pendence of the
feeling went far to counterbalance all other drawbacks.

One day Anstey said to him, "Wouldn't you like to have some interest,
some share in the business, Gerard?"

"Some interest!" he echoed, thinking that he had rather too much of
that, seeing that his employer left all the burden of it to him and
pocketed all the advantages himself.

"Why yes. How would it be to put something into it? It would give you
a share--make you a kind of partner, don't you see?"

"But I haven't got anything to put into it except the mere trifle I
brought out with me."

"Wouldn't the people at home invest something for you, eh? It would pay
them and--you--a thundering rate of interest, and give you a share in
the concern besides."

But Gerard was able completely to disabuse Anstey's mind of any
illusions on that head. "The people at home" had done all they could in
scraping together enough for Gerard's passage and outfit, together with
a few pounds to start him on landing. There was not the faintest chance
of them doing anything further.

"How much did you bring out with you?" pursued Anstey.

Gerard was able to inform him he had brought out about thirty pounds;
but what with travelling and other expenses he had not much more than
twenty-five at his disposal--a mere trifle.

"A mere trifle indeed," rejoined Anstey. "But then we all have to start
upon trifles. Now, why not put that twenty-five pounds into this
concern? You would get interest on it, and it would have the additional
advantage of being, so to speak, under your own eye instead of lying
idle at the bank. I should strongly recommend you to invest it in this.
But think it well over first."

And Gerard, after thinking it over, resolved to follow his relative's
advice, and invested his twenty-five pounds accordingly.

He had now been three months with Anstey, and the latter had kept him
pretty well with his nose to the grindstone, discouraging especially any
desire to visit Maritzburg. He had far better stick to business, he
said. Knocking around the city might be good enough fun for fellows
with plenty of coin, but one with scarcely any was very likely to get
rid of what little he had. Of Harry Maitland, Gerard had hardly heard
since they parted. He had received one letter stating that the writer
had found a lot of friends through his letters of introduction, among
whom he was having a right good time. He would ride over some day and
see him