ness. Your pet enemy needs fighting, not only
with strong principles but with money, and a
certain kind of business power, both of which I
can put you in the way to gain more rapidly.

"In short, if you choose to come to me as one of
my confidential clerks, on a salary which I will
name when I see you, and which shall rise as you
rise, I shall be glad to talk with you this
evening at eight o'clock. If you have no idea of
making a change in business; if your present
occupation suits you, I will not trouble you to
make me any reply other than to return this
communication to me through the post-office, and
we will quietly let the matter drop.

"Yours truly,
"JOHN S. S. STEPHENS."

Our young man caught his breath and held it in for a moment after
reading this remarkable epistle. Yes, he knew Mr. Stephens' place of
business very well indeed; it was the largest and finest mercantile
house in the city; and to be fairly launched forth in his employ, with
a reasonable prospect of suiting him, was to be a possible millionaire.
And to think that that fearful ten-dollar bill, which had made his
cheeks burn so many, _many_ times, was the means that had brought him
such a letter as this. "All things work together for good to them--" Oh
yes, he knew that verse, and believed it, too. But what a strange idea
that Mr. Stephens should have been watching him, should have known so
much about his affairs, and instinctively he ran over his life to see
what things he could have done differently had he known that Mr.
Stephens was watching. Then his face flushed as he thought of the
All-seeing Eye that had been fixed on him night and day; then he held
his head erect, and reminded himself that whatever Mr. Stephens might
have seen to condemn, God knew his heart, knew that through many
failures and constant blunders he had been honestly trying to follow his
guide. But how strange that Mr. Stephens should suppose him fitted for a
clerkship in his store. He tried to decide what would be expected of
him, what he ought to know in order to be fitted for the position.
Prices and positions of goods? About these he knew nothing, nor did his
want of knowledge in this respect particularly disturb him; he knew
perfectly well that he had a quick eye and a quick memory,