ill
soon be an independent man. You know the capital in the business as
well as I do. I did say an eighth, but I now propose to make over to
you one-fourth, and to allow your profits of every year (deducting
your necessary expenses) to be invested in the business, until you
have acquired a right to one-half. Of future arrangements we will
speak hereafter."

"Mr. Trevannion," replied I, "that I am truly grateful for such
unexpected liberality, I hardly need say, and you have my best thanks
for your noble offer; but I have scruples which, I must confess, I
cannot get over."

"Scruples!" exclaimed Mr. Trevannion, laying down his pipe on the
table. "Oh! I see now," continued he after a pause; "you think I am
robbing my daughter. No, no, the labourer is worthy of his hire, and
she will have more than sufficient. You carry your conscientiousness
too far, my dear fellow; I have more than enough for Amy, out of the
business altogether."

"I am aware of that, Sir," added I, "and I did not, therefore, refer
to your daughter when I said that I had scruples. I must be candid
with you, Sir. How is it that I am now in your employ?"

"Why, because you had a dislike to privateering, and I had a debt of
gratitude to pay."

"Exactly, Sir; but whether you had been pleased to employ me or not, I
had made up my mind, as you well know, from conscientious motives, not
to continue on board of a privateer."

"Well, I grant that."

"The same motives, Sir, will not allow me to be a sharer in the
profits arising from such sources. I should consider myself equally
wrong if I did so, as if I remained on board. Do not be angry with me,
Sir," continued I; "if I, with many thanks, decline your offer of
being your partner; I will faithfully serve you upon any salary which
you may consider I may merit, and trust to your liberality in every
thing."

Mr. Trevannion made no reply; he had resumed his pipe, and continued
to smoke it, with his eyes fixed upon the mantelpiece. As soon as his
pipe was out, he rose, put on his hat, and walked out of the room,
without making any further observation. I waited a few minutes, and
then went back to the counting-house.

That Mr. Trevannion was seriously offended, I was convinced; but I
valued the good opinion of his daughter more than I did that of Mr.
Trevannion; indeed, my feelings towards her had, during the year that
I had been in the house, gradually become of that nature that they
threatened much my