one more question I want to ask you. Do you happen to know where young Brandon has been these two last days? for he has never been near the office. "

"I-no, how should I know?" said Max, evidently a little taken aback at the question; "unless, indeed-"

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Well, out with it, if it is not a secret," said Mr. Meyer.

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Yesterday and to-day were the days of the races at Bilton; that's all I know."

66

Humph, Max, I have had a letter about that lad; a letter warning me not to trust too much to his honesty; it comes from one of our clerks, who has been removed to the bank at Bilton. I would not mention it to anyone else, but I should like you to read it through, and tell me what you think of it; there is nothing like proof you see, only vague suspicion."

Max hardly glanced through the letter his father placed in his hand.

"It is not true, it cannot be true, you must not think anything more about it," he exclaimed, hastily.

"I am glad you speak so strongly," said Mr. Meyer, looking relieved. "I have a great deal of confidence in your knowledge of character; you have seen more of the lad than I have, and if you think him perfectly trustworthy, I will not allow the warning to have weight. You see, Mr. Gadstone has taken a great fancy to young Brandon, who is certainly sharp enough, and he talks of removing him from my office, and promoting him to a more important situation in the bank; this has got abroad, and created jealousy perhaps."

Max felt rather disturbed at having his decision accepted so readily; he was conscious that when he spoke, he had not been thinking of Fred Brandon, or of any impression of his character. It was a vision of a very different face from his, with honest brave eyes, that had been called up suddenly before him by the

sound of the name, and had prompted his indignant words.

To have recalled them now would have created too strong an impression the other way, and Maxwell thought there could be no harm in letting them pass with one little qualifying observation.

"I do not see so very much of Frederick Brandon, you know," he said.

"No," exclaimed his father, rather reproachfully, "and I wonder why you don't; he's your cousin, and you might do something to keep him out of harm's way. When I was your age Max, I should not have been satisfied that a cousin of mine should have gone wrong for want of a friend.”

Max laughed out loud.

"No, sir; I know exactly how you managed your cousins and everyone then, as you do us and the workpeople now; but I have not your mysterious power of governing. I am not a king by divine right as you are.

It is

a thing by itself, and I have not got it. You expect me to influence Fred Brandon! we are as far from each other as the Equator from the Pole."

"Ah! there it is," said Mr. Meyer, gravely, "that feeling of difference. I complimented you just now on your knowledge of character, but I am afraid you plume yourself on it too much. You think so much of the difference, that you forget the common ground-you won't have influence unless you stand firmly on that. The power of influencing people, means the power of sympathising thoroughly with them. I thought you had that.”

"Yes, with my kind, but not otherwise. “Yes, Brandon and I have nothing to do with each other; he despises me for an unpractical dreamer; I could not move him an inch out of his way; I'll try however, all the same, to satisfy your conscience, father, though I don't think any good will come of my meddling in his affairs.”

"Well! he is your cousin, and you persuaded me to employ him. I should feel that a sort of responsibility, if I were you; do as you think best, however. There is the bell, we must leave off talking now, and begin to work."

A large bell, from the top of a high roof near, now swung out the hour. Groups of smock-frocked men began to assemble in the yard; the doors of the great building opposite were thrown open, the busy wheels began their monotonous tune, the short hour of morning-freshness was over, they had entered on the burden and heat of the day.

At about this hour the party in Stone Street were also gathering round their breakfasttable; and, thanks to the novelty of Sebastion's presence, their morning meal was much pleasanter, and more sociable than usual.

Mrs. Brandon did not appear as much