I see, Squire," answered Judge Bigelow to this; "but then it won't
place me in the right position. I shall receive credit for your
benevolence."

"Don't trouble yourself on that score," answered the Squire, laughing.
"It may be that I shall want some law business done--though heaven
forbid! In that case, I will call on you, and you can let Henry do the
work. Thus the equilibrium of benefits will be restored. Let the salary
be two hundred."

And so this matter being settled, Henry Wallingford remained in the
office of Judge Bigelow. The fact of being salaried by the Judge,
stimulated him to new efforts, and made him forward to relieve his kind
preceptor of all duties within the range of his ability. There
came, during the next year, an unusually large amount of office
practice--preparing deeds, making searches, and drawing up papers of
various kinds. In doing this work, H